Long-term travel comes in many flavors. Some prefer to hop between many places, while others embrace “slow-travel,” settling in one spot for weeks or months. You’ll find long-term travelers as backpackers catching flights, or camping with RV or campervan, or even crossing the sees on sailing boats. Some go the extra mile, walking or biking long distances. Regardless of your style, embarking on a long-term journey demands preparation. Beyond the usual flight bookings, hotel reservations, and destination research, extended travel requires additional readiness.

The decision

Making “the decision” may not seem like preparation, but it is in fact the most important step as it prepares you for the endeavor. If leaving for a prolonged journey interests you, let it marinate in your mind for a while. Think about why you want to do this, in the first place. Is it just seeing the world, or embarking on adventures, or finding yourself - whatever it is, think deeply about it. Explore online resources, watch travel videos, and let your desire simmer. If that longing intensifies, it’s a sign you should take action. However, understand that this decision isn’t a walk in the park. There are countless factors to consider, such as your job, house/apartment, belongings, family, finances, and more.

One helpful strategy is to document your decision-making process extensively. Write down the pros and cons, and if you have a partner, share your thoughts with them. If they are not onboard, well, you’re out of luck! If the idea is appealing to them, then share more, and discuss more until you find common ground, and desire. You can even start sharing with close friends and family to see what they think (though this is optional, and up to you). If they can dissuade you, it’s a sign that you’re not ready for such a trip, or maybe the time is not right. On the other hand, if their pushbacks do not impact your decision, this is another sign that you know what you are doing.

After careful consideration, if the desire persists, and all conditions are met, set a deadline for yourself, taking external factors into account. If the timing isn’t right, remember, you can always postpone your travel plans for the future. Believe me, making this decision is no easy task! But once it’s done, you are halfway through!

Job

No need to say that if you plan to travel for a long time, you have to consider the elephant in the room - your job(s). Our job pays us a salary, but in return, it seizes our “time” and mandates our physical location, e.g. going to an office from 9AM-5PM. So of course having a job seems to be the biggest hurdle towards long-term travel (apart from the finances). Some may have the luck of working remotely and part-time, and/or being self-employed, and location independent, so they can work from anywhere. But most people do not have that luxury. So one option is of course to quit your job for a period of time, travel, and then come back and look for a job again. This may also be a luxury, as some people would have a hard time finding jobs again, should they quit. However, in some cases, this may be more of a fear than the reality. Do your research of course, as your mileage may vary.

Finances

Traveling typically requires spending money, unless you are one of those lucky individuals that can make money from it. But the amount you spend highly depends on 1) where you go, 2) your style of traveling, and 3) how you travel. I can’t tell you how much you need to travel, but I can tell you that it’s not as expensive as you think. In fact for people living in developed countries, the budget they need to put aside for one year of travel might be as much as half the budget at home.

Travel planning

Planning a trip is the exciting part! Depending on your travel duration and desired destinations, creating an itinerary can be quite a challenge. It involves juggling various goals and constraints. While it’s enjoyable, it can also be quite tricky – it’s basically an “NP-hard problem”! Think of it like the famous Traveling Salesman problem, which seeks to find the shortest path visiting all destinations; that’s just one facet of travel planning’s complexity. You’re dealing with multiple objectives like budget, weather, accommodating everyone’s preferences, deciding how long to stay at each place, ease of travel between points, and much more. Finding an optimum route is simply impossible, but here are a few tips that might help:

