Around the world: six months of travel, ten destinations to weigh up

Duration and itinerary

On a six-month calendar, travel days quickly take up the space of an entire destination. Leaving a room, getting to an airport, waiting for a connection, and checking into new accommodation can sometimes take two days without any real sightseeing. We therefore propose a core of six countries, followed by four alternative destinations. You can choose from ten possibilities without committing yourself to ten passport stamps.

The starting itinerary allocates the 180 days as follows: three weeks in Morocco, four in Georgia, three in Uzbekistan, three in Mongolia, forty-five days in Indonesia, and thirty in Brazil. Fourteen days remain available for major journeys, connections, and changes of plan. These durations are suggested pacing, not permission to stay, transport bookings, or commitments to any price.

The order must then be weighed against two realities: when you want to be outdoors in Mongolia and the cost of connections between your regions. For a trip that includes the steppe, first look at the Mongolian summer season, then work backward through the calendar toward the Caucasus and Morocco. A spring departure can serve as an initial hypothesis. Road conditions, hiking altitudes, and the weather in each region will determine the exact dates.

The term “round-the-world trip” can also describe several different journeys. Our example crosses several continents, but does not necessarily include a Pacific crossing. It may therefore be better suited to a combination of independent tickets than to an airfare package sold under that name. If completing a full loop around the globe is your goal, you will need to add a Pacific crossing and reassess the itinerary. Adding another continent will change the days available and the budget.

For a departure planned after autumn 2026, draw up your own future calendar. Temporary visa measures, air routes, and entry requirements do not automatically carry over to the following year. A departure in 2027 must be checked as such, even if a country’s guidance has appeared unchanged for several months.

The six-month budget

Start by calculating your daily expenses: accommodation, meals, ordinary local transport, laundry, small purchases, and connectivity. Write down what you actually want to buy. A private room with a bathroom, three restaurant meals, and car travel make for a different trip than a dorm bed, simple meals, and public transport. The number of travelers also affects how you split rooms and private services.

To make the calculation easy to follow, let’s use three personal spending assumptions: 35, 55, or 85 euros per day per person for 180 days. These come to 6,300, 9,900, and 15,300 euros respectively for everyday expenses. These are planning scenarios, not observed average prices across the ten countries. The lowest figure requires especially careful checking as soon as you add private rooms, remote islands, or guided tours.

Next, add a working allowance of 6,000 euros: 4,000 for flights and major connections, 800 for insurance and health preparations, 400 for formalities, and 800 for separately booked visits. Each figure here is an assumption to replace with your own quotes. Multi-day tours with a driver, diving, and Bhutan-specific expenses should be recalculated separately. If an excursion includes meals and accommodation, subtract any expenses already budgeted for those same days.

With a 10% contingency applied to the total, the three estimates come to 13,530, 17,490, and 23,430 euros per person. The middle scenario therefore consists of 9,900 euros for everyday expenses, 6,000 euros for separate items, and 1,590 euros in contingency. You could use approximately 17,500 euros as an illustrative savings target for this model, then adjust it once you have quotes. It is not a promise that the trip can be taken for that price.

Focus especially on the differences. Moving from an assumption of 55 to 85 euros per day adds 5,400 euros before contingency over six months. A daily change in comfort can cost more than a one-off activity. Conversely, cutting back on a few meals to keep a very expensive flight detour may be worth reconsidering. Ask yourself what experience truly justifies that detour and how many days you will spend there.

Finally, your personal budget must include expenses that continue in France: rent or housing costs, loan payments, subscriptions, taxes, or storage. Set aside cash for your return, separate from the contingency you might use on the road. The salary you will not earn matters to your decision to leave, but should not be presented as a travel purchase. Available savings may cover the tickets without being enough to fund the months after you return.

Flights and major connections

Start your transport research with the difficult connections, especially Mongolia–Indonesia and Indonesia–Brazil. Their cost, stopovers, and transit requirements may change the order you had in mind when looking at a map. Look for a coherent set of dates and arrival cities rather than the cheapest ticket on each segment in isolation. Baggage and transfers between airports are part of the real cost.

