Getting Started with Independent Travel
Getting Started at a Glance#
Every trip starts with four questions: what kind of trip do you want, how much will it cost, when should you go, and what route makes sense. Answer those and the rest, gear and visas and insurance, falls into place. You do not need a year-long circuit of the planet to travel well; the right trip is the one that fits your life right now.
- Pick the kind of trip that fits your life before anything else. Not everyone needs a year-long round-the-world.
- Region drives your budget more than spending habits. Daily costs run roughly $25/day in Southeast Asia to $100+/day in Western Europe.
- Travel in shoulder season to cut costs 20 to 40 percent, with thinner crowds and usually fine weather.
- Plan your route in one direction to avoid expensive backtracking flights.
- Do not over-plan. Book your first week, then improvise the rest as you learn how you actually travel.
Dreaming about a trip but not sure where to begin? Start here to figure out what kind of journey fits you, what it really costs, and how to build a route.
The four questions every trip starts with: what kind of trip do I want, how much will it cost, when should I go, and what route makes sense? Answer those and everything else - gear, visas, insurance - falls into place.