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The term “RTW” is catching on in the blogosphere and among travelers who set off to take a trip literally Round The World. You’ll be seeing more airlines and travel agencies offering deals for RTW trip so let us introduce you to the concept and culture of the RTW.

What Is An RTW?

Basically, RTW stands for round the world usually followed by the word trip. Generally speaking these trips are routes around the globe, touching place in 3 or more continents continents before flying back around to the starting point. RTW trips are often around a year long, although they can be as short as 3-6 months, or extended to 18 months and beyond.

Who Are RTWers?

An RTWer is someone who has taken a trip around the world with a definitely beginning and end date. That’s the standard definition anyway and it can vary but RTW trips are those with the set purpose of making it around the globe as part of an organized trip. Many of these people who take RTW trips are students in a gap year, people taking career breaks or sabbaticals, and many others fall somewhere in between. RTWers purchase RTW tickets (many airlines and airline partners offer them like Star Alliance and One World) and make arrangements once they’ve saved up enough to take the trip. Some do work from the road but often once RTWers return it’s back to their regular jobs and lives with more infrequent travel.

• Tickets need to be booked and planned in advance and typically range from $2,500-$5,000.
• There are a number of good online RTW trip maps and planners.
• Many backpackers find ways to bring their jobs (and incomes) along with them on the road. You can read about digital nomad tips and tools, how to make money with your travel blog, or consider long distance telecommuting.

Meet Some RTWers

There are a number of resources you can use to find other people who are taking an RTW. There are entire lists of frequent travelers and RTWers as well as good resources on how you can overcome the obstacles and travel the world yourself. For those of you on Twitter, you can do a search of the #RTWsoon hash tag and follow those soon-to-be RTWers and read their tweets and blogs about their personal RTW trip plans, routes, fears and anticipation.

The Definition of RTW Varies

Despite our attempts to clearly define RTW, the truth is that it varies widely. Most RTW trips are different from the next, with varying routes, some focusing on certain areas of the world, and different ideas about what an RTW exactly is. The specific definition isn’t as important as the idea behind and RTW and now you should have a pretty good idea of what an RTW is and the types of people that take RTW trips.

Some RTW trips are short, others span years, and there is even a segment of travelers that break up an RTW into separate trips – now doesn’t that throw you off a bit? Of course there are those that start an RTW, or use them as girlfriend getaways and never return home for good and just keep traveling. Once you catch the travel bug it’s difficult for many to even stay put in one place.

Ready To Be An RTWer?

Find the resources you need to plan an RTW here, including where to find RTW tickets, overcoming the obstacles to traveling the world, and recommended RTW destinations.

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An RTW is a trip “round the world” and involves much more planning than a simple 2 week vacation. An RTW typically lasts for around a year or more and while RTW tickets help to organize and determine your schedule, there is also a great deal of flexibility you’ll have during your RTW trip.

Everyone plans an RTW differently based on where they want to go, the time in their life (i.e. taking a gap year), and of course budget. This is just a basic recommended RTW planning outline designed to help guide you to mapping out your trip and plans. Planning an RTW is exciting from the moment the idea pops in your head to take an RTW trip around the world.

Making The Decision To Take An RTW

This is the first step that’s required for all of your other plans to come in to being. You may get this inspiration while stuck at your cubicle at work, on a whim fantasizing at coffee shop, or after reading a number of travel blogs from RTWers. Once the idea strikes you, it’s time to turn that dream into a reality. Most don’t know where to start and many give up and never take the RTW. It’s left behind as something they “should have done” or as a regret while the daily routine continues. Don’t make excuses for not taking that RTW, start by breaking the problem down into its components – here’s a guide to help you do that.

Make A Map

You can go online but you’ll probably get a better kick out of going to the store, grabbing a large map of the world, some tacks, and string. During these initial stages of RTW planning, you don’t want to bog yourself down with budget concerns, RTW ticket restrictions, or detailed routes for the moment. Start by ticking off places you’ve always wanted to see, would love to visit again, and where you’ve got friends along the way. Keep in mind that most RTW tickets will require you to stop in 3 continents at least and you’ll get about 4 intercontinental flights per stay. You’re also not allowed to backtrack in most cases so use those criteria as loose guidelines.

RTW Airfare

Check out both the Star Alliance and OneWorld to get an idea of how much your travel plans will cost. Your RTW airfare is a good barometer of what you’ll need to save in order to make your RTW trip plans a reality. Generally speaking, setting aside around $5,000 is a good starting and saving point. Don’t be intimidated by the numbers at first, they’re just good to know so you can begin saving towards them. It’s not the time to give up!

• RTW tickets range fro $2,000-5,000.
• You can book individual flights instead of getting an alliance package. Depending on your route it may turn out cheaper.

