Planning a trip around the world - 8 tips for beautiful and longer journeys

Anticipation is the greatest joy! But don't spend too long imagining your dream trip. Good preparation for your trip around the world will help you to ensure that it will be your most beautiful trip and that you can travel longer.

Read our 8 tips for planning your perfect trip around the world.

We won't start here with the destination and the season, because we assume that you already have quite concrete plans about where to go and also that you know that it is very cold in Siberia in winter or when it's monsoon season in Southeast Asia. No, we'll start with the most important thing, which is your expectations.

1. What are my expectations?

You have probably been dreaming about your upcoming trip around the world for a long time. Become aware of what you specifically dream of. Is it fantastic landscapes? Would you like to get to know the country and its people and get in touch with the locals? Or just spend an unforgettable time with your sweetheart?

Because: Depending on how you answer these questions, some decisions will arise that will enable you to realise your dreams. If you want to get to know the country and its people, you should not travel by rental car or camper, but rather by bus and train. On the other hand, if you want to spend an unforgettable time with your sweetheart, the camper can be the ideal choice.

2. Ask friends and acquaintances

You almost certainly have friends or acquaintances who have already travelled in the country of your dreams. Invite them over for dinner or coffee and cookies. All travellers love to tell you about their world trip and are happy to pass on valuable tips and tricks.

3. Read travel blogs & travel magazines

Travel blogs and travel magazines are also great sources of information. Google travel blogs for your destination or check out our "Travel Blogs (german)" page to see if there's the right blog for you.

You can also find great travel stories and countless tips in the Globetrotter Magazine archive. The latest issues can be viewed free of charge, older ones with a subscription. . Die letzten Ausgaben kann man kostenlos einsehen, ältere als AbonnentIn.

4. Go to the professional for the most important things

Talking about your dreams with friends and getting inspired by travel blogs and magazines is fun. But go to a professional for the essentials: discuss your ideas with a travel professional if you want to plan a more complicated trip around the world. Globetrotter says it like this: "One hour of consultation with us replaces 13 hours of surfing the internet" (to the interview).

And not only that. A good consultation can contain tips for absolute highlights, but it can also prevent unpleasant surprises.

5. Vaccinations & formalities

It is important to take care of vaccinations and formalities in good time. Especially when it comes to vaccinations, you should not wait too long before planning, as some vaccinations need to be repeated at regular intervals to ensure optimal protection. We also recommend that you do not take your last vaccinations too close to your departure, so that you are not already far away from civilisation in case of any side effects.

You can get an initial overview of vaccinations here: Federal Office of Public Health - Vaccination recommendations

We also recommend that you consult a doctor in good time or seek advice from the Swiss Tropical Institute.

Make sure you get a visa for your destination in good time. Some travel agencies offer a visa service, which is particularly helpful if you are travelling to several countries and therefore need several visas. We know the Globetrotter Visa Service, which we can recommend to you.

Finally, check with your insurance company and your health insurance company whether the insurance cover is also valid in the countries you are travelling to or whether you need to take out additional insurance to be well insured.

6. Save money - but not at the wrong end

Plan your trip the way you don't run out of money. Saving money is good, but don't save at the wrong end. It's better to travel for one or two weeks less but don't save up for the best highlights: be it a boat trip to a deserted island, the romantic sea-view room in a beautiful lodge or a local guide for a day.

And if you can sublet your apartment at home, suddenly the larger camper is in it or an extra week relaxing on the beach after an 'exhausting' trip...

Here you can advertise your apartment for free.

7. Tidy up and clean out the apartment

And then, of course, a trip around the world is also a good opportunity to really tidy up and clean out your home. There are probably countless things piling up in your cupboards and basement that you haven't used in years. Take them to a second-hand store, get rid of them or have someone pick them up who can use them again.

A good thing to do with bicycles that are no longer needed is www.velafrica.ch. Velafrica collects discarded bicycles, refurbishes them and ships them to Africa.

8. The little bric-a-brac box

And finally this: there are antidotes to many unpleasant things. Earplugs or headphones if someone in your shared room or on the night train snores, handkerchiefs if there is no toilet paper in the toilet. But what is often forgotten and not uncommon is that your room or your pillow smells bad. That's why we recommend taking a little bottle of fragrance essence with you - you'll appreciate it!

And while we're on the subject of knick-knacks: Scotch tape, super glue, a few paper clips, clothespins, freezer bags and rubber bands can be worth their weight in gold when travelling.