The route I chose is not quite the typical route for RTW'ers. Because a lot of people who go on similar trips leave from either Europe or Australia it makes sense for them to travel East. I am leaving from Chicago, Illinois and decided to travel West instead. A lot of this had to do with wanting to see Japan first and not start out in 'difficult' countries like Tanzania or India. The weather was taken into consideration as well. Planning a route for a RTW trip can take a lot of work. It is certainly possible not to plan at all, but if you want to avoid monsoons, winter and other unpleasentries it's best to plan ahead.

Unfortunately, there is no magic way to determine what your route should be. I started thinking about where I wanted to go on my RTW about 5 years ago, when I first met people traveling RTW. I have always wanted to go to Japan, but Asia seemed very far away. I decided that I would go to Asia on my RTW and avoid places I had already been, namely Europe. In my mind my RTW trip would be about new places and seeing all of the exotic places I didn't have time to fly to on a two week vacation.

My favorite tool for planning a route is the library. By visiting the four closest libraries to my house I am able to read guide and picture books on almost anywhere in the world. To get an idea of where I might like to go besides Japan I read other people's online travel journals, books about travel, lists of World Heritage Sites and travel message boards like Lonely Planet's Thorntree. I have also become very good at geograpy and spend many nights pouring over atlases, connecting land routes together and determining where border crossings are.

I have split up my route below into Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 is the RTW trip I started in Japan during September, 2004. Phase 2 is the RTW route started in South Korea during June, 2006. You can read more about why the trip is split into two phases in the about section of this site. I plan to cover most of Asia and India overland (assuming the Maosit rebels and king of Nepal cooperate) and then flying to Africa. However, based on my rough estimates I will arrive in Africa during rainy season, so I haven't decided if I will start in South Africa and head North or in Jordan and head South through Egypt. As I found out during Phase 1, plans change and schedules can be thrown off by months or even a year so I intend to cross that bridge when I come to it.

Jump down to: Phase 1 Route | Phase 2 Route | Original Proposed Routes

The Route Traveled to Date: Phase I & II

September 2004–March 2005 & June 2006–August 2007
USA» Japan» China» Vietnam» Cambodia» Laos» Thailand» Myanmar» Thailand» Myanmar» Thailand» USA

USA» South Korea» Mongolia» China» Kyrgyzstan» Uzbekistan» Tajikistan» Kyrgyzstan» China» Tibet» Nepal» India» Jordan» Egypt» Ethiopia» Kenya» Madagascar» Kenya» Uganda» Democratic Republic of Congo» Uganda» Rwanda» Uganda» Kenya» Tanzania» Kenya» England» USA


Last updated December 15, 2007

 

Phase I

September 2004–March 2005
USA» Japan» China» Vietnam» Cambodia» Laos» Thailand» Myanmar» Thailand» Myanmar» Thailand» USA





Click on the name of each country below to open a very detailed country-specific route map. These maps contain routes, modes of transport and transport times, which will be useful to anyone planning an overland trip in the region. Traveling by horse cart is slow! As you can see above, I got very close to the same hilltribe area in China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. In a few cases I was only a few miles from my previous route, but in an entierly different country.

Japan (15.5 days):
Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Hemiji, Takayama, Tokyo

China (42 days):
Beijing, Xi'an, Lanzhou, Xiahe, Lanzhou, Chengdu, Emei Shan, Leshan, Lijiang, Dali, Kunming, Jinghong, Menghai, Xiding, Jinghong, Damenglong, Jinghong, Hekou

Vietnam (21 days):
Lao Cai, Sapa, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Danang, Saigon

Cambodia (22 days):
Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap, Phnom Penh, Kratie, Stung Treng

Laos (28 days):
Don Det, Champasak, Pakse, Tad Lo, Pakse, Vientianne, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Muang Bgoi, Nong Khiaw, Udomxai, Laung Nam Tha, Muang Sing, Luang Nam Tha, Huay Xai

Thailand (3 days):
Chiang Khong, Chaing Rai, Mai Sai

Myanmar (4 days):
Thakhilek, Kengtung, Thakhilek

Thailand (18 days):
Mai Sai, Chaing Rai, Chiang Mai, Bangkok

Myanmar (27 days):
Yangon, Kyaiktiyo, Yangon, Bagan, Pakokku, Monywa, Mandalay, Sagiang, Inwa, Mandalay, Hsipaw, Kyaukme, Mandalay, Inle Lake, Yangon

Thailand (6 days):
Bangkok

Kuwait (layover)

Switzerland: Geneva (layover)

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

 

Phase 2

June 2006–August 2007
USA» South Korea» Mongolia» China» Kyrgyzstan» Uzbekistan» Tajikistan» Kyrgyzstan» China» Tibet» Nepal» India» Jordan» Egypt» Ethiopia» Kenya» Madagascar» Kenya» Uganda» Democratic Republic of Congo» Uganda» Rwanda» Uganda» Kenya» Tanzania» Kenya» England» USA






Click on the name of each country below to open a very detailed country-specific route map. These maps contain routes, modes of transport and transport times, which will be useful to anyone planning an overland trip in the region.

