WTB Read my backstory below, or skip directly to the around the world trip budget and itinerary.
When the world shut down in 2020, like many others I was distraught. Living in ‘unprecedented times’ is par for the course for us millennials, but this time felt especially unprecedented. Globally, we were struck with fear and uncertainty for our future.
Though I knew it was far from the most pressing concern in those uncertain times, one of the big questions that weighed on my mind was – would we ever get to travel again?
It may sound shallow, but it’s true. And I’m admitting it here because it’s the big catalyst that fueled my desire to put my life on pause and go travel for an extended period of time.
To understand my story, let me take you back to 2017. I got bitten by the travel bug on my first backpacking trip to Europe. Growing up, I dreamed about traveling to magical cities like Paris and Rome, but travel seemed far out of reach for someone like me.
Then, when I was 25 and three years into my career, I took about half my savings and backpacked Western Europe for six weeks between jobs. The plan was to see a bunch of cities I’d always wanted to visit, and I’d “get traveling out of my system.”
Instead, the opposite happened, and I opened the floodgates. I realized there is so much of the world to see, and that I wanted to see as much of it as possible. But I also valued and wanted to grow my career, as well as build a life with my partner.
So my partner and I came up with an idea. We would take at least one big trip per year, ideally to a new continent.
Our travels over the next couple years looked like this:
- 2018: Japan
- 2019: South Africa, Abu Dhabi, London, Paris
In 2020, our big trip for the year was going to be Peru and Ecuador. Not only that, but I was also planning a trip with my best friend to Mexico.
Yep, 2020 was shaping up to be an amazing year for travel…
So you can imagine my complete and utter disappointment when international travel was unofficially canceled for the rest of the year.
I’d just started traveling internationally a few years before. Now that it was out of reach once again by factors beyond my control, I was full of regret. Why hadn’t I prioritized travel when the world was still open? Would I ever have that opportunity again?
And thus my travel bug became a full-blown obsession. I started consuming so much travel content that I sometimes felt like I’d already visited some of the places on my wish list. I watched travel vlogs while working out in my living room, listened to travel podcasts while formatting Excel sheets and read travel blogs in between.
One theme I kept noticing was people taking off to travel for extended periods of time. Usually for at least six months, more often a year. Sometimes even more.
I started thinking, why not me?
I proposed the idea to my partner – we could spend these next couple years of the pandemic saving up money and preparing. Then, when the world opened back up again, we could travel for maybe around 8 months? I planned itineraries and created budgets, and I slowly started to convince him.
Over the next few years, life happened, and the around the world trip did not
We both got new jobs and put the idea of leaving to travel for an extended period of time on the backburner. We got married and talked about buying a house and family planning – the next logical steps. During that time, we took trips to the Balkans, Peru, Vietnam and Ireland. My best friend and I finally took our trip to Mexico City, and I even had a business trip to India where I snuck in some sight seeing.
But the travel obsession and desire to travel for an extended period of time never really abated. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s not to take life for granted.
Finally, my partner and I realized that it was now or never. We were a decade into our careers and had saved enough. If there was ever a good time to take off and travel for a year, it was now. We could take the uncomfortable step and do it, or we could keep the status quo going and always wonder what-if?
And so we made the uncomfortable decision
In May 2024, we were on a one-way flight to Poland, unsure but excited for what the year would bring. During this year of our around the world trip, we visited 25 countries (26 if you count our two-week visit back to the US) across 3 continents (4 if you count the US).
And? It was better than I’d dreamed. A friend recently told me that my life doesn’t seem real, and I have to agree. Sometimes I really cannot believe that this is my life. And I really can’t believe that we were able to travel for a year straight then make the decision to keep on going.
That is my story of how my year-long around the world trip came to be! Now on to what you’re really here for – the world trip budget and itinerary.
Around the World Trip Budget and Itinerary
A major question when preparing for an around the world trip is how to plan it. It can seem daunting to plan for a full year of traveling. But when people ask how to plan it, my answer is simple.
You don’t.
When discussing our plan for the year, my partner and I knew where we would start and where we wanted to end up. We had some anchor points we wanted to plan around, so we knew what our general path would probably be. But we didn’t plan ahead on exactly where we’d go and what we’d do. With a trip like this, flexibility really is key. In fact, most times we tried to plan further out in advance often didn’t really work out the way we thought.
