Around The World Itinerary: Family Gap Year With Kids
Are you thinking about taking a family gap year, long-term travel or an extended trip? We are here to inspire you to plan your own adventure of a lifetime with inspiration from out around the world itinerary.
After months of planning, our family of five left on an eleven-month adventure around the world.
Our Around The World Itinerary
Duration: 11 months (326 days)
Countries visited: 25
Continents: 6
Once we’d made the decision to travel, we spent a lot of time planning and finalising our around-the-world itinerary with our three children. Setting a budget was a major factor in determining which countries and experiences we could consider.
Once that was agreed, we were able to balance the more expensive ‘must-do’ bucket list destinations and activities against longer stays in countries where we would be able to stretch our money further. Asia is often considered as the cheapest continent for travel and, with that in mind, we planned to spend more time there than anywhere else on our around-the-world itinerary.
We purchased an around-the-world ticket that allowed us to flex our travel dates around a pre-agreed selection of 16 countries.
Our plan was to make extensive use of internal flights to take us to additional stops along the way! Our initial plans included four of the seven continents, following the sun, starting in South America and finishing in Asia. With Europe on our doorstep, we didn’t initially include it in the itinerary but added it late into the trip, along with Africa, as we travelled the final leg back to the UK.
Edinburgh, Scotland – 19th to 20th June
We drove from our home to stay overnight in Edinburgh, where two of our kids sat their music grading exams. Then, we continued by road to England.
England – 20th To 22nd June
A short pit stop for some family goodbyes before setting off on our first flight across the Atlantic Ocean to South America.
Brazil – 23rd June to 5th July
Rio de Janeiro
(Brazilian and Argentinian) Iguaçu Falls
Brazil was a relaxed introduction to our itinerary, with vibrant cities and beautiful beaches to explore. The wildlife was an instant hit, and the consistent warm temperature (not something we are used to in Scotland!). Hiking to Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, seeing Sugarloaf Mountain and interacting with our first monkeys are just some of the many incredible highlights.
We were very impressed with the awesome Iguaçu Falls, the largest broken water cascade in the world. Although most of the Iguaçu River resides in Brazil, neighbouring Argentina is home to more of the Falls, and we took a day trip across the border to appreciate its power and beauty from both countries.
Peru – 5th to 19th July
Lima
Cusco
Inca Trail trek to Macha Picchu
Puno and Lake Titicaca
Puerto Maldono
We thoroughly enjoyed immersing ourselves in the fascinating Inca history while travelling through this colourful country. Peru made one of the ‘must-do’ spots on our around-the-world itinerary, primarily for us to trek the legendary Inca trail.
Having arrived in Cusco we were unprepared for the effect that staying at high altitude would have on us. Altitude sickness affected Mum and Dad to the extent that we were not certain we would complete the trek as a family.Â
Thankfully, after 2 nights of acclimatisation, we felt much better and went on to complete the trail, hitting an altitude of 14500 feet on the scarily named ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’.
With nearly 60% of Peru being tropical rainforest, we also experienced a few nights in the Amazon rainforest and explored the floating villages of Uros on Lake Titicaca.
Read more: Things to do in Peru with kids
Costa Rica – 19th July to 3rd August
San Jose
La Fortuna
Tortuguero
Punta Uva
Manuel Antonio
Santa Teressa
Laguna Hule
Costa Rica was our first road trip on our world itinerary. Where we explored this beautiful country in our accommodation on wheels. This brought lots of adventure, wildlife, and time to chill that more than compensated for the many problems with the vehicle and tight sleeping arrangements!
Thankfully, the weather was warm enough for us to sleep outside in hammocks, although we made sure they were slung undercover (it was wet season) and that we were well wrapped up to avoid mosquito bites.
Costa Rica is packed full of cloud forests, rainforests, beaches, volcanoes, natural hot springs and waterfalls, with white-water rafting, ziplines, and many other adventurous activities all making this stop on the around-the-world itinerary a very special one.
United States of America (USA) – 3rd August to 5th September
Las Angeles
Las Vegas
Yosemite National Park
San Francisco
Santa Cruz
Big Sur
Oahu
Hawaii
Our month in the USA began in California, where we took a break from the last few weeks of driving.
We stayed in self-catering serviced accommodation in LA for a few days to relax and see some of the city highlights before setting off on our second road trip. Our truly epic journey took us through California and Nevada for almost three weeks before flying to Hawaii.
We had many amazing experiences while we drove and trekked through areas and landscapes of outstanding beauty that were nothing like anything we had seen before. The sea life we saw far exceeded our expectations when we snorkelled in the very pleasant temperatures of the Pacific Ocean.
We have never felt so remote as when we drove for hours through the desert in Nevada, not passing a single vehicle. The weather in California was perfect, and looking into the fiery crater of an active volcano in Hawaii was an exciting way to round off this road trip!