Getting The Time

It really depends on what point in your life you’re at as well as how much money you will have saved for your RTW that determines how to plan the time for an RTW. If you’re already on a gap year then you’ve got the time and can focus on the savings part of the equation. For those of you who are already working then you may be considering a career break or sabbatical. In some jobs it may be feasible to work from the road if your employer lets you, which is a good way to keep your income flowing as you travel. It also increases the likelihood your job will be waiting for you when you return from your RTW trip.

It’s much easier to take time off the more you’ve got saved up as well. Taking your time saving can discourage your plans by continually delaying them. RTW trip plans are best made a year or 18 months in advance. Anything longer than that greatly decreases the chances your trip will ever happen. Plan on taking the time off from work by casually inquiring about it with your employer or looking for other opportunities to increase your income until your trip. You won’t be thinking about your job as soon as you set foot on to your first RTW flight, so don’t worry too much about it before you go either.

Use The Right Tools

Search for flights and local travel by using Kayak, hostels through HostelBookers, and take a look at our recommended RTW backpacks. If you’re still in doubt you can find out how to overcome the obstacles and travel the world, and get a quote on travel insurance from World Nomads.

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One of the most common questions people have about RTW trips is where to start looking for tickets. Most people actually may not even be aware that RTW tickets and plans are available.

Both Star Alliance and One World offer RTW ticket plans but that’s only one of your options. It is possible to organize your own RTW by booking in advance and using individual flights. That’s a bit trickier though since you’ll have to do some serious planning and pricing to compare with a package deal. Finally, you can always go by winging it at each destination but this is almost always the most expensive option, not to mention a difficult one to organize if you’re on a tight time frame. A year sounds like a lot of time to travel around the world but once you hit the road, you’ll quickly realize how fast time can fly and how little time you may end up spending in some destination due to your itinerary.

Alliance Passes

The two major ways to book an RTW ticket are through Star Alliance and One World. The way that these programs work is to give you access to the members of the airline alliance and set up a flexible travel plan ahead of time but that lets you shift dates and destinations on the fly as well. Typically the requirements are usually that you must travel in the general direction of west to east (or reverse), fly over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and can’t return to a continent once you’ve left it. Most people are surprised at how flexible the requirements can be, many assume the route is the most difficult thing to negotiate with the airlines when it’s actually managing your personal schedule that really takes the most work.

Star Alliance

The Star Alliance round the world tickets program lets you fly any of the Star Alliance member airlines, including Lufthansa, United, and Air New Zealand. The RTW airfares are based around the number of total miles you’ll be flying which is around 24,000-39,000 total. You’re free to fly around under that total limit, of course barring the exception noted above. (It’s important to verify the requirements and the safest bet is to call the alliance group directly for all of the restrictions and limitations which may vary.) There may also be regional restrictions as well.

One World

A bit more restrictive than the Star Alliance RTW tickets, the trip can last from 10 days up to 12 months. You’ll have access to the 11 partner airlines in One World, some of which include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. Your route must have you visiting at least 3 continents and you get about 4 flights within each continent. As with the Star Alliance, you can select coach, business, or first class for parts or your entire route. There is also a One World Explorer plan which lets you fly more affiliate airlines in addition to the 11 alliance members.

How To Come Up With An Itinerary

There are several online maps and trip builders, even Google Maps you can use to create your travel route. It may be best to start this way and create a red line around the world touching upon the places you want to see the most. Then check the various restrictions of the RTW tickets for both the Star Alliance, One World, and others like World Journey. Finally, you can also price out the route (be as flexible with your dates as possible) mixing airlines, selecting low fare carriers locally, and by visiting the airline websites to look for deals and lower prices. You can adjust your route then according to budget and airline restrictions – using this method, that will take you a few hours, you can find the lowest prices. It’s even possible to mix a RTW ticket with individual flights you purchase so be creative and don’t restrict yourself when you’re starting out. Aside from budget your main priority is to see the places you want to see.

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The best places to include on your itinerary for your RTW trip are the countries and cities you want to see most. Despite all of the reviews both good and bad you should always go where you want to if possible on an RTW. That said, we have some recommendations for your RTW trip, including the many of the best places to backpack.