Important to note that our first year was primarily spent in Asia with a few weeks in Europe and month in New Zealand. These are all relatively easy places to travel without a plan and go with the flow. You’ll also meet people and learn about new places and activities you wouldn’t have thought about before, so keeping your itinerary flexible is key.
That said, I wanted to share my itinerary in case anyone is looking for inspiration.
Around the World Trip Itinerary at a Glance
Click a country to skip to it directly and learn more.
Poland → Czechia → Slovakia → Hungary → Romania → Bulgaria → Turkiye → Georgia → Azerbaijan → Uzbekistan → Tajikistan → Kyrgyzstan → Kazakhstan → Qatar → USA → Fiji → New Zealand / Aotearoa → Singapore → Malaysia → Thailand → Laos → Cambodia → Vietnam → Philippines → Brunei → Indonesia
Starting Country: Poland
Duration: 2 weeks
Budget: $71 USD/person/day
Visa: None (US passport holder)
Visited:
- Warsaw
- Krakow (with day trips to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines)
Arrived by: Airplane (SFO to WAR via AMS)
Traveled by: Train, bus, van, foot
Departed by: Train
Highlights: WWII walking tour (Warsaw), Warsaw Neon Museum, Vistula river bank (Warsaw), Auschwitz-Birkenau tour, Wieliczka Salt Mines, Nowa Huta walking tour (Krakow)
Favorite foods: Pierogies, kielbasa, pork knuckle, rose doughnuts
2nd Country: Czechia
Duration: 4 nights
Budget: $75 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Prague
Arrived by: Train
Traveled by: Foot
Departed by: Train
Highlights: Strahov Monastery Library, drill sergeant competition, Letna Park
Favorite foods: Goulash with bread dumplings, roast duck
3rd Country: Slovakia
Duration: 3 nights
Budget: $96 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Bratislava
Arrived by: Train
Traveled by: Foot
Departed by: Train
Highlights: Bratislava Old Town, Slovak wine tasting, Slavin monument view
4th Country: Hungary
Duration: 1.5 weeks
Budget: $81 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
Arrived by: Train
Traveled by: Train, metro, foot, Uber
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Citadella Monument viewpoint, Danube River night cruise, ruins bars, caving in Budapest, thermal bath, wine tasting in the Valley of the Beautiful woman, watching the Hungary Euro round in Eger town square
Favorite foods: Chicken paprikash, langos, pork knuckle, chimney cake, pogasca
5th Country: Romania
Duration: 1.5 weeks
Budget: $61 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Cluj-Napoca
- Brasov (Day trip to Bran Castle and Libearty Bear Sanctuary)
- Bucharest (Day trip to wine region)
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Train, foot, van, Uber
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Steampunk Museum (Cluj-Napoca), Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Brasov Sign hike, wine tasting (Bucharest)
Favorite foods: Mici, sarmale
6th Country: Bulgaria
Duration: 1 week
Budget: $54 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Varna
- Burgas (day trip to Nessebar)
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Bus, foot
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Swimming in the Black Sea, Varna Archaeological Museum, Nessebar ancient city, European beach handball tournament
Favorite foods: Fried Black Sea fish, mussels
7th Country: Türkiye
Duration: 3 weeks
Budget: $87 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Istanbul (day trip to Prince’s Islands)
- Denizli
- Selcuk
- Bodrum
- Cappadocia (day trip to underground city)
- Trabzon
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Train, bus, dolma (minibus), metro, ferry, foot, truck
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Istanbul food tour, Hagia Sophia, historical Istanbul walking tour, Pamukkale & Hierapolis, Ephesus, Cappadocia hiking & hot air balloon ride, Bodrum Castle, hiking to Pedas ruins (Bodrum)
Favorite foods: Kofte, stuffed mussels, mackerel sandwich, durum, kebab, pide, bulgar salad, baklava
8th Country: Georgia
Duration: 2 weeks
Budget: $83 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Batumi
- Svaneti (Mestia to Ushguli 5-day trek)
- Tbilisi
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Marshrutka (minibus), metro, Uber, foot
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Wine tasting & cooking class (Batumi), Mestia to Ushguli trek, sulfur bath (Tbilisi), Chronicles of Georgia Monument (Tbilisi)
Favorite foods: Khinkali, kubdari, churchkhela, eggplant bahza, puri, chicken in garlic sauce, Black Sea fish with garlic sauce
9th Country: Azerbaijan
Duration: 1 week
Budget: $66 USD/person/day
Visa: E-visa
Visited: Baku (day trip to Gobustan, eternal fire and Zoroastrian Temple)
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Foot, van, Uber
Departed by: Airplane
Note: We wanted to take the train from Tbilisi to Baku, but the land borders into Baku remain closed since 2020.
