How to Take a 6 Month Trip Around the World

There are a few approaches. One is you can book a round-the-world (RTW) ticket, meaning you choose your route in advance. Or you can arrange your flights as you go, which gives you maximum freedom but can be expensive if you're booking last minute flights.

I used an RTW ticket for my own trip, with flexible timing on most flights and a ticket valid for up to twelve months. This gave me a useful structure without locking me into a rigid schedule. The right approach depends on how much uncertainty you can tolerate and how clear you are on where you want to go before you leave.

Overall, six months works best when it's structured around fewer destinations, longer stays and built-in rest.

For route ideas and full itineraries, head over to my travel site, Backpacking Bella.

One of my biggest fears while planning my trip was running out of money halfway around the world. This is one of the biggest psychological barriers to long-term travel.

The cost of a 6 month trip around the world varies enormously depending on where you go. Budget-friendly regions like Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and parts of South America can be done for $10,000–$15,000. Factor in Australia, Japan or Western Europe and $20,000 or above is more realistic. These figures don't include international flights.

Costs can spike when you're constantly spending money travelling from place to place. Slow travel with fewer destinations makes the difference. I spent around a month or more in each country I visited. This was simpler for budget management, cut travel costs, allowed me to negotiate discounts on longer stays and was calmer for my nervous system.

On the road, the main considerations are accommodation (basic guesthouses or hostels over hotels), transport (overland over flights where possible) and food (local street food over tourist restaurants). Those three things will determine the majority of your daily spend.

So the real question changes from “can I afford six months?” to “can I travel slowly and smartly enough to make six months sustainable?”

Long-term travel isn’t a continuous high. There are stretches of boredom, homesickness, loneliness and second-guessing. On more than one occasion I had the travel blues or felt lonely, even though I absolutely loved travelling by myself 99% of the time.

Understanding this beforehand matters, because it removes the fear that something has ‘gone wrong’ the first time you feel flat or uncertain. Those moments are part of what makes long-term travel survivable — and human.

If you're moving around often, travel fatigue is also real. It comes from nonstop logistics, constant decision-making and adapting to new environments. I found that staying longer in places and developing a routine there made it feel more like a temporary home rather than somewhere I was just passing by. Days where nothing happens aren't wasted - that downtime makes the rest of the trip possible.

It might not be the right time if you're stretched financially with no buffer for emergencies or unexpected costs.

If your career or personal situation is at a critical point and leaving now would cause you regret, that's worth taking seriously. And it won't work as a guaranteed solution if you're primarily travelling to escape problems at home.

Being comfortable with uncertainty helps — plans will shift and things will go wrong. And if you accept that you won't see everything and resist the urge to cram in every must-see destination, the trip becomes considerably more attainable.

One of the biggest unknowns after quitting or taking time away from your work and homelife is what happens to what you leave behind.

With some employers you can negotiate a sabbatical or unpaid leave, particularly if you've been there several years and have built up goodwill. I ended up leaving my job, which felt terrifying but turned out to be a relief. A friend did a very similar trip on sabbatical. While she had the security of being able to return to her job afterwards, she acknowledged that psychologically it's very different as your job is still there in the back of your mind.

Most people come back to work in some form. I haven't met anyone who regretted taking a career break to travel. The gap on your CV matters less than you think, especially if you can frame the experience as intentional.

When I returned from my trip, I ended up moving to a different country, went for interviews and quickly secured work in a new industry – proving to myself that anything is possible.

I gave up my rented flat before I left and sold clothes I didn't need on eBay. If you have furniture, a storage unit is a practical solution. I was lucky enough to have family members willing to look after some of my belongings. The administrative hassle of ending my lease, quitting my job and sorting out my belongings felt overwhelming (I even had a small panic attack). In the end, it took a few focused weeks and then it was done.

Years ago, I quit my job and gave up my apartment to travel solo for a year. The idea was daunting, but in practice my journey was calmer than I expected.

I didn't pressure myself to see all the sights. My solo trip ended up lasting ten months. There were long stretches where I developed a daily routine - doing a yoga class or finding a place to write my blog. Some weeks were busy, others were slow, and I built in rest days without guilt. I stayed longer when I felt settled and moved on when I felt restless.

There were also harder moments. I experienced a nasty bout of food poisoning. One airline put my backpack on the wrong flight. I got lonely even in beautiful places. I learned to take these things in my stride and to stay open to opportunities when they arose. At times I had to pull myself out of a bad mood. Once I stopped trying to make every place feel perfect, the trip became sustainable.

For many people, yes — with the right approach. Six months is enough time to cover multiple places, slow down properly and return with a new perspective. It becomes difficult if you try to trying to tick off every single highlight, as you will spend more time in transit than enjoying your destinations.

You’re never too old. Hostels aren’t all 18-year-olds. Many cater to older travellers or have private rooms. You’ll find your people. I was in my early 30s when I travelled, and I met plenty of people my age or older. As you age, you have clearer boundaries about what you actually want from travel, which makes the experience better.

Sometimes, yes. These moments are normal and will pass. It’s part of the experience for most solo travellers. However, you are more likely to find you meet far more people while travelling than you expect. These fellow travellers can enrich your experience in many ways.

Yes, standard travel insurance typically only covers trips up to 30-90 days. For six months you’ll need extended travel insurance or an annual multi-trip policy. Make sure it covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost belongings and adventure activities like scuba diving. Emergencies abroad can be expensive so it’s better to take precautions.

It depends on how much flexibility you need. An RTW ticket locks in your destinations in advance but can offer flexible timing and works out cheaper than booking long-haul flights individually. If you have a rough sense of where you want to go, it's worth pricing up against booking independently. If you want to be completely free to change your mind, independent booking gives you more control, thought it comes at a higher cost.

A six month trip around the world sounds like a long time, but realistically, it might mean focusing on one or two regions. It's long enough that you'll forget your usual routine and gain new perspective, while being short enough to return home without having missed too much.

It's best if you're willing to travel slowly, stay flexible and build in rest.

Once you've decided whether a 6 month trip around the world is feasible, the next step is choosing a route — or at least a first stop. From there, you can work out the style and pace of travel that suits your energy and budget.