Boracay, Philippines

Beautiful beaches and a short flight from Manila, even this popular tourist destination is neglected like most of the Philippines by RTWers. The Philippine islands of which there are over 4,000 hold some of the most varied environments in the world. Of those islands Boracay is a trip we highly recommend, one look at the night sky and you won’t be disappointed. More information: Backpacking in the Philippines

The Outback, Australia

A backpackers dream, the Outback is a lot of rugged territory you can cover easily by getting an Austrail Pass for unlimited train travel for 6 months at around $800. Many RTWers don’t plan enough time for Australia and neighboring New Zealand which both could easily take a month of a 1 year RTW trip. More information: Backpacking in Australia

Thailand’s Beaches

It’s hard to argue with this one since so many travelers, backpackers, and RTWers end up in Thailand. There are stunning beaches there, some overcrowded and others not quite as full of tourists. The further north of Phuket you get the better off you’ll be. More information: Backpacking in Thailand

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The location of the city, airport status as a hub, and well integrated bus system makes Buenos Aires an ideal place for RTWers to spend some time. It’s close to Uruguay and Brazil, both of which you can reach for a rather inexpensive bus fare. You can also head south and see Antarctica or visit Chile. There is also the city and culture of Buenos Aires itself, a very diverse place. More information: Backpacking in Argentina

Johannesburg, South Africa

Another RTW destination that is near many great places to see and travel, Johannesburg is an vibrant city. The subway system makes it easy to get around and by following some basic safety tips it can easily be one of your favorite RTW stops. More information: Backpacking in South Africa

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a booming tourism industry due to its relative political stability in Central America. Also boasting beautiful beaches, Costa Rica is well known for its adventure sports. It’s a bit more expensive in Costa Rica than neighboring Nicaragua or Panama but you can get to either easily by bus. An excellent way to explore the region on your RTW trip. More information: Backpacking in Costa Rica

Some Other Suggested RTW Destinations

• Prague
• Rio de Janeiro
• Dublin

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It’s important to pick the right backpack for your RTW as there is a large variety in features, options, and prices. Below are some of the backpacks we recommend for their durability, features, size, and comfort. We’ve used these packs ourselves and feel they are a good bunch to choose from. REI also makes good backpacks.

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Not only is Ataturk Airport in Istanbul one of the best airports to sleep in, but it is a major airline hub that can connect you to most anywhere in the world.

Istanbul has long been a bustling tourist destination, and that description only becomes more fitting with time. Located at the cusp of several civilizations, and a bridge between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is easy to get to by virtually any mode of transportation, from almost anywhere on the map. It also doesn’t hurt that it has a large, and continually expanding airport, Ataturk Airport. The airport, located on the European side of Istanbul, is only about 23 kilometers from the city, making it a short commute to Taksim, the most popular destination on that side of the Bosphorus.

Elsewhere, Istanbul presents never ending entertainment, culture, and history. Beyoglu is a popular street with lively bars and plenty of shopping, while history buffs can enjoy the Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia) and Blue Mosques nearby.

You can fly from Ataturk International Airport, or Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (also in Istanbul, but on the Asian side) to any airport in Turkey. Istanbul provides just a small preview of a country with a vast history and culture. Turkey is teeming with history ranging from the time of the ancient Greeks, to the Ottomans, which means there are plenty of ruins to see. Greenery and mountains are also abundant in Turkey, making it a destination for hikers and nature lovers. If you want to take a quick break from your busy travel schedule, Turkey’s beaches are popular and accommodating to travelers from all corners of the world. Oludeniz, one of the most recognized beaches in the Mediterranean, offers the best of both worlds; not only can you have a relaxing day in the clear waters, but the Lycian Way, a vast hiker’s trail passes through the nearby mountains.

From Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, you can hop a quick flight to any destination in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, or Africa because of the city’s location as a bridge between continents. Flying to Asia and the Pacific may seem like a stretch from Istanbul, but the options are endless if you’re planning a RTW trip. Australia is one of the more popular destinations for backpackers, and therefore a common stop on RTW trips.

Sydney Airport, like Ataturk Airport, offers travelers a unique opportunity to enjoy their airport stay, with many hotels nearby at your convenience. Hotel Club outlines these accommodations, all of them being 2-star hotels or higher, in a manner that makes choosing the right place to sleep easier on your tired eyes. Only about 15 kilometers from the city center, a stay at one of the Sydney airport hotels can make your trip a bit easier.

Australia is a massive country though, and is made up of more than just the major cities. Be sure to give yourself enough time here if you plan on covering a lot of territory. Also consider getting an Austrail Pass: a train pass that will allow you to get almost anywhere in Australia.

Turkey and Australia may be on opposite ends of the world, but they are similar in the rich culture they have for you to experience– and Ataturk International Airport can get you started.

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Australia is a vast country that can be visited alone or as part of a round the world trip. Be aware that setting aside only a few days or a week will not be enough to really travel Australia. Many travelers make the mistake of planning to spend too little of their trip in Australia, so plan accordingly and give yourself at least 1 month to explore the continent.

The Australian Outback is a remote expanse of Australia outside of the country’s urban cities. More than 90 percent of the population of Australia lives in coastal cities, with the rest living in the arid desert of the Outback.