Highlights: Baku nighttime walking tour, Baku Old City, Zoroastrian Fire Temple
Favorite foods: Shah plov, saj ichi, qutab, lavangi
10th Country: Uzbekistan
Duration: 2 weeks
Budget: $54 USD/person/day
Visa: E-Visa
Visited:
- Tashkent
- Samarkand
- Bukhara
- Nuratau Mountains (Sob and Sentyob villages)
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Train, metro, foot, car
Departed by: Train
Highlights: Chorsu Bazaar, Shah-i-Zinda (Samarkand), Registan Square (Samarkand), Ark of Bukhara, wedding in Sentyob village, learning to bake bread in Sob village
Favorite foods: Sishlik, lagman, non
11th Country: Tajikistan
Duration: 1 week
Budget: $111 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Dushanbe
- Pamir Highway
Arrived by: Train
Traveled by: Bus, car, foot
Departed by: Car
Highlights: All of the Pamir highway, but especially Jizeu Village, the Tajik-Afghan cross-border market in Khorog, the Wakhan Valley, Bulunkul Lake
Favorite foods: Qurutob
12th Country: Kyrgyzstan
Duration: 1.5 weeks
Budget: $57 USD/person/day
Visa: None (permit required to cross Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border for tourists because it’s technically closed)
Visited:
- Alay Mountains
- Osh
- Song-Kul Lake
- Bishkek (day trip to Ala-Archa National Park)
Arrived by: Car
Traveled by: Shared taxi, Yandex app, foot, horse
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Hiking in Alay Mountains, self-guided mural walking tour in Bishkek, Ala-Archa National Park (before it started raining), horse trek to Song-Kul Lake
Favorite foods: Dry lagman
13th Country: Kazakhstan
Duration: 1 week
Budget: $71 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Almaty (Day trip to Big Almaty Lake)
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Yandex, foot
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Cycling to Big Almaty Lake, Green Bazaar
14th Country: Qatar
Duration: 13 hours (stopover)
Budget: $32 USD/person/day (cost of Qatar Airways Doha city tour)
Visa: None
Visited: Doha (Qatar Airways city tour)
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Bus for city tour
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Old souk
15th Country: USA
Duration: 2 weeks
Budget: ~$42 USD/person/day (Primarily stayed with family & friends)
Visited:
- Florida
- South Carolina
- California
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Car, Airplane, foot
Departed by: Airplane
16th Country: Fiji
Duration: 3 days (long stopover)
Budget: $125 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Nadi (day trips to Sigatoka and Tivua Island)
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Car, foot, boat
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Climbing Sigatoka Sand Dunes, day trip to Tivua Island
17th Country: New Zealand / Aotearoa
Duration: 1 month
Budget: $124 USD/person/day
Visa: NZesta
Visited:
- Auckland (day trip to Waiheke Island)
- Northland (including Cape Reinga)
- Mata Mata
- Rotorua
- Tongariro National Park
- Hawke’s Bay
- Kaitoke Regional Park
- Wellington
- Marlborough
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Arthur’s Pass National Park
- Wanaka
- Queenstown
- Fiordland National Park
- Catlins Coast
- Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- Waipara
- Christchurch
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Campervan, ferry, Uber, foot
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Beaches in the Far North, Hobbiton, cycling and wine tasting in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, Wellington, Abel Tasman National Park, hiking in Wanaka, Milford Sound, the Catlins Coast, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
18th Country: Singapore
Duration: 5 nights
Budget: $154 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Singapore
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Metro, foot
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Historical walking tour, street food at the hawker centers
Favorite foods: Chicken rice, satay, prawn noodles
19th Country: Malaysia
Duration: 3 weeks
Budget: $54 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Malacca
- Kuala Lumpur
- Georgetown
- Kuala Kedah
- Langkawi
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Bus, train, foot, Grab, ferry
Departed by: Ferry
Highlights: Historical walking tour (Malacca), night markets/street food, Batu Caves, Petronas Towers, Georgetown street art, Langkawi mangrove kayaking
