What should we pack? Where should we go? Where do we start?
Planning a Round The World trip is just as exciting as it is daunting. We went through the different stages of preparing that we’re sure most people go through in the same situation. We asked ourselves those same questions over and over again.
But, the questions can go on forever, and ultimately they will just play on your mind. Beginning the planning for a long term trip is difficult and can very easily become overwhelming. Our advice is to just pick a date, your first destination and go from there.
To help you get ready for your RTW the trip, we have put together this Travel Resources page full of all our tips based on personal experiences and what we have learnt from being on the road for a year and a half now.
Click on any section to take you to a more in-depth guide.
WHAT TO PACK
We travelled from top to bottom of South East Asia, spent 8 months travelling around East Africa, and have been places from the coast, to mountains, caves and deserts. We've been in some pretty unique situations that often challenged our backpacks' supplies.
We now want to share with you what we've learnt!
Check out detailed information about what we took with us whilst travelling around the world.
TRAVEL PLANNING
Where do you begin? How do you go about it? How long should you travel for?
After independently going through the whole of South East Asia & a big part of East Africa, crossing all the borders overland on public transport, and still having fun whilst exploring each country, we think we got a gist of what successful travel planning is all about.
Check out our advice on how to plan your long term independent travels.
MONEY & BUDGETING
We spent 6 months across Central and South East Asia and 8 months in East Africa on 30 USD a day for both of us.
Learn how we did that and read more about ways to keep on top of your finances.
TRAVEL VISAS
Yes, they're boring but important... Learn how to get them and what happens if you overstay.
TRAVEL HEALTH AND SAFETY
It's not easy to plan your vaccinations, medical kit supplies and decide which malaria pills to choose. It can also be scary to read all the government advice warning you about possible things that can go wrong when you visit the country you've always wanted to visit... So don't get overwhelmed and just check our safety and advice on how to stay healthy on the road.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It's a must! We really love our simple, affordable and reliable travel insurance that insures us for all the countries we're visiting for the whole year! Want to know which insurance we're using?
General Tips for life on the road
The whole 'travel' lifestyle is filled with many surprises and can even be quite confusing at times. So here is our super list of all the things we’ve learnt about long term travel and a few things we wish we knew before we started.
What's in our camera bag?
GAFFL asked us to talk to them about our story and all things travel! We’re so excited to share this interview which was originally published on GAFFL, the app that helps you find solo travelers and meet locals worldwide. We hope you will like learning more about us & GAFFL!
Besides having the opportunity to indulge in a hearty plate of “Shrimp on the Barbie”, Australia is one of the most unique and interesting continents in the world that you must include on your bucket list of places to visit.
Without a doubt, the best way to see the beauty of New Zealand is with your own camper. Read Part 2 Of Our Two Week Itinerary about Road Tripping through this magnificent country and choosing the best camper for you.
Without a doubt, the best way to see the beauty of New Zealand is with your own camper. Read Part 1 Of Our Two Week Itinerary about Road Tripping through this magnificent country and choosing the best camper for you.
Ahh we love London - the city we lived in for a few years! It cannot be missed and as our contributor says - ‘there is a lot more to see than just the typical tourist sites’. Read on and discover the less touristy parts of the city.
Have you ever been on ‘staycation’? We love travelling but we definitely don’t do enough of staycations and we currently try to change that! Our contributor tells us all about planning a staycation that will leave you happy and satisfied.
‘You want to take a long road trip with your closest friends and enjoy the picturesque views along the way. If you aren’t already a road trip pro, there are a handful of things you will need to keep in mind.’ Have a look at these useful tips from our contributor!
‘From the captivating landscapes of the Outback to the scenic cities of Sydney and Melbourne, there is much to see, do, and explore around this beautiful continent. And yet here's the problem.’ Read on this post by our contributor to learn how to go about travelling Australia to make the most of your time here!
Australia is one of the most alluring travel destinations on the planet. Drawing tourists from every corner of the globe, this vast land mass offers virtually every kind of holiday imaginable. Check out just some of the ways that you can explore this country.
Travelling is awesome, no doubt about it, but it does take a tool on your body & mind. Have a look how you damage your health when you travel and what to do to decrease the negative impact of being on the road.
Rwanda has over 50 caves and some of them can be visited by tourists - how to find them, how much does it cost and how to organise a caving adventure? We’re talking about all of these in this Rwanda’s Caves post so read on!
Nyungwe Forest is a national park in Rwanda, and we decided to call it an Enchanted Forest! This place has its own ecosystem and unique flora and fauna - we loved exploring it. Check out our post in which we tell you all about what’s Nyungwe Forest like, where to stay (including our experience at a 1000+ USD place!) and what to do (complete with prices).
‘To learn more about Hanna & Zach’s drone and if you’re ready to get into the nitty gritty of how they’re making money in Africa, keep reading, read part 2 of their interview.’ - this interview was originally published by Backpacking Africa For Beginners.