  • Start by shortlisting your must-visit places. Research each one and don’t limit yourself to just the most popular attractions. For instance, if you’re planning a trip to Italy, of course, Rome, Venice, and Florence are great choices, but don’t forget to explore smaller cities in Tuscany or venture into the Dolomites and Italian Alps. Consider the Amalfi Coast too. If you’ve already been to these places, explore Puglia, Sicily, or Sardinia for a different experience.
  • For trips lasting more than a couple of months, avoid planning the entire journey upfront. Instead, focus on planning your first month and have a rough idea for the rest. During our last 4-month sabbatical in Europe, we began in Italy and fully planned that segment. However, we deliberately left the rest open-ended. We didn’t even book the return trip, as we were not sure from where we will return. We had a vague notion of visiting Croatia, revisiting Switzerland, and potentially exploring the UK and Norway towards the end when the weather turned warmer. This flexible approach allowed us to adapt. For instance, we decided to venture to Portugal during the trip, which we hadn’t initially planned.
  • Start tracking some of the flights using Google Flights, for example. Predicting how flight prices change can be tricky due to various hidden factors like demand. However, I’ve noticed that flights booked well in advance typically start with an initial price. As the flight date approaches, the price can either 1) rise if demand is high or 2) temporarily drop if demand is low, only to go back up closer to the date, often surpassing the initial price. While it’s not easy to guess which scenario will occur, you can make an educated guess based on the season (high/shoulder/low) and how prices change for earlier flights. There are also websites that offer advice on whether to buy now or wait, though I’m not sure how accurate they are.
  • Consider the weather situation at your destinations during the planning. During our Euro-trip last year, we kicked things off in late April by beginning in Italy, where the weather was mild and the tourist crowds were manageable. As summer approached, we ventured into Northern Europe. However, we didn’t fully anticipate the impact of global warming on European summers. We assumed July in London would be ideal, but we were greeted with scorching temperatures, hitting 100°F (40°C). If you manage to hit each place at the shoulder season with mild weather (if that’s what you’re looking after), then jackpot! Otherwise, you may have to make some compromises. But make sure to do a thorough research into the climate of the place you’re visiting, so there are no surprises.
  • Whenever possible, try to steer clear of the high tourist seasons at your chosen destinations. The best times to visit most places are during the shoulder seasons, which occur just before or after the peak season. Make the most of the “long-term” aspect of your travel, and be flexible. High season often means shelling out extra money to experience a place, and even then, you might find yourself elbow-to-elbow with other tourists at the top attractions.
  • Do some research on the mode of transportation between these destinations. Will you be renting a car, opting for flights, or perhaps exploring the convenience of train travel if it’s available?
  • If you plan to visit one too many places, consider dropping a few in lieu of staying longer in some of the other places. In my experience, transition days are the most tiresome, no matter how you plan to get from point A to point B. Reducing these potentially stressful days can go a long way in reducing travel fatigue. This is extra important, if you’re traveling with kids.
  • Come up with several candidate itineraries, and weigh their pros and cons against all of your objectives and constraints. Discuss them with your travel mates (often the spouse and older kids), until you narrow down to the one or two options that works best for you. I highly recommend writing up the plans, saving Google Maps itineraries, for example.

House/condo/car

If you are renting, this is easy. Just wait until your lease is over, or break the lease, if possible. Sell stuff you don’t need, and store the rest somewhere. If you own a house, this can be more challenging. You have several options: 1) Rent it out, 2) do short-term rentals, and 3) leave it empty. Each have their own pros and cons, and it would be a whole post on its own to discuss them in length. But don’t let your house/condo be a reason for you to not travel.

I just want to tell this: If you choose to leave your house empty, like we did in our last trip, make sure you prepare it well. Here is a non-exhaustive list of things you need to take care of: 1) Shut off the water, 2) clean the fridge and freezer, unplug them, and leave their doors open, 3) take care of the toilets (there are guides online), 4) clean the house to not come back to a surprise.

As for the car, you can either sell it, or store it. If you’re storing it, make sure to put fuel stabilizer in the tank, if you traveling for more than a few months. Also, unplug the battery, and put some moisture absorbers in the car.