Favorite foods: Nasi Lemak, nasi kandar, satay, laksa, pork dumplings, roti canai
20th Country: Thailand
Duration: 2 months
Budget: $66 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Koh Lipe
- Koh Mook
- Koh Lanta
- Koh Jum
- Koh Phi Phi
- Koh Yao Noi
- Phuket
- Khao Sok
- Surat Thani Town
- Bangkok
- Ayutthaya
- Chiang Mai (jungle trek to Karen villages)
- Chiang Rai
Arrived by: Ferry
Traveled by: Ferry, tuktuk, songtheaw, foot, Grab, longtail boat, bus, train, metro
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Snorkeling in Koh Lipe, beaches in the Andaman Sea, Koh Yao Noi boat trip, jungle cooking class (Khao Sok), temples of Ayutthaya, Wat Arun (Bangkok), Bangkok Chinatown, Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market, Muay Thai lessons, White & Blue temples (Chiang Rai)
Favorite foods: Pad thai, panang curry, pad krapow, massaman curry, khao soi, mango sticky rice, banana roti
21st Country: Laos
Duration: 1 month
Budget: $38 USD/person/day
Visa: Visa on arrival ($40 USD)
Visited:
- Huay Xai
- Pak Bang
- Luang Prabang
- Nong Khiaw
- Sopchem
- Vang Vieng
- Vientiane
- Ban Khong Lor
- Savannakhet
- Ban Champasak
- Don Det
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Tuktuk, Songthaew, boat, bus, train, foot, bicycle, Loca
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Private cooking class (Luang Prabang), hiking in Nong Khiaw, wedding celebration (near Sopchem), fishing excursion (Sopchem), Kong Lor Cave, Wat Phu (Champasak), cycling around the 4,000 Islands
Favorite Foods: Laap with sticky rice, mak paa, nam khem, bbq pork with spicy eggplant dip
22nd Country: Cambodia
Duration: 3 weeks
Budget: $57 USD/person/day
Visa: E-visa (VoA also possible)
Visited:
- Siem Reap
- Battambang
- Phnom Penh
- Kratie
- Koh Rong
- Kampot
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Bus, foot, Grab
Departed by: Bus
Highlights: Angkor Wat at sunrise, cycling through all the Angkor temples, countryside cycling tour in Battambang, Killing Fields (Battambang, Phnom Penh), Irrawaddy River Dolphins kayaking tour (Kratie), Kep Crab Market
Favorite foods: Beef lok lok, fish amok, crab with pepper sauce
23rd Country: Vietnam
Duration: 3 weeks
Budget: $43 USD/person/day
Visa: E-visa
Visited:
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Da Lat
- Hoi An
- Hue
- Tam Coc
- Hanoi
Arrived by: Bus
Traveled by: Bus, train, foot, Grab
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Mr. Rot’s Secret Tour (Da Lat), Hoi An countryside cycling tour, cycling in Tam Coc, revisiting Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi
Favorite foods & drinks: Bun bo nam bo, southern-style pho, banh mi (especially with roast pork), clam noodles, coconut coffee, egg coffee, salted coffee
24th Country: Philippines
Duration: 2.5 weeks
Budget: $80 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited:
- Cebu
- Bohol
- Panglao
- El Nido
- Coron
- Manila
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Grab, foot, airplane, ferry
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Chocolate Hills (Bohol), Loboc River kayaking (Bohol), acrobatic circus (Bohol) snorkeling with sardine bait ball (Napaling Reef), 4-day boat expedition from El Nido to Coron, Tapaya Mountain at sunset
Favorite Foods: Lechon, native chicken in coconut sauce, chicken adobo, fried chicken, pancit, pork sisig
25th Country: Brunei
Duration: 4 nights
Budget: $80 USD/person/day
Visa: None
Visited: Bandar Seri Begawan (day trip to Ulu Temburong National Park)
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Van, foot, boat
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Gadong Night Market, Kampong Ayer stilt village, river safari, canopy walk (Ulu Temburong)
Favorite foods: Nasi kotak, roti John, apam balik
26th Country: Indonesia
Duration: 2 weeks
Budget: $62 USD/person/day
Visa: Visa on arrival
Visited:
- Ketambe
- Lake Toba
- Surabaya
- East Java tour (Tumpak Sewu/Mt. Bromo/Ijen Crater tour)
- Jakarta
Arrived by: Airplane
Traveled by: Taxi, car, train
Departed by: Airplane
Highlights: Jungle trek with orangutans, swimming in Lake Toba, Tumpak Sewu waterfall, Mt. Bromo sunrise
Favorite foods: Panggsit mie, chicken rendang, bebek madura
World Trip Budget Breakdown
One of the most common questions from people who want to take their own around the world trip is cost. How much does something like this cost an average person?