South Korea (6 days):
Seoul, DMZ, Seoul

Mongolia (29 days):
Ulaan Baatar, Karakorum, Tsetserleg, Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur (White Lake),, Moron, Khovsgol Nuur, Hutag Ondor, Amarbayasgalant Khiid, Ulaan Baatar, Sum Khokh Burd, Tsagaan Survarge, Dalanzadgad, Hogoryn Els, Bayanzag, Erdenedalay, Ulaan Baatar

Northwest China (24.5 days):
Hohhot, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqi, Kashgar

Kyrgyzstan (28 days):
Sary Tash, Osh, Bishkek, Cholpon Ata, Karakol, Altan Arashan, Karakol, Kochkor, Song Kol, Kochkor, Bishkek

Uzbekistan (14 days):
Tashkent, Nukus, Moynaq, Nukus, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkandk

Tajikistan (13 days):
Dushanbe, Khorog, Navabad (Wakhan Corridor), Alichur, Murgab

Kyrgyzstan (6 days):
Sary Tash, Osh

Northwest China & Tibet (23 days):
Kashgar, Urumqi, Dunhuang, Golmud, Lhasa, Samye, Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse, Shigatse, Sakya, Shekar, Mt. Everest, Tingri

Nepal (29 days):
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Muktinath, Marpha, Ghasa, Tatopani, Ghorepani, Pokhara, Lumbini

India (82 days):
Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Khajuraho, Agra, Delhi, Jaipur, Jaislamer, Jodphur, Udaipur, Kumbalgarh, Ranakpur, Mt. Abu, Ahmedabad, Jalgaon, Ajanta, Aurangabad, Ellora, Mumbai, Panaji, Old Goa, Palolem, Fort Kochin, Alleppey, Varkala, Kanykumari, Madurai, Trivandrum, Nyer Dam, Trivandrum, Nyer Dam, Kovalam, Trichy, Thanjavur, Pandicherry, Bangalore, Mumbai

Jordan (12.5 days):
Amman, Jerash, Madaba, Mt. Nebu, Dead Sea, Karak, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba

Egypt (26.5 days):
Dahab, Cairo

Ethiopia (34.5 days):
Addis Ababa, Wondo Genet, Dorze, Arba Minch, Jinka, Mursi, Dimeka, Turmi, Machekie, Yabello, Awasa, Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gonder, Newas Mewcha, Lalibela, Dessie, Addia Ababa, Dila, Moyale

Madagascar (28 days):
Antananarivo, Ansirabe, Bekopaka, Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Morondava, Tulear, Anakao, Tulear, Rahohira, Isalo National Park, Ambalavao, Fianarantasoa, Ranomafana National Park, Ambostra, Andisibe, Andisibe-Mantadia National Park, Antananarivo

Uganda (12 days):
Kampala, Kisoro, Lake Bunyoni, Kibale, Kampala, Jinja

D.R.C. (1 day):
Virungas National Park

Rwanda (7 days):
Kigali, Nyamata, Kigali, Kibuye, Kigali, Butare, Kigali

Tanzania (28 days):
Arusha, LakeManyara, Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, Arusha, Stone Town (Zanzibar), Kendwa (Zanzibar), Stone Town (Zanzibar), Pongwe (Zanzibar), Jambiani (Zanzibar), Stone Town (Zanzibar), Dar es Salaam

Kenya (14 days):
Moyale, Marsabit, Isiolo, Nairobi

England (4 days):
London

 

The Original Proposed Route (2004)

The following are the maps I created when I left for phase I in 2004. I originally intended to go on one year-long RTW trip so my initial route plans include India and Africa. The countries I originally intended to visit, in order, are:

Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, India, Jordan, Egypt, Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa

The Original Proposed "Ambitious"  Route (2004)

Depending on time and budget I thought about extending my trip form the previous route. Either way, once I get to South Africa, or Africa in general it would be expensive to fly home, fly to Europe or fly to South America. Added to the above I also thought about visiting:

Swaziland, Morocco, England, Brazil, Argentina

The Proposed Route (revised in 2006 for Phase II)

The map below represents an really ambitious route that I thought about taking on in Phase II. In reality, However, I left on Phase II assuming I would fly home from Africa. Before I left Phase II was planned through India but I had no idea which way to head in Africa because of the weather. If you're curious about my route planning for Central Asia you can read a little about my thinking take a look at these posts post 1, post 2.

Last updated December 15, 2007