Gear

This is the real fun part! I love obsessing over what to carry with me in a trip, and I know it’s not only me, as there is a whole lot of people out there discussing this topic online! My philosophy is all about keeping it minimal when it comes to gear and luggage.. Every time I travel, I try to take less, and I still have things in my bag that I could have cut out! I used to travel with a 40L backpack, and now I have 30L, and even that could be smaller, if I was not bringing my big camera with me. Anyhow, here are a bunch of random tips around travel gear:

  • Bring things that you “really need”, try to cut out things that you “might need”, and certainly don’t bring “just in case” things (there is an exception that I discuss below).
  • Try to bring one thing that does two or more things. For example, I bring my iPad Pro 11 with the Smart Keyboard to use as 1) personal computer, 2) photo editing, and 3) video screen for my son, and occasionally for ourselves. A laptop alone might do the work too, but bringing a laptop AND iPad might be excessive.
  • If you can, only travel with carry-on. This way you would avoid 1) check in line, 2) luggage pick-up, and 3) the chance to have your luggage lost in transit. Needless to say, it would also be easier to carry around during the trip.
  • Choose a backpack, or carry-on luggage that itself is as light as possible. I don’t see the point of some backpacks that are 2.5-3 kg empty. That leaves you with only 4-5 kg of gear (to be compliant with carry-on limits). If you can shave off some pounds from your bag, you can carry more personal stuff, or have it easier on your back in case of a backpack.
  • Avoid bringing bulky clothes, and instead go for layering. Not only you will be prepared for any weather, but also you can quickly react to any weather changes that come your way.
  • Bring at most 4-5 items for each piece of clothing. For example bring 4 pairs of shirts (plus the one you’re wearing), and wash on the go. Many airbnbs have washers, and in case your accommodation does not, simply wash them, and hang them dry. You can use the sink, or a dry bag to wash your clothes (YouTube this).
  • Bring a few merino wool items with you. I can personally vouch for it. It’s lightweight, it’s cool in the hot weather, and warm in cold weather, and most importantly does not smell, even after many days of back to back wearing. It’s expensive, but it’s worth every penny.
  • Use packing cubes, and other organizing bags to store your stuff. This helps with compartmentalization, as well as keeping everything ordered and proper. I can’t fathom dumping all my stuff in the bag, as it makes it difficult to retrieve what you need, and later keep track of what goes where.
  • Bring things that you have already used and tested at home, especially when it comes to shoes and clothing. Worst thing to do is to wear new shoes in a trip, and realize they are not the right shoes during the trip…
  • Don’t think that you have to bring everything with you. Most often you can buy what you need in your destination, and sometimes for much cheaper. Having said that, for important stuff that you want to rely on, definitely bring one with you.
  • For critical stuff, consider bringing an extra, if they don’t add much weight/volume. A great example of that is an extra pair of glasses, if you need one. You don’t want to go through the hassle of buying new glasses in while traveling.
  • Write and maintain a packing list. This is so important. Not only it helps you not forget what to bring before the trip, it can also be used during the trip, when moving from one place to another, to double check if you are leaving anything behind.
  • Pack your bag a week or so before the trip. Maybe you have too much space, and you can downsize your bag. Just kidding! Most likely you’re going to find out that it’s the other way around. Instead of thinking about upsizing your bag, or bringing an extra bag, consider cutting things out. Are you packing bulky stuff? How about “just in case” stuff? Are you packing too much clothes?

Preparing for departure

Now you’ve done everything, and you have a few weeks to ensure your departure day goes off without a hitch and it is stress-free, I highly recommend using a (yet another) list. Start by creating a comprehensive checklist that spans from tasks a month before your trip down to the very hour of departure. There’s just so much to tackle before heading to the airport that relying on memory alone isn’t enough. Trust me on this one—compile a thorough list of every task that needs attention and stick to it religiously.

As the weeks and days leading up to your trip roll by, keep adding any stray tasks that pop into your mind in the list, no matter how trivial they seem. When you see that every item on that list has been checked off, you know all is well, and that’s a fantastic feeling right before you set off!