Then request two comparable quotes: one for independent tickets and, if your route is suitable, one for a round-the-world ticket. oneworld notably offers an Explorer option based on continents and a Global Explorer option based on distance. The rules of the option you choose determine how the trip must be constructed; not every combination of countries is eligible. The official page describes, in particular, an Atlantic and a Pacific crossing, as well as departing from and returning to the same city for its round-the-world itinerary.

These restrictions explain why a freely assembled loop and a commercial airfare product can cover different geographies. Until eligibility for a particular product is established, the six-country core should be priced as a multi-destination trip. Do not add a distant stopover solely to make the trip fit a ticket: also compare the nights, formalities, and days it uses.

For separate tickets, check the protection available in case of delays and the change conditions. Two independently purchased flights may require you to enter the transit country, collect your baggage, and check in again. An overnight stop may make sense before a long-haul flight. Include its cost in your calculation from the outset, along with meals and the transfer.

Distances still matter on the ground. Three cities that look close on a world map can take several days to travel between. Choose your bases before planning excursions, and check schedules with the operators for the actual period. The itineraries below describe possible stays; they do not claim to confirm a train, boat, or flight currently on sale for a specific date.

Morocco, the first urban stop

Three weeks in Morocco let you settle into the rhythm of travel, with several nights in each city. For a first version, choose Fès, a second urban base, and a mountain or coastal region. Markets, medinas, meals, and changing landscapes already make for a full week. Adding the desert, the Atlas Mountains, and several coastal resorts all at once multiplies your transfers.

In Fès, a guided tour at the start of your stay can help you understand the medina’s main landmarks before exploring on your own. The selected private tour lasts four hours and is offered in French. Entrance fees and meals are separate; confirm the meeting point with your hotel or riad. We recommend it for travelers who want to ask questions about the sites and then plan their own walks.

Spend the following days exploring smaller areas. Finding your way back to a neighborhood, choosing a place for lunch, and walking back without another objective are also part of learning to travel for an extended period. Keep the same base long enough to identify your actual spending: a week of small purchases, transport, and meals tells you more about your budget than an estimate made before departure.

A stop in the Atlas Mountains needs separate preparation. The fact that a village is accessible tells you nothing about the conditions on a higher trail. France Diplomatie notes that rescue services may be limited in remote areas. For a high-altitude hike, find out about guides, equipment, and the conditions on the day. A local walk and an ascent require different arrangements.

French citizens must have a passport valid for the entire stay. Also prepare proof of onward travel and any relevant supporting documents. The onward journey to the Caucasus should be planned around the connections actually available. Morocco can be moved to the end of the trip if that simplifies the flights or better suits your hiking dates.

Georgia around Tbilisi

Four weeks in Georgia offer a breather between several international journeys. Tbilisi makes a good base for an extended stay: you can spread walks through the old neighborhoods, museum visits, and meals over several days, then venture beyond the capital. A different cuisine, another script, and a new daily routine take time to get used to; that alone is reason enough to stay.

We have selected an excursion combining Mtskheta, Jvari, and the Chronicle of Georgia for a first guided outing. The listing we consulted lasts six hours, with an English-speaking guide and a meeting point at Rose Revolution Square. This option brings together sites spread across the area while letting you keep your accommodation in Tbilisi. Lunch is separate, and the tasting depends on the option you choose.

After this day, choose just one regional extension based on your interests. A wine region suits those who prioritize meeting people and sharing meals; a mountain valley calls for checking access, altitude, and weather. The official Georgia Travel website can help you compare regions before choosing a base. Divide your time between the capital and this extension rather than changing accommodation every day.

Since January 2026, foreign visitors must have health and accident insurance for their stay, with minimum coverage of GEL 30,000 and a certificate in English or Georgian, according to France Diplomatie. Ask your insurer for the document before arrival. A bank card alone does not replace a certificate describing the coverage when one is required.

French authorities strongly advise against travel to Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and the areas around them. These areas are excluded from the proposed itinerary. In the mountains, choose a route suited to local conditions and inform your accommodation of your plans. The planned four weeks can also be shortened if you would rather spend more time at the next stop in Asia.

Uzbekistan between two bases

Three weeks in Uzbekistan allow you to build a stay around Tashkent and two selected heritage cities, such as Samarkand and Bukhara. Their appeal lies as much in the time available to explore as in the chance to return to a square at different times of day. Spending one day on an architectural complex and another on the surrounding streets and meals creates a different pace from rushing through a succession of sights.

