Our guide to planning a multi-destination trip

When it comes to planning an epic vacation of a lifetime, you could do no better than a multi-destination trip. Custom-made to span several countries, these travel packages offer the chance for deeper and richer exploration across borders, the ability to save costs and make more sustainable travel choices, and great flexibility depending on your budget, availability, and interests as a traveler.

Yet, as wonderful as they sound, these trips come with their own sets of challenges and may seem daunting, no matter if you’re already a seasoned explorer. Planning a multi-destination adventure requires plenty of careful thought, and more often than not, you’d benefit from the guidance of a local expert. They’ll be able to help you arrange everything for a smooth itinerary, right down to the often-confusing and time-consuming admin tasks. Read on for our introduction to multi-destination travel and top tips to help you plan one today.

Why should you book a multi-destination trip?

When thinking of their next vacation, many will default to planning with a single destination in mind – but open the door to a multi-country experience, and you’ll be met with one of the most fascinating and unique trips of your life. Variously known as multi-destination, multi-country or multi-center vacations, they encourage you to carefully and meaningfully plan ahead, seizing every moment available to you during your time away – whether you’re going for a month or just a week.

A multi-destination trip doesn’t need to sound like too much work and stress, both in the planning stages and when it’s taking place. Just as with a trip to a single country, it can be entirely flexible and tailored to your needs and pace, whether you’d rather take things slowly or pack in as much as possible. Best of all, you’ll be ticking not just one, but two or more countries off your travel bucket list: this will open you up to a diversity of cultures, with excitement and the unknown always waiting around the corner, and will help you save money in the long run – this can be especially advantageous with long-haul travel, if lack of time and higher costs mean you won’t likely be returning to that part of the world any time soon.

Tips to plan a multi-destination trip efficiently and responsibly

When planning your trip, you’ll want to keep several factors in mind, some of the most important being your trip length and budget, travel arrangements between destinations, and research into local travel advisories.

Turning to an experienced local expert is always a good idea: they can help you navigate your way through all the complex planning and travel requirements, which can vary from one country to the next. More importantly, they can help you overcome the seemingly impossible mission of narrowing down the most interesting experiences in each country – a task which is already overwhelming when planning a trip to a single destination, let alone two or more.

Choose your destinations wisely

With your budget and trip length in mind, you have the fun task of deciding which countries to visit! While you can lean on your local expert for guidance, you may want to do some initial research into local transport costs and accessibility, as well as how expensive each country will be. Having a rough idea of all costs involved, from accommodation prices down to daily food budgets, will help you decide whether or not it’s a right fit for your itinerary.

Sticking to neighboring countries will help you maximize your in-destination time, giving you more time to enjoy each country along the way and plan more activities between transfers. You’ll need to keep transfer and layover times in mind: be sure to factor these into your itinerary (and plan for any possible delays), and you won’t be met with unpleasant surprises on the day.

Be aware of local travel advisories and entry requirements

Anyone who plans a trip should be mindful of the entry requirements to their chosen destination, and this is perhaps even more important with multi-destination travel planning – after all, you wouldn’t want to be stuck between borders, facing unexpected delays or unable to continue the rest of your trip. Thankfully, with help from a local expert, a lot of these concerns can be taken off your plate, and you’ll only need to remember to pack appropriately and enjoy the ride!

Look for responsible travel options

Traveling to more than one country in a single vacation can help you reduce your carbon footprint over time, since you’ll be taking fewer flights than if you were to explore your chosen destinations separately. You’ll be reducing your overall airfare costs in this way, too, so it’s a win-win for both you and the environment. Where possible, try minimizing your footprint even more by choosing more sustainable transport options in-between cities and countries – swapping a flight for a train journey, for instance.

Set realistic expectations and a comfortable pace

As with any trip you plan, it’s important not to overwhelm yourself and create unrealistic expectations of your vacation – after all, you’re planning this trip to explore, immerse yourself, and enjoy your time off! Only fit as much into your itinerary as you’re comfortable with and your pace allows, and opt for flexible activities if you can – enabling you to cancel or reschedule them closer to the time, if needed. Also try not to pack too much into the first days of your trip to avoid burning out, and give yourself enough time to relax between transfers.

Run through your packing essentials

When it comes to putting together your packing list, seek as much advice as possible from your local expert, and do your own research to make sure you aren’t leaving anything important back at home. Consider everything from types of medication you may need to the right charging adapters for each country, and make sure to pack a suitable and versatile wardrobe so you’re dressing appropriately in different countries (especially where, for instance, you might be traveling from more liberal to more conservative spaces).

Our top multi-destination trip ideas

We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite multi-destination trip ideas, each one offering wonderfully unique and enriching experiences across some of the world’s most sought-after regions. They’ve been put together by on-the-ground experts who have experience in arranging multi-country trips, so you can safely use them as inspiration to plan and book your next tailor-made adventure!

• Ultimate Southeast Asia: Get to know the many delights of Southeast Asia’s top destinations on a 23-day journey across Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand – four incredible countries, each brimming with unique natural wonders, cultural charms, and deep-rooted religious heritages
• South America’s great outdoors: Explore the magnificent reaches of Argentina and Chile on a South American adventure unlike any other – a 23-day expedition that will see you traversing the landscapes of Patagonia, marveling at the gushing Iguazu Falls, and much more
• European romance: Pack your finest attire for a romantic jaunt to two of our favorite European destinations for couples, Greece and Italy. Soak up the scenic Amalfi Coast and flit across lesser-known Greek islands, with private boat tours and plenty of beach bliss along the way
• African safari thrills: Spend 12 days immersing yourself into the vibrancy and welcoming hearts of Kenya and Tanzania, two firm favorites for African adventure experiences, where wildlife-watching and exhilarating game drives will be high on the agenda

Not quite what you’re looking for? Browse our collection of multi-destination travel experiences for more trip ideas and inspiration.

Make it happen

Are you feeling ready to plan a multi-destination vacation? Get in touch with one of our local experts covering the region of your choice – they’ll bring their in-depth knowledge to help you experience a seamless adventure across borders.