24/11/2020
A step-by-step guide on how to make an itinerary and plan your own trip
Whether you're new into travelling or have already done a few trips; it can be difficult to plan your trip, especially when you're travelling solo. So I made this step-by-step guide to guide you through this, so that you can make your own itinerary and plan your own trip :)
Decide the amount of days for your trip.
Decide the type of trip. For example: adventure, beach, road trip (car/bike?), city, rural, jungle safari, nature, mountains, combo, romantic, desert, snow.....
Decide your destination according to the type of trip. It can help to just look at the map and mark a few places according to your trip type. Then you can make a choice between them. Now I know that nowadays we don't use physical maps, so digitally Google MyMaps is a very nice tool to mark places and routes for your travels :)
Decide the dates for your trip: this may depend on your destination as well. Not all kinds of trips are possible in just any season. Also, it may be helpful to have a good look at the holiday calendar, to select a suitable option where you don't have to take a lot of days off from work. Don't forget to apply for your leave on time!
Decide the comfort level of your accommodation (shared/standard/comfort).
Decide your budget. I made a list of travel budgets per country (divided into shoestring and standard) in the BBTI Travel Guide, that can help you make an estimate: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r87gJnIr2xZqDbgWNmKwqf7vYXtCCL56Fr1TcJFl_Nw/
Do some research on your destination: what's there to explore? What are the 'must visits' and 'must dos'? What are the best places to have authentic local food? Also see if you need any documentation or precautions for visiting that destination. And how is the connectivity in that area? (mobile and transport both) Make sure you know about the practical information you need for your trip.
Outline your trip and make a rough but realistic itinerary or calendar for each day of your trip. It may be helpful to 'group' some places that are in the same area, so that you can cover those on the same day. Using Google MyMaps can help you marking all the points you'd like to visit and then you can see for yourself what's the best way to visit all places.
What I often do, is read itineraries from tour guide or agency packages, to see how they plan trips in those areas. From there I get a lot of inspiration on which places to visit, things to do, whether morning, afternoon or evening will be best to visit/do those places, how much time I can expect to spend there etc. Exploring different itineraries from tour agencies can help you get an idea about things and inspire you to customize them to your own preferences.
Don't plan too many things in less days. Be realistic, make room for opportunity and prioritize! Better plan 2 big things on the same day rather than 5 small things. Like my teacher would say: "Kill your darlings." Divide the 'must visits/dos' into highlights and sidelights. Focus on the highlights: if you happen to see the sidelights too, it's nice, otherwise you will at least have done the highlights and, most important: enjoyed those :)
Find affordable modes of travel for your trip: how to get to your destination? Will you go by flight, train, bus...? And how will you travel when you get there, to your accommodation, from place to place etc.? Think about public transport, riksha, taxi, shared taxi etc. Or would you rather rent a bicycle, scooty, bike or car? If so, what are the best rental options? See how much time it will take to go from one place to another and which mode of travel would be best for that.
Find suitable accommodations: where will you stay? Think about Couchsurfing, dorms, homestays, guesthouses, Airbnb, hostels, hotels... Read about the facilities and read their reviews too. See which option feels best for you. Also inform about crowd: do you need to book or is there always some place available? If you need or want to book, what are the terms & conditions? And what about the cancellation policy?
Decide your final itinerary: what is the plan you'll go with? If you're not sure, just make some plan A, B and C. If one plan doesn't work out during your trip, you can always use another. For example, if you had planned to visit Kuarsi but you can't reach because of landslides, then you can opt for Chamba (just an example).
Book your travels and accommodations: if you're a beginning traveller or travelling in a group, it can be wise to make your bookings in advance. If you're travelling solo and are flexible & confident, you'll be most likely to find a place somehow, but if you're not, just be sure and book things in advance.
Create a packing list: see what things you need for your trip and make a list of those things. In the BBTI travel guide I included my packing list as a nomad, which can give you some idea.
Buy things you need for your trip
Pack your backpack/bag/trolley/suitcase: pack light, go for multipurpose stuff and roll your clothes with the army roll method (see YouTube) to save space, get a better overview on your stuff and not mess up your stuff when removing something from your bag, trolley or suitcase.
It's always good to keep at least 1/4 of your luggage empty, for example for souvenirs or things you unexpectedly buy during your trip. Further, it's advisable to take maximum 15 kgs with you and as less liquids as possible. This will be helpful if you travel by air and also if you're a backpacker. As a backpacker you don't want to carry too much weightЁЯШЕ
Make a to-do list: see what things you need to do before going on your trip. Do your pets/kids/plants etc. have some caretaker? Make sure you turn off electricity points, gas, taps etc. properly. Make sure you dispose things that can get rotten inside your home during your trip, throw away the garbage etc.
Take care of the last-minute preparations: think about checking whether you've got everything, confirmed all bookings etc. You may want to buy some snacks for on the way too.
Grab your last-minute things: think about toothbrush, toothpaste, comb/brush, mobile charger etc.
Close & lock your windows, curtains, door etc. properly.
Take off, enjoy your travels and remember to remain flexible to make the most of your trip.
Have a look at the BBTI Travel Guide I made for inspiration on ready-made itineraries, travel budgets, informative posts, a concept packing list etc.: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r87gJnIr2xZqDbgWNmKwqf7vYXtCCL56Fr1TcJFl_Nw/
I accidentally found this travel itinerary format on Canva. It may be helpful.