Australia – 6th September to 15th October
Sydney
Byron Bay
Gold Coast
Noosa
Whitsundays
Broken River
Daintree
Port Douglas
Great Barrier Reef
Cairns
After stopping in Australia seventeen years ago on a layover to New Zealand, we finally fulfilled our dream of exploring Sidney. This road trip was amazing and definitely the highlight of our around-the-world itinerary.
Australia boasts fantastic family-friendly campsites with plenty of amenities such as pools, big kitchens and adventure playgrounds, making them perfect for families with kids.
We had a great time exploring Sydney for a few days before embarking on a five-week journey along the picturesque east coast, all the way to the breathtaking Daintree rainforest, before flying out of Cairns.
Our trip had fantastic opportunities to witness the diverse and fascinating Australian wildlife. We played wildlife bingo and were lucky enough to spot platypuses, cassowaries, kangaroos, possums, snakes, and koalas. We even had a chance to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef and hunt for thundereggs. It was an unforgettable experience!
After travelling for almost four months around the world, we sent some of our belongings back home to allow us to travel a little lighter.
Indonesia – 15th October to 1st November
Ubud
Mt Batur
Seminyak
Labuan Bajo
Komodo Island
Gili Trawangan
Jimbaran
This was our kids’ first experience of a major cultural difference on our trek around-the-world itinerary.
Our kids became intrigued with Bali’s way of life and adored the food. We had some extremely wet weather in Bali, but it was monsoon season.
We enjoyed visiting many temples and waterfalls, hiking Mt Batur, and staying in homestays.
Beautiful sunny weather returned for us in Flores, where we stayed on a liveaboard and saw Komodo Dragons. Our kids even gained their scuba diving qualifications in Gili Trawangan.
Philippines – 3rd November to 12th November
Manilla
Cebu
Bohol
We had high hopes for the Philippines, but unfortunately, we arrived at the end of the cyclone season. Due to the severity of the weather, we adjusted our plans.
It was eye-opening to spend time living like locals, especially when we travelled in a Jeepney in Manilla and explored Cebu. Bohol was our favourite stop on the Philippines leg of the itinerary, where we visited Chocolate Hills and saw Tarsiers.
Japan – 12th November to 2nd December
Tokyo
Hakkone
Kyoto
Nara
Hiroshima
Osaka
Nikko
Japan was a major shock for us! It was the only country in which we struggled to communicate freely. From pristine streets to bright lights and outstanding cultural experiences, Japan met our expectations.
The fast and efficient Shinkansen was our chosen mode of transport, taking us from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Although we didn’t catch the famous cherry blossom season, we were spoilt with amazing autumn colours.
The three weeks passed too quickly, despite this being longer than we had originally planned for in this amazing country. Japan is a great country to visit with kids.
Thailand – 2nd December to 10th January
Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Krabi
Khoa Sok – Elephant Hills
Phuket
Thailand has impressive pristine beaches, culturally dense cities, and delicious cuisine. We started and finished our time in Bangkok, a capital that kept us busy. Flights to Changi Mai and Krabi ensured we experienced some of the diversity Thailand has to offer.
We had a very different ‘first Christmas away from home’ experience in an elephant sanctuary in the jungle of Khoa Sok. Our New Year was also memorable, spent on a ‘warm’ beach in Phuket. The Thai street food was outstanding, and their signature dishes of mango smoothie and Pad Thai we well received by our kids.
Cambodia – 5th to 10th December
Siam Reap
Angkor wat
Phnom Penh
A must-see for us while in SE Asia was the largest temple complex in the world, Angkor Wat! After our initial stay in Bangkok, we jumped the Cambodian border to Siam Reap. Angkor Wat is a magical place that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.
A long bus journey to the capital, Phnom Penh, allowed us to explore the country’s dark history before returning to Thailand.
Vietnam – 10th January to 5th February
Hanoi
Ha Long
Tam Coc
Vinh Moc Tunnels
Hué
Hoi An
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam has a rich history, spectacular natural beauty and a diverse culture that felt very traditional everywhere we stayed. We travelled by bus, train and plane to cover the large distances between destinations on this part of our around-the-world itinerary.
We started in Hanoi, where the traffic is possibly the craziest in the world, sailed through the magnificent Hay Long Bay, and cycled in Tam Coc, which was an excellent start to our journey through Vietnam.
We celebrated the Lunar New Year in Hué and explored the dark history of the Demilitarized Zone before experiencing Hoi An, an ancient city of canals and light. Delving into the economic heart of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, we found a taste for many different Vietnamese foods and enjoyed the culture before flying to Singapore.
Singapore – 6th to 9th February
Singapore
A brief stopover in Kuala Lumpur took us to Singapore (the first addition to our original around-the-world itinerary). We were all wowed by how green and clean the city is. We explored on foot, bus and train, covering a large amount of Singapore in a short time.
We also saw many iconic buildings and were impressed with the Botanic Gardens and nature reserves that allowed us to see native species up close. Sentosa Island is a great family-friendly beach location, and the Garden Rhapsody light and sound show is spectacular. Even the water vortex at airport departures is outstanding!
