A world tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in immersive cultural experiences and discover the world’s natural wonders. Whether you’re exploring the traditions of safari in Kenya, hiking to the summit of a soaring mountain or tasting the wines of Chile in their southern hemisphere summer, an unforgettable journey is one that will leave you feeling inspired and enriched.
Until recently, it was a pipe dream for many travellers to turn the pages of their favourite travel writer’s memoirs and make their own global odyssey. However, combining a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a single around-the-world trip is not as difficult as you might think.
If you’re a beginner, start with Spain or Portugal. Both are safe, affordable, and easy to navigate thanks to efficient public transport systems. For a more advanced journey, try Ireland, one of the world’s friendliest countries, or New Zealand, with its mind-blowing natural beauty and renowned Kiwi hospitality. New Zealand may seem a bit intimidating at first, but the locals are welcoming and English is widely spoken.
You could also opt for a guided overland trip. Companies such as Oasis Overland, which specializes in this type of journey, have itineraries that are based around air tickets that allow you to hop between major international hubs such as London and Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok and Singapore, Sydney and Los Angeles. Some itineraries include a stop in Africa, with a circuit that takes in Egypt’s pyramids and Victoria Falls.
For those who prefer to fly, a round-the-world airline ticket is the best way to cover all the main continents. Most airlines offer a number of different RTW tickets that enable you to pay for all your flights in a single transaction. For example, Star Alliance and OneWorld both have RTW passes that allow you to visit over 1,000 airports across 98% of the world’s nations.
If you’re an active traveller, it’s a good idea to avoid the Caribbean and India in the summer and Southeast Asia during monsoon season. For those with an appetite for outdoor adventures, February offers a host of activities, from discovering the winter wonders of Antarctica and Scandinavia to skiing in South America’s Andes.
In the wake of the pandemic, some travellers are shifting away from the sun-and-sea holidays that were so popular before Covid-19. Instead, they’re booking “coolcations” in temperate destinations that are still warm but less crowded than hotter climes. Alternatively, music fans are making destination concerts their priority by choosing to see their favourite artists in cities like Amsterdam and Milan, rather than in the US where tickets cost thousands and were often sold out.