Ever dreamed of dropping everything and embarking on an around the world trip? More and more Canadians are doing just that. Whether you’re carving out a month-long globe trot or a year-long traipse around the world, there are a few things you’ll want to get in order first. Here are some tips for how to plan a trip around the world.
Figure out where to go!
Are you a beach bum or a mountain master? Love travelling off the beaten path or soaking up big city life? Being inspired by your destination will make planning much more fun! Think about what you love to do most and choose your destinations strategically. Just because everyone’s raving about Rome doesn’t mean it’s the place for you. Remember, seasons vary per hemisphere—our summer may be another country’s winter.
Need some destination inspiration? Check out Travel Around the World Ideas and Inspiration.
Decide how long you’ll go for and book your time accordingly
Are you using your work vacation, taking a gap year, or have you dropped it all and quit your job? If you’ve got more time, you can be much for flexible with your travel dates; however if you’re working with restricted time, book your trip around national holidays like Christmas/ New Years or Easter, to maximize your vacation days.
Determine how much money you’ll need and start saving
Of course, the amount of money you’ll need to save will depend on how long your trip is, your travel style (budget or luxury) and the places you’ll go. You may have to save for years or months. Two of our guest bloggers have some great tips for saving money. Check out Preparing for Long-term Travel and How I saved 1,450 on Airline Tickets.
Leave enough time to get any required visas before you go
Luckily for Canadians, visas are relatively easy to obtain. For some countries you can even get them when you arrive at the border. However, for many countries you’ll need to get a visa in advance. Research your destinations’ visa requirements and do apply a couple of months before your scheduled departure date. You may have to send away to Ottawa or wade through some cumbersome bureaucracy, so it’s best to leave plenty of time to get everything sorted out as early as possible.
Find out more about visa requirements for Canadians.
Get a long-term travel medical insurance plan
Don’t forget to buy comprehensive travel medical insurance before you go! Unfortunately, your home province/territory’s health insurance plan won’t fully cover you when you’re travelling. Did you know that outside of Canada, it covers less than 10% of the total cost if you get injured or sick? Luckily, comprehensive long-term travel insurance plans are available.
If you’re 59 years and under, you can get travel insurance for trips of up to 365 days or less. If you’re older, you can purchase travel insurance for trips of 182 days or less (212 days or less in provinces where applicable).
Planning to be gone longer? Lucky you! There are options for extending your insurance for up to two years while travelling. To find out more about your extension options, you can give our Customer Service team a call at 1-855-929-TUGO, or email info@tugo.com.
Have travel medical insurance questions? Read 3 of your Travel Insurance Questions Answered.
Have more tips for planning a trip around the world? Share below!
Safe travels,
Sarah