Whether you’re curious because you’re a fellow wanderluster planning your own round the world trip, or if you’re just nosy – I have an answer for you.
Before I get into it, I do want to say that everyone will have different budget needs and priorities. Some of the countries were more expensive than I expected due to opting into pricey activities (e.g. the balloon ride in Cappadocia or Tivua Island day trip in Fiji). Some were more expensive because of visiting during high season (e.g., Thailand’s beaches around Christmas and New Years). Others were simply expensive countries (e.g., New Zealand, Singapore).
Some travelers who are on more of a budget may wish to limit their time in or skip expensive countries altogether. Others may want to avoid popular countries during high season and sleep in large hostel dorms to make their dollar stretch as far as possible. Many choose to pass on expensive experiences altogether.
In other words, a travel budget is very subjective. I’m sharing mine to just give you a bit of an idea of what one might spend traveling for a year in 2024-2025.
To help contextualize, I will share a bit about my travel style.
For my one-year world trip, I traveled with my partner across four continents and 26 countries. We began in Eastern Europe and ended in Southeast Asia.
We stayed in a variety of accommodations, primarily guesthouses and Airbnbs. Depending on availability and affordability, we sometimes stayed in boutique hotels or homestays. Rarely, we stayed in private rooms in hostels. We haven’t found a place where it makes sense price-wise to pay for two beds in a dorm rather than a private room.
We eat local for the vast majority of our meals and don’t shy away from street food. Every once in a while, we will splurge on a fancy meal or give in to Western cravings. What can I say? Sometimes you really just need a solid burger after you’ve been away for long enough. Or at least I do.
One big thing that might differ from other budget-minded travelers is that we really don’t say no to experiences. Our philosophy is that we might not get the chance to be in some of these places under the same circumstances ever again. We’d rather do the thing than regret not doing it. If this means we have to go over budget for a hot air balloon ride or a bungee jump once in awhile, so be it.
In that same vein, we’d rather visit the countries that most interest us rather than trying to stick to only the most affordable places. We swing wildly from $250/day in New Zealand to $60/day in Laos.
The idea is that it’ll all balance itself out in the end.
Essentially, I’d rather have a shorter trip filled with more epic memories than a longer trip filled with doing nothing in the places with the cheapest bed. That is not to say all epic memories are expensive – in fact, many of the most memorable are decidedly not – but my point stands.
As someone who grew up without much money, I’ll admit it was tough for me to get comfortable with this idea. But then I see people getting no sleep in 15-person dorms with vomit on the floor or saying no to the really cool snorkeling tour, and I realize it’s not so bad.
One thing we really tried to do to save money and be a bit more environmentally friendly was to cut down on flights and travel overland as much as possible. We traveled from Poland to Georgia completely using trains and buses. Then we traveled overland all over Central Asia, and in Southeast Asia from Singapore to Hanoi.
I think I’ve built this up enough…
Our total budget, per person, in a 367-day time period was:
$29,669.16
Or $81/day
This cost is inclusive of international and domestic flights, other transportation, activities, accommodations, food, drinks, visas, health insurance, eSims… It includes everything and therefore perhaps the whole number is not wholly useful.