Khiva can replace one of your bases or extend your stay if the transport options fit your dates. Before adding it, consider what the journey would take away from your other stops. It is reasonable to spend several nights somewhere that particularly interests you. The title of a tour or the inclusion of four cities in a brochure does not determine how many stops make sense for your trip.

French citizens are currently exempt from visas for stays of up to thirty days. France Diplomatie also states that passports must be valid for at least six months from the planned return date. Check this with the whole trip in mind: the “return” from a stay lasting several months may be a long time after you leave Uzbekistan. Seek confirmation if your situation is unusual.

Read up on stay-registration requirements and the use of a local connection before arrival. Keep the documents provided by your accommodation and check the requirements for your phone if you use a local SIM card. A three-week stay may involve different formalities from a visit of just a few days. Leave a little time in your Tashkent schedule for administrative tasks.

To plan your travel, first list your overnight stays and the intercity journeys you will need. Book the legs that determine the rest of your itinerary, then leave some days free around them. After a late arrival from an international journey, it makes sense to book a first night somewhere easy to reach. Price the connection to Mongolia separately: we are not assuming there is a direct train or direct flight between the two stops.

Mongolia and time outdoors

Mongolia calls for a different approach to budgeting. Outside the capital, transport, a guide, and overnight stays may be bundled into a multi-day package. The quote should specify distances, accommodation, meals, and group size. A daily average calculated for cities is not enough to fund a motorized tour through remote areas with limited facilities.

For three weeks, plan time in Ulaanbaatar before and after one major regional excursion. This gives you room to meet with the tour operator, buy essentials, and allow for a possible delay on the return journey. Choose a region based on what you want to do outdoors: hiking, staying in a camp, taking in the scenery, or covering longer distances. The number of kilometers should be compatible with the time you have on the ground.

France Diplomatie describes an extreme continental climate and wide temperature variations. Your equipment should be guided by the time of year, overnight conditions, and altitude. A sunny day in the capital is no indication of what conditions will be like throughout the tour. Ask the provider what is supplied for sleeping and what you will need to carry yourself.

The entry page we consulted states that French tourists are exempt from visas for thirty days in 2026. A trip planned for 2027 requires a fresh check with the Mongolian authorities. Book non-refundable services only after confirming your right to enter for the relevant year and dates. An old announcement of a visa exemption is not enough to guarantee boarding.

Your insurance should cover the planned activities and potential evacuation. The ministry recommends knowing the local contacts for your assistance provider and advises against driving at night. Also ask how the provider communicates outside areas with network coverage. These questions can help you compare two quotes that seem similar without limiting your choice to the vehicle or number of nights.

Indonesia across two islands

Forty-five days in Indonesia give you a real chance to experience the archipelago, provided you choose a manageable area. Two islands or two regional clusters are a reasonable starting point. For example, you could combine a cultural stay on Java with a second stop chosen for coastal activities. Your final itinerary must take account of your visa or residence permissions and any extensions you need.

The visa on arrival described by France Diplomatie is paid and allows an initial stay of thirty days for eligible purposes. Our proposed forty-five-day stay therefore means choosing, before departure, the procedure that allows the total duration you want. Check the rules with Indonesian immigration. Avoid building your schedule around an extension that you assume will be automatic or an improvised trip out of the country.

For each change of island, allow time to get to the port or airport, wait, and reach your new base after arrival. A boat ticket may be inexpensive but still require an extra night near the departure point. Check transport safety and weather conditions. France Diplomatie specifically warns of risks including flooding, landslides, and the dangers of swimming in certain areas.

If you want to include Raja Ampat, set aside a specific budget for it: access, island accommodation, boats, and marine activities should be priced together. Drop another region so you can spend several nights in the same place. For scuba diving, check the required qualifications and your insurance coverage; for snorkeling, choose a level of supervision suited to your comfort in the water.

The passport must be in very good condition, have the required pages, and be valid for more than six months upon entry, according to the official page consulted. Proof of onward travel is required. This means you need to set at least the next international leg, even if several domestic stops remain flexible. Leave a buffer before that flight after a stay on a remote island.