‘It’s not everyday you meet a married couple backpacking Africa. But after Zach (Australian) & his wife Hanna (Polish) from HandZaround bought my book, that’s exactly what they decided to do. Their story is amazing, and once you start following them & see their photography you’ll understand how they’re getting paid to do it.’ - read our interview originally posted by Backpacking Africa For Beginners.
‘More and more backpackers are now able to sustain their travels through blogging, filmmaking and/or photography. Hanna and Zach are two of them. Hanna is from Poland, Zach is from Australia, but they met and lived in London. In October 2016, they decided to pack up their cameras and other essentials and set off first to Asia, then Australia, USA, and finally Africa, where they are now. On their website, HandZaround, they share travel stories, tips, photographs and films from their journey. They’re all about independent travel, off-the-beaten track destinations and ‘slow travel’.’ - read the interview RGNN.org did with us a few months back.
So you want to visit Rwanda and possibly its famous Volcanoes National Park. But how to book tickets for the activities online? How much are activities and what activities are there available? We prepared a detailed post about booking your entrance tickets in the easiest way possible (without tour companies or mediators), compiled ideas for things to do besides gorilla trekking and gathered some tips that will let you enjoy your trip to the fullest.
Are you planning on travelling to Rwanda any time soon? We spent about 5 weeks travelling around the country and collecting information about accommodation, transport, food, backpacking, activities and the overall feeling of travel through Rwanda. So are you wondering what are Rwanda’s accommodation prices like? Whether it’s safe to travel around Rwanda? If it’s even possible to see Rwanda on on a low budget? Or what is Rwanda even known for? We were wondering about these things too, so we compiled what we learnt in this post! And check out our GIVEAWAY too!
So, you’re planning your next big trip that will cross multiple countries. There is one thing that you will have to consider - visas. Almost every country requires you to purchase one before entering and they can be a bit confusing. We would like to share with you some tips and advice on applying and getting a visa based on our experiences, as well as the visa requirements of the countries we’ve visited.
There are many things to consider when travelling anywhere in Africa… but one thing you need to take seriously is the heat! Read more about how to take care of yourself in a hot climate in this short article.
How much money is enough to travel long term? What should your daily budget be? How much does things cost in Asia and Africa? We managed to travel for 18 months spending just $30 per day for us two! Check out our comprehensive guide to find out more about planning your budget, saving money, managing money during travel and read our 16 Money Saving Tips for Long Term Travel.
We've been travelling for almost 18 months now and we've certainly gotten used to living out of a backpack. There are a million 'packing checklists' or 'travel must-haves' out there, so we decided to share with you the things we learnt over time and things we discovered by trying (sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing!). Our Travel Resources page has been created to help you get ready for any travels you're dreaming of and in this post we would love to share with you all that we know about packing for long term travels.
So you just got to Nairobi (or you're planning to go there!) and you have no idea what fun things to do besides the ones that are expensive and all over instagram (yes, we mean Giraffe Manor and the Nairobi National Park...) - check out our guide with lots of photos and videos that will help you immerse in the culture of this vibrant city!
Planning your long term travel on a budget is an excitingly daunting task! There are so many things to consider in order to come up with your perfect trip. In this post we have put together some information that will help you to plan a more thoughtful and ultimately more enjoyable long term trip, based on the things you like doing.
Want to know what our favourite place in the whole of Ethiopia was? This place was stunningly beautiful and provided us with a great chance to experience the vibrant and lively nature that Ethiopia has to offer. See our advice, photos and vlog!
Looking for things to do in Addis Ababa? Check out our suggestions to know where to go and what to see!
Cameras, lenses, accessories... people often wonder how do we manage to travel only with our backpacks and fit all the equipment needed to capture awesome shots. So... please enjoy the reveal of what's in our camera bags!
Are you visiting Luang Prabang soon? Or maybe you're not sure about visiting it at all? Let us convince you! It's one of our favourite towns! See our quick guide to learn what to do, eat and visit in Luang Prabang, and don't forget to check our 60 second Luang Prabang City Video Guide to get inspired!
Is it safe to travel in Ethiopia for a single girl, guy, couple, family with small kids? How safe is public transport in Ethiopia? Is it safe to travel independently or do you have to stick to a travel company? We'll try to answer all of these questions and tell you a couple of personal stories in our travel safety guide on Ethiopia. Read on!
Siem Reap is famous for its astounding Angkor temple complex, but there are many other things worth seeing and doing. See our Siem Reap City Guide and watch out 60 second City Video Guide about Siem Reap to get you inspired!
London, Paris, Dubai, Barcelona... whaaat?!
This is what we found doing a quick Google search about 'the best cities to visit in 2018'. (...) We decided to bring you something fresh and off-the-beaten track - the cities we visited in 2017 that we think you would love visiting on your 2018 trips!