How to go on a trip without a travel agency

It is never too late to start discovering peace

Many people are afraid of independent travel, because they do not know what needs to be done and how to complete all the necessary documents. But such a trip is always an adventure and an opportunity to explore the world. The main thing here is thorough preparation.

In order to organize the trip in the best way, it is necessary to take several steps.

STEP 1. Determination of the country, collection of information about the visa and expenses

In addition to choosing a country, you should immediately choose the number of vacation days, as well as decide how much money you plan to spend. It is important to consider your preferences and plans when analyzing the budget. Theoretically, you can live in any country for a few dollars a day, but you will want to try local cuisine, visit attractions, buy gifts for loved ones, and so on. Therefore, read the reports of travelers, forums, reviews and decide on an approximate amount that you are ready to spend.

The cost of a ready-made tour to a certain country can serve as a guide for you. Often, the cost of organized trips is higher, so an independent trip will cost you less.

The validity period of your foreign passport is also important. Each country has its own rules. For example, many countries prohibit entry into the country if the passport is valid for less than 3 or 6 months from the moment of visit. The embassies of some countries are very demanding about visas. For example, Great Britain, Australia, USA, New Zealand, Canada.

On the thematic sites, you can find all the necessary information for the successful issuance of visas. Having specified the data about your citizenship and the country where you are going, you will find out whether you need a visa at all. You can also use the website VisaReq.com.

STEP 2. Book tickets.

Immediately after choosing a country for travel and making a trip plan, you need to book air tickets. The earlier you decide on the dates, the cheaper the tickets will be. Subscribe to airline newsletters and keep an eye on regular promotions. For example, use Skyscanner, Momondo, Aviasales, Buruki search engines. Pay attention to the low-cost companies Air Asia, Ryan Air, Wizz Air, Easy Jet.

Most often promotional tickets are non-refundable, so carefully study the booking rules.

STEP 3. Housing search

In order to get a visa, many embassies require proof of payment for housing, or hotel, hostel, etc. reservations. The most popular sites for finding a place to stay while traveling are Booking.com, Hostelworld.com, and others. The Airbnb.com service will help you find an apartment, and Couchsurfing.com is the most popular site for finding free accommodation provided by people from different countries.

When reserving a room in a hotel or hostel, familiarize yourself with the rules of cancellation of the reservation so as not to pay a fine. Sometimes the amount is a certain percentage of the reservation amount, or the cost of a day's stay at the hotel.

STEP 4. Medical insurance.

Insurance is not mandatory in all countries, but in the event of unforeseen situations during travel, it will help you save significantly. For example, if you are going to engage in active sports - surfing, skiing, parachuting, etc., you should immediately indicate this when applying for insurance. If you did not have time to take out the insurance before departure, you can do it online.

Remember that some vaccinations are required for trips to countries in Africa or South America.

STEP 5. Submission of visa documents.

Carefully collect all the documents necessary to apply for a visa - do not resort to issuing fake certificates to avoid trouble. On the official pages of the embassies, you can find out the entire list of documents and the requirements for them.

STEP 6. Gathering for the road.

More precisely, the collection of a suitcase. For some, this is the most pleasant moment of the trip, since all the troubles are already behind and only small details remain. In addition to your personal belongings, take a copy of your passport with you, if necessary, make a currency card, collect a first-aid kit and learn more about the places worth visiting.

Don't take too many things. If you chose a low-cost flight, you will have to pay extra for baggage of more than 7-10 kg.

In general, you need a few things for a pleasant trip:

1. Access to the Internet to search for information.
2. Basic knowledge of colloquial phrases in English, or even a phrasebook.
3. International bank card for payment of services during the trip.

And the most important thing is the desire to travel and explore the world. This is not only a vacation, but also a way to meet new people, make new discoveries and get to know yourself better!