Estimated Costs:
Pre-trip expenses. Even before THE BIG TRIP starts there are some important expenses that can add up, especially when you are buying for 4 people. We are using United Airlines Miles for all of our major flights but there are always surcharges associated with each flight. We also needed to get year-long life insurance for our family of 4. As far as travel gear, since we live a pretty simple life on Kauai, we didn’t have some basic travel items such as shoes (other then slippers :), rain coats, travel backpacks, or warm jackets (more info on the gear we are taking with us under the “gear" tab above). These pre-trip costs really will vary widely between families, depending on travel style, gear already owned, and destinations. Here is what we came up with for our trip.
Airfare:
Costs associated with the miles tickets for all major destinations RTW $1850
Estimated cost of additional flight that we did not purchase with miles $2000
$3850
Travel Insurance:
World Nomad’s travel insurance for a family of 4 for 12 months $2425
GEAR: (Just 'cause we really had none of this)
Clothing and shoes $1300
Backpacks and bags $1000
Other supplies $300
Electronics and accessories $300
$2900
TOTAL PRE-TRIP COSTS: $9175
Airfare:
Costs associated with the miles tickets for all major destinations RTW $1850
Estimated cost of additional flight that we did not purchase with miles $2000
$3850
Travel Insurance:
World Nomad’s travel insurance for a family of 4 for 12 months $2425
GEAR: (Just 'cause we really had none of this)
Clothing and shoes $1300
Backpacks and bags $1000
Other supplies $300
Electronics and accessories $300
$2900
TOTAL PRE-TRIP COSTS: $9175
Expected costs on the road:
Accomodation, food, local transport, supplies, and entertainment
So the budget below was estimated by online research on our destinations, consulting guide books, and devouring other traveling family blogs. I love budgets. I have had a budget ever since I can remember; especially when traveling. I wrote down every penny spent. How else can you make $3000 last 6 months in S.E. Asia? But I found this year-long family trip a bit difficult to devise a reliable budget. Kiko and I use to backpack on the cheap. We loved it and it was somewhat easy to plan for just the two of us. But now, throwing in the kids, we aren’t sure about the cost along the way. Will we often be forced to rent two rooms or will we find reasonable family rooms? Will the kids be comfortable in budget accommodations or more mid-range? I know we will more likely be taking transport where we use to walk long distances.
*I have also included some big price tag items as separate expenses. Kiko and I visited the Galapagos Islands in 2000 and have always thought of it as the top choice for bringing the family. Another expensive experience will be an African Safari in Kenya, which is something I have wanted to do for decades. I feel pretty comfortable with the budget below and I look forward to how works in reality.
country cost per day number of nights total
Ecuador $125 24 $3,000
*Galapagos Tour --------- 7 $8,575
*Amazon tour --------- 4 $1,840 ($13,415 total Ecuador)
Nicaragua $125 31 $3,875
Venezuela $100 31 $3,100
USA $225 5 $1,125
Europe $250 56 $14,000
Morocco $200 31 $6,200
Kenya $200 24 $4,800
*Safari Tour --------- 7 $8,200
Thailand/Cambodia $125 45 $5,625
Vietnam/Loas $125 45 $5,625
Indonesia $125 30 $3,750
Palau/Yap $200 30 $6,000
$75,715
That works out to be $206 a day. If we were to take out the two Big Tours (Galapagos and Kenya Safari, which are crazy expensive, but something we have decided we don’t want to pass up) we would be down to $57,000, or $156/day, or $40/day per person. It is not unheard of for a family of 4 to travel on $100/day ($25/person/day), so I feel like we should be confortable on our more “cushy" budget.
Accomodation, food, local transport, supplies, and entertainment
So the budget below was estimated by online research on our destinations, consulting guide books, and devouring other traveling family blogs. I love budgets. I have had a budget ever since I can remember; especially when traveling. I wrote down every penny spent. How else can you make $3000 last 6 months in S.E. Asia? But I found this year-long family trip a bit difficult to devise a reliable budget. Kiko and I use to backpack on the cheap. We loved it and it was somewhat easy to plan for just the two of us. But now, throwing in the kids, we aren’t sure about the cost along the way. Will we often be forced to rent two rooms or will we find reasonable family rooms? Will the kids be comfortable in budget accommodations or more mid-range? I know we will more likely be taking transport where we use to walk long distances.