Here is the breakdown of cost by category:
Superlatives from a One-Year Around the World Trip
If you’re reading about my world trip budget and itinerary, I assume you’re either planning your own long trip, or you’re simply nosy. With some of these countries, you may be wondering if they’re really worth the time and money.
For that reason, I’ve decided to share more about some of the countries and experiences that were especially meaningful to me via some superlative categories. These categories are often questions I get aside from the typical “What’s your favorite country.”
I hope these superlatives are helpful for anyone figuring out their own world trip budget and itinerary, or just travel planning in general. They cover just this one year of traveling, not any travel before or since.
Award #1: Most Memorable Experiences
This award encompasses experiences that were so special to me, I feel I must share it so others can recreate it if they wish. I fully recognize that not all of these experiences might be for everyone, but to me they were some of the most incredible experiences of my around the world trip.
Wild Orangutan Trekking in North Sumatra, Indonesia
I spent three days wild camping and trekking to find orangutans near Ketambe, Indonesia in North Sumatra. Ketambe is one of the few areas where tourists can trek with truly wild orangutans. Most tourists head to Malaysian Borneo or Guning Leuser in North Sumatra for orangutan trekking, but they are so used to tourists that they are considered more semi-wild. Ketambe is one of the few places you can easily find them still living a fully wild life.
Trekking to these orangutans and wild camping in the Sumatran jungle was a truly incredible experience. I will never forget watching these mighty creatures moving through the trees all day, then returning to camp to bathe in the river in the evening. Fully recommend to anyone looking to have an immersive experience in nature and see some incredible primates.
Riding the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan
This experience was one of those that had been on my bucket list for awhile, but in a way that still felt out of reach. I am so glad we decided to go for it while we were traveling in Central Asia!
The classic Pamir Highway trip runs from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to near the border with Kyrgyzstan. We traveled it all the way into Kyrgyzstan for a stay in the Alay Mountains and ending in Osh.
The Pamir Highway goes along the border with Afghanistan and even gives an opportunity for tourists to visit the Tajik-Afghan cross-border market. It travels through small Pamiri villages and gives a unique glimpse into the way of life for people living in some of these interesting remote places. I experienced so much culture shock in the best way.
I recommend the trip to everyone looking for a unique adventure and to see a very different area of the world.
Mestia to Ushguli 5-Day Trek in Svaneti, Georgia (the country)
Maybe there is a little bit of a theme here where trekking excursions end up being special to me! This multi-day trek in Svaneti, Georgia, though, is one of the best multi-day treks I’ve done. I’d probably put it second only to my Machu Picchu trek.
This trek offers absolutely breathtaking scenery of the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains, even stretching to Mt. Elbrus in Russia. In summer, wildflowers bloom across the region, adding a magical touch. Every night, you stay in local Svaneti guesthouses and drink cha cha (the local Georgian spirit) while experiencing some of the best hospitality in the world.
I highly recommend for people who enjoy hiking, scenery and unique culture.
Runners Up: 4-Day island hopping expeditions in the Philippines, campervan trip through New Zealand, hot air balloon ride in Türkiye, fishing in Laos, cycling through Angkor complex
Additional Awards:
- Coolest Landscapes: Indonesia
- Runners Up: Türkiye, New Zealand / Aotearoa
- Tastiest Food: Vietnam
- Runners Up: Türkiye, Laos
- Best Beaches: Thailand
- Runner Up: Philippines
- Coolest Architecture: Uzbekistan
- Friendliest People: Philippines
- Runners Up: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan
- Best Ruins: Cambodia
- Runner Up: Türkiye
- Most Interesting History: Turkiye
- Runners Up: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Hungary, Cambodia
- Best Hiking: Georgia
- Runners Up: New Zealand, Turkiye
- Tastiest Wine: Georgia
- Runners Up: Slovakia, Bulgaria
- Friendliest Cats: Azerbaijan
- Runners Up: Turkiye, Georgia, Philippines
- Naughtiest Cats: Brunei
That’s my recap of one year around the world!
Stay tuned for my next posts on highlights, lowlights and lessons learned. I am still traveling, so look out for year two, too!
Would you ever travel for one year straight?
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