The Outback is a huge, rugged territory, and your best bet would be to invest in an Austrail Pass, giving you six months of unlimited train travel for about $800. Though more time consuming than traveling by plane, train travel gives you a unique opportunity to fully understand how big the Outback is and take as much time as you’d like to see it. Australia is far from cheap, especially when you compare it to other popular destinations such as Thailand, and accommodations and traveling there and around there will cost you the most. The Australian Outback lacks a public transportation system because it is so vast, and much of it is desert. If you plan on exploring the Outback for a while, you may even consider renting a car to get around.

Traveling in the seemingly bare lands of the Outback may seem easy, and for the most part it is. If you’re planning on driving yourself, keep in mind that though there are fewer cars on the road, there are long stretches (thousands of kilometers worth) that you can lose your attention in. The Outback also boasts some desert wildlife, including dingos, so watch out for animals as well as the fence built to keep dingos away from livestock.

Alice Springs, the Outback’s second largest city and a popular destination for those traveling through the region. Alice Springs has displays of its European and Aboriginal influences throughout the city with art galleries and other events showcasing Central Australia’s diverse culture. Still part of the desert, Alive Springs has a Camel racing event called the Camel Cup which can be an interesting experience for those passing through.

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Now that you have finally found time to take a vacation and decided where you are going, it is time to figure out what sights you are going to see. Rome flights are at least 12 hours long from the US, so every minute counts.

Don’t leave Rome without seeing the Coliseum. Originally the Flavian Amphitheater, the Coliseum is located in the center of Rome and is the largest ever built in Rome’s history.  The site took 8 years to complete during the reign of Titus.  With a capacity of 50,000, this was the site of many gladiator battles.   In short, the Coliseum is Rome’s most iconic figure and cannot be missed.

When you need a place to rest on your trip, do so on the Spanish steps. It is the most crowded area in Rome, but your feet will thank you and your eyes will admire the beauty of the steps which link to the famous shopping street Via dei condotti.

The Roman Catholic Church is credited with doing an incredible job at amassing one of the largest art and sculpture collections of Renaissance Art  in the world which makes the Vatican Museum your next stop. The Vatican Museum is situated in Viale Vaticano in Rome in the Vatican City. Even for those who are not necessarily lovers of art, standing in the presence of some of the most important art pieces is spectacular.

The Pantheon is a must see.  This is the building that was commissioned Marcus Agrippa to be the temple for all Roman Gods. To this day, the Pantheon remains the world’s largest, un-reinforced concrete dome, which makes it more special since it has stood the test of time.

Lastly, it’s time to visit the Trevi Fountain. Hailed as the most visited location in Rome, you have to see it to believe it. It is the largest fountain in Rome and within walking distance of the Pantheon. For those who are ready to make a wish, this is the fountain to toss your coins into. Legend says that those who toss in a coin are guaranteed a trip back to Rome, so if you did not get enough on this go-round, don’t forget to toss one in.

Don’t let the long Rome flights deter you from seeing as much of Rome as possible and with these top 5 spots, you are guaranteed to love Rome as much as the Romans do.

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If you are used to flying in and out of the airport but you usually get there in ways other than your car then you might like to consider the other option that is open to you which is airport parking.

Airport parking can be a great way of making your trip to the airport to catch your flight very convenient, quick and efficient. One of the major plus points that comes with being able to park your car right near to the airport terminal is that you can take your time getting to the airport without having to worry about public transport fares, timetables or having to rely on a lift in the early hours of the morning from a friend or family member.

There are all sorts of options that are open to you when you choose to use airport parking and you can make it so that whichever option you choose it fits in with your holiday budget.

The cheapest option is the park and ride service that is available from the independent car parks which are usually situated about 2 to 3 miles away from the airport itself. These car parks will allow you to park your car in their secure car park for the duration of your holiday or business trip and offer you a complimentary bus service to the airport. These services run regularly and usually run 24 hours a day. However, it is probably worth checking this with each car park as if you have an early morning or late night flight you will need to make sure that there are provisions for you getting to the airport terminal at that time.

If you are happy to spend a little more money on the service then you can always request the valet service from a car park that is situated off the airport site. This means that you will drive your car straight to the airport and meet a driver from the company at the pick-up and drop-off point. They will then take your car and park it for you in their car park. On your return journey you will be able to meet them at the same place and drive away from the airport straight away. Many people find the valet service very handy as it takes a lot of time and hassle off their journey.

For those of you who really value convenience then you can always use the car parks at the airports themselves. These are usually a little more expensive as they are only a moment’s walk from the airport building. These car parks usually get booked up fairly quickly so it is wise to book your space as soon as you book your flight.

There is airport parking at most of the airports in the UK including Heathrow Parking, Gatwick Parking and Liverpool Airport Parking.

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