Brazil on a regional scale

One month in Brazil lets you finish the trip with a base in Rio and a second carefully chosen region. The country is not well suited to an approach where every major city becomes an excursion from the previous one. Compare travel times before choosing stops on different coasts or inland. Two regions can already offer great variety without spending half the trip in transit.

In Rio, the selected product combines Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain in a tour advertised as lasting five hours. The tour is offered in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Compare the options with and without admission tickets when booking, as well as pickup from selected hotels. We recommend it as an orientation day for those who want to combine both sites and their transfers.

Then leave time for the neighborhoods where you are staying, museums, and permitted walks. A guided activity should not fill every day. After several months, a week in the same accommodation can be especially useful for resting, doing laundry, sorting out expenses, and getting back to a regular meal routine before returning home.

Preparing for Rio calls for a neighborhood-by-neighborhood safety review. France Diplomatie recommends remaining highly vigilant against theft and assault. Choose accommodation whose access and transport options suit you, seek local advice, and adapt your travel to the time of day. Compare the lowest room rate with the surrounding area and the cost of necessary trips.

For a French passport, the official guidance consulted describes a short visa-free stay subject to conditions and requires proof of onward travel. Check the permitted stay and document validity for your situation. Book a return trip that allows enough leeway after the final domestic leg. Spending the last night near your international airport can simplify arrangements when your previous base is far away.

Laos as a replacement

Laos can replace part of Indonesia or another stop in Asia if you would prefer a trip organized around cities, valleys, and overland transport. Two to three weeks is a suggested duration that allows for several nights in Luang Prabang and an additional base. The choice depends on your point of entry and what follows, not merely on the apparent proximity of Asian countries.

For French citizens, a visa still needs to be arranged. France Diplomatie specifies that visa-on-arrival facilities and entry points accepting e-visas are limited. Check the exact checkpoint before buying your transport. A document valid at an airport does not necessarily allow you to use any land border. Passport validity requirements should be checked at the same time.

The ministry advises against night buses and recommends checking road conditions during the rainy season. Schedule travel during the day and leave a buffer before an international flight. In areas affected by unexploded ordnance, stay on authorized paths and use a local guide for suitable outings. Choose Laos for its own stops and recalculate your budget, rather than treating it as a mere passage between two flights.

Bhutan and its budget

Plan Bhutan as a separately funded leg. The official Bhutan Travel website lists an SDF contribution of US$100 per day per adult, with special provisions for children, as well as a US$40 visa application fee. By way of illustration, seven days of adult SDF amounts to US$700, before services and visa fees. Check the exact terms for your stay.

This contribution changes the balance of a long trip. To add a week, request a budget that includes flights, accommodation, guiding, meals, transfers, and formalities. Identify what is already included to avoid double-counting. This amount cannot be quietly absorbed into a daily average designed for several months in other countries.

Bhutan Travel allows you to apply for a visa online or to use an operator or hotel to handle the application. Consult the official portal directly and prepare your documents before committing to services. Your choice of route should also take altitude, walking, and rest time into account. Bhutan can replace another stop in Asia; adding it on top of all the others means cutting days and spending elsewhere.

Madagascar and road distances

Madagascar can replace Morocco or another nature-focused leg if its access and season better suit your plans. Allow at least several weeks in your itinerary for a regional visit, then choose the area based on actual driving times. A tourist map showing several parks does not tell you how long the journeys between them take or what road conditions will be like at the time of your visit.

The French safety guidance notes that cyclones are possible between January and April, as well as road disruptions and flood risks during the rainy season. These factors may be reason enough to reschedule this leg or shorten the route. Ask accommodation providers and operators for recent access conditions. A quote should account for travel days as well as visits.

For nature outings, choose guided activities that follow site rules and keep your distance from animals. Choose one region and, if appropriate, a second base rather than trying to visit a long list of parks. Compare the cost of a vehicle, driver, and activities based on the complete service. At the end of your stay, leaving a buffer before your international flight protects your itinerary better than planning a long transfer for the same day.

Suriname as a separate stay

Plan a stay in Suriname around Paramaribo and an inland extension chosen with an operator. This arrangement requires pricing transport, accommodation, and guiding together. Ten nights can serve as an initial estimate of the length of stay, to be adjusted according to the actual itinerary. The number of destinations you have already visited is no reason to reduce this stop to a formality between two borders.