Malaysia – 5th to 13th February
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur was originally intended to be a single-night stop but was extended into a few day’s layover. Here, we checked out some sights, including the Petronas Towers and Batu caves, before chilling out ahead of our next bucket list destination.
Nepal – 13th to 28th February
Kathmandu
Nepal was a will-we/wont-we destination from when we started planning our around-the-world itinerary. We wanted to trek to Everest Base camp, but it is expensive, and having suffered from altitude sickness in Peru, we were very hesitant. After seeking advice, we secured a guide for the trek just weeks before arriving in Nepal ahead of peak season. This was a massive family achievement and a firm highlight of the around-the-world itinerary.
We also enjoyed some time in Kathmandu but had an unfortunate encounter with a monkey before flying to India.
India – 28th February to 9th March
Jaipur
Agra
Delhi
We felt we had only dipped our toes into India but were impressed with this amazing and intriguing country.
From cows freely roaming the streets in the pink city of Jaipur to watching the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, India claimed a place in our hearts. We immersed ourselves in a traditional homestay during Holi. Delhi was a delight we were not expecting, we all had a positive experience in India with kids.
There is something quite enchanting about this country and we plan to return for a longer stay.
Sri Lanka – 9th to 28th March
Colombo
Hikkaduwa
Mirissa
Udawalawe National Reserve
Ella
Kandi
Sigiriya
Negombo
We were now eight months into our family gap year itinerary and became more fluid with planning our activities.
After arriving in Sri Lanka, we briefly explored Colombo, before travelling down the coast to Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. The season was perfect for the southern beaches.
We surfed the waves in the daytime sun, and in the evening watched as hundreds of tiny turtle hatchlings made their way to the ocean for their maiden voyage. On safari we observed wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park and hiked in the delightful tourist town of Ella.
The scenic Ella to Kandy train took us through sprawling tea plantations before we explored the majestic Sigiriya for sunrise and sunset. The hikes had added atmosphere from the tropical storm that rolled in, lighting up the sky around us and making the hairs on the back of our necks stand up. Our final few days were spent relaxing on the west coast in Negombo. Â
Sri Lanka was originally meant to be the final destination on our round-the-world itinerary, but we were travelling faster than planned.
Egypt – 28th March to 5th April
Cairo
Aswan
Luxor
Our kids wanted to explore Egypt, so we flew to Cairo via the UAE and took a two-day tour, exploring the pyramids and museums.
We stayed overnight in Aswan before travelling three hours by train to Luxor, home to a fantastic open-air museum, the famous Valley of the Kings. Despite the desert heat, we all enjoyed delving into ancient history and seeing the faces of the perfectly preserved 2,500-year-old mummies.
We concluded our time in Egypt with our first sunrise balloon flight over the tombs.
Italy – 6th to 12th April
Rome and Vatican City
Pisa
Florence
Venice
We arrived in Italy just before Easter weekend, and everywhere was extremely busy. Despite this, all of us thoroughly enjoyed our short rail trip through Italy. Travelling from Rome to Pisa to Florence and into Venice using a combination of buses, trains and lots of walking, we spent just a few days in each location.
Adding Europe at the last minute to our around-the-world itinerary made it feel like we were heading home earlier than planned.
Poland – 12th to 19th April
Warsaw
Krakow
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Zakopane
We had planned our round-the-world itinerary to follow the sun. So when we arrived in Warsaw to rain in spring, we got a shock! Some warm sunny days followed as we explored both Warsaw and Krakow.
A detailed and dark history lesson was delivered during our visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, bringing the horror of what happened to life. This is another powerful reminder of the atrocities humans can commit.
Our last few days were spent trekking in the Tatra mountains near Zakopane. Here we entered wintery conditions but enjoyed a cosy log cabin in the snow.
Norway and Sweden – 19th April to 10th May
Oslo
Norwegian Fjords
Runde Island
Lilliehammer
Gothenburg
After exploring Oslo, we set off on the final road trip of our world itinerary. As winter was late (2023), and there was still a lot of snow, travel was a little trickier in the motorhome than we had expected.
First, we headed west and travelled through the fjords, viewing waterfalls, glaciers and completing many treks. A stay on Runde Island allowed us to see colourful puffins nesting on a blustery hill.
We spent a few nights in Sweden before handing back the motorhome in Norway and boarding our final flight of the trip back to the UK.
England and Scotland 10th to 11th May
We stayed overnight with family before returning to Scotland with the ‘extra’ luggage that had safely returned from Australia. After eleven months away, we moved back into our family home and were reunited with our dog.
Final Thoughts: Our Around The World Itinerary
We hope this has given you insight into what can be achieved on an around-the-world itinerary. We thoroughly enjoyed our family adventure with our kids, who were eleven, thirteen, and fifteen years old when we returned to the UK. Take a look at our other posts about gap year travel and other destinations we have explored.