*I have also included some big price tag items as separate expenses. Kiko and I visited the Galapagos Islands in 2000 and have always thought of it as the top choice for bringing the family. Another expensive experience will be an African Safari in Kenya, which is something I have wanted to do for decades. I feel pretty comfortable with the budget below and I look forward to how works in reality.
country cost per day number of nights total
Ecuador $125 24 $3,000
*Galapagos Tour --------- 7 $8,575
*Amazon tour --------- 4 $1,840 ($13,415 total Ecuador)
Nicaragua $125 31 $3,875
Venezuela $100 31 $3,100
USA $225 5 $1,125
Europe $250 56 $14,000
Morocco $200 31 $6,200
Kenya $200 24 $4,800
*Safari Tour --------- 7 $8,200
Thailand/Cambodia $125 45 $5,625
Vietnam/Loas $125 45 $5,625
Indonesia $125 30 $3,750
Palau/Yap $200 30 $6,000
$75,715
That works out to be $206 a day. If we were to take out the two Big Tours (Galapagos and Kenya Safari, which are crazy expensive, but something we have decided we don’t want to pass up) we would be down to $57,000, or $156/day, or $40/day per person. It is not unheard of for a family of 4 to travel on $100/day ($25/person/day), so I feel like we should be confortable on our more “cushy" budget.
Actual Costs on the road:
(updated estimated total: $80,000)
country cost per day number of nights totals
Ecuador $125 24 $3,000
*Galapagos Tour ------------ 7 $8,575
*Amazon tour ------------- 4 $1,840 ($13,415 total Ecuador)
Nicaragua $214 32 $6848
Venezuela $37 32 $1184
*Air RT Aruba-Venezuela -------------- ------- $915
*Abuela's kitchen remodel -------------- ------- $1000 ($3,099 total Venezuela)
Aruba/USA $260 5 $1,300
Europe
*London/Italy $261 23 $6003
*With parents ----------------- 13 $170
*Spain $222 19 $4209
*flights in Europe ------------------ ------ $880 ($11,043 total Europe)
Morocco $211 31 $6537
Zanzibar $230 11 $2530
*visas ---------- ------------- $400
*rt flights ------------ ----------------- $1400 ($4330 total Zanzibar)
Kenya
*normal days $296 11 $3256
*Maasai tour ---------- 8 $7334
*Elephant Watch ------------- 3 $0 (xmas gift from parents)
*visas ------------ -------- $200 ($10,790 total for Kenya)
Thailand $194 18 $3492
Myanmar $161 21 $3392
*visas ---------- ------------- $200
*rt flights ---------- ------------ $618
*internal flights ---------- ------------ $464 ($4677 total for Myanmar)
Laos $116 28 $3250
*2nt elephant camp $403 2 $806
*visas ---------- ------------- $147
*flight to Luang Prabang ---------- ------------ $496 ($4699total for Laos)
Cambodia ?? ?? ???
*visas ---------- ------------- $60
*flight to Siem Reap ---------- ------------ $603 ($?? total for Cambodia)
Singapore
Indonesia
Philippines
292 $71,109
To check out more about the actual costs in each country see the seperate pages under the BUDGET tab on the menu header.
country cost per day number of nights totals
Ecuador $125 24 $3,000
*Galapagos Tour ------------ 7 $8,575
*Amazon tour ------------- 4 $1,840 ($13,415 total Ecuador)
Nicaragua $214 32 $6848
Venezuela $37 32 $1184
*Air RT Aruba-Venezuela -------------- ------- $915
*Abuela's kitchen remodel -------------- ------- $1000 ($3,099 total Venezuela)
Aruba/USA $260 5 $1,300
Europe
*London/Italy $261 23 $6003
*With parents ----------------- 13 $170
*Spain $222 19 $4209
*flights in Europe ------------------ ------ $880 ($11,043 total Europe)
Morocco $211 31 $6537
Zanzibar $230 11 $2530
*visas ---------- ------------- $400
*rt flights ------------ ----------------- $1400 ($4330 total Zanzibar)
Kenya
*normal days $296 11 $3256
*Maasai tour ---------- 8 $7334
*Elephant Watch ------------- 3 $0 (xmas gift from parents)
*visas ------------ -------- $200 ($10,790 total for Kenya)
Thailand $194 18 $3492
Myanmar $161 21 $3392
*visas ---------- ------------- $200
*rt flights ---------- ------------ $618
*internal flights ---------- ------------ $464 ($4677 total for Myanmar)
Laos $116 28 $3250
*2nt elephant camp $403 2 $806
*visas ---------- ------------- $147
*flight to Luang Prabang ---------- ------------ $496 ($4699total for Laos)
Cambodia ?? ?? ???
*visas ---------- ------------- $60
*flight to Siem Reap ---------- ------------ $603 ($?? total for Cambodia)
Singapore
Indonesia
Philippines
292 $71,109
To check out more about the actual costs in each country see the seperate pages under the BUDGET tab on the menu header.