Consider combining it with Brazil in light of the available transport and health requirements. France Diplomatie states that a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travelers arriving from countries where there is a risk of transmission, subject to the conditions set out in its guidance. The order of your stays therefore matters just as much as your nationality. Share your full itinerary with a healthcare professional.

Safety in Paramaribo and the conditions for inland excursions warrant specific preparation. Check arrival transfers, communication options, and assistance arrangements for a remote extension. Suriname can replace part of your South American stay when its appeal justifies the costs. This itinerary does not assume a simple overland connection from Rio.

Bookings and documents

Before making purchases, create a country-by-country entry table with your nationality, dates, length of stay, documents, border crossing, and proof of onward travel. Include transits that may require formalities. On a long trip, a passport valid at departure may no longer be valid enough several months later. Check its validity for your final planned entry and make sure it has enough blank pages.

Book an appointment for a travel health consultation and bring your full itinerary, planned activities, and relevant medical history. The WHO notes that risks depend on the traveler, destinations, conditions of stay, and access to healthcare. Ask for a personalized schedule; do not infer your needs from a vaccine list for a single country. If you take regular medication, also check transport rules, quantities, and local regulations.

For insurance, compare the period covered, territories, activities, exclusions, and assistance terms. Describe any hiking, diving, or motorized travel you are planning. Keep the emergency number and certificates accessible offline. Your coverage should match the actual trip, including any possible extension, rather than only the duration of your first tickets.

First book the major transport legs that shape the route, your first nights, and services that are difficult to reschedule. Then leave some of your day-to-day plans open. A guided day in Fez, an excursion from Tbilisi, or an outing in Rio can be arranged once your bases are set. Activity listings show the available commercial information; variable prices and reviews are not included in this guide’s hypothetical budget.

Payments and luggage

Keeping two payment methods separate reduces the consequences of a lost or blocked card. Before departure, compare cash withdrawal fees, foreign-currency payment fees, limits, and replacement procedures. Also check remote authentication requirements: a purchase or ticket change may require a code sent to your French phone number. Keeping access to that number may matter more than a small difference in bank fees.

Your budget should distinguish money available in your account, amounts already committed, and expenses that are still refundable. A cancellable reservation can tie up real cash, even if you may get it back later. Note the free-cancellation deadline and the stated refund processing times. For a tour with a deposit and a balance, record both due dates so you can keep enough cash available in the preceding weeks.

For your bag, start with your regular activities and laundry options. Clothing for an urban stay, cool nights in Mongolia, and a marine activity need to fit together without packing six months’ worth of outfits. Ask what can be rented or provided at specialist stops. Compare the cost of renting something occasionally with the cost of carrying a heavier bag on all your flights, after checking each ticket’s baggage allowance.

Essential documents should be organized independently of your main phone. Keep copies available offline, reservation details, and a secure way to find your assistance contacts. Protect this information with appropriate access controls; avoid keeping all your originals, cards, and devices in the same bag. A trusted person can keep the information they need to help you without receiving your banking passwords.

Finally, reassess your belongings after the first few weeks. Equipment you rarely use can weigh you down on every move. Bulky souvenirs and repeated purchases need to be factored into available space as well as your budget. A manageable bag makes ordinary trips between a station and accommodation easier, especially when you change bases without a private vehicle.

Pace and tracking

At each arrival, record your actual expenses for a few days, then compare them with your estimate. Separate daily expenses, long-distance transport, activities, and formalities. This distinction shows whether an overrun comes from a one-off decision or a level of comfort that has become permanent. A tour that has already been paid for can make a week seem very inexpensive, even though its main costs were covered the month before.

Keep some days free of scheduled sightseeing. They allow time for paperwork, rest, and ordinary problems: phone service, laundry, a medical appointment, or a rescheduled journey. If you are traveling as a couple, discuss your budget and pace regularly. A need for a quiet room or a longer stay in a city is easier to accommodate before making the next reservation.

At the halfway point, review all the dates and remaining entry requirements. Confirm transport, check official alerts, and verify available cash without touching the money set aside for your return. If a stop becomes too expensive or difficult to reach, treat the alternatives as genuine choices. Dropping a country can preserve the weeks you wanted to spend outdoors, sightseeing, or meeting local people, while keeping the trip affordable.