Complete Guide to Planning a Trip: Preparations, Documents and Safety Tips
Are you ready to plan your next trip efficiently and safely? In this comprehensive guide, we'll provide you with all the steps necessary to plan your trip in an organized and smooth manner. From document preparation to risk assessment and financial management, at Sandiario you'll learn everything you need to know to plan your adventure successfully. Read on to find out how to plan your trip like a pro and enjoy an unforgettable experience!
How to plan a trip?
No matter what type of trip you're taking, some preparation is always necessary. The complexity of this preparation will depend on several factors, such as the distance to the destination, the size of the group, the duration of the trip, and so on. However, there are some aspects that should be decided in advance even for the simplest of outings.
Planning should start by considering the type of trip. Once you have decided on the type of adventure, you can think about the destination, the necessary equipment, the route, the mode of transport and the duration of the trip.
It is advisable to do a little research using maps, travel guides, or the Internet to help you make an informed decision. You may need to modify or adjust your plans as you gain new relevant information. This highlights the importance of planning. The more detailed and thoughtful your ideas and plans are, the fewer unexpected problems you will encounter during your trip.
Read also: What do you need to bring for camping? Complete packing list
Domestic travel
If you're planning to hike somewhere in the country for a week or so, your key tasks include: choosing a destination and tour group , finding a train timetable or organising a car trip, calling the local travel information office for details of camping spots and finally buying the right map. You should also consider what kind of clothing and equipment you'll need - if you're missing something, you'll need to buy or borrow it. The suitability of clothing and equipment for the local climate determines the comfort and safety of your trip, so it's worth researching the climate of the area.
Depending on the activities planned during your trip, you may want to consider taking out insurance or improving your skills through training. Health problems cannot be overstated, so being familiar with basic first aid knowledge is essential.
International travel
If you are traveling to an exotic destination, trip planning involves several additional preparations beyond those for domestic travel. These include booking a bus, boat, or plane ticket; obtaining permits to hike or climb at your destination; renting a vehicle or getting a self-driving pass; obtaining a passport and necessary vaccinations; and obtaining an international driver's license.
If you plan to use a bike, horse, or canoe for part of your trip, it's a good idea to practice and scout out potential problems before you head out into the wilderness. Backcountry biking is very different from regular biking, as it requires carrying heavy equipment. If you plan to travel on horseback, in addition to learning how to ride a horse, you'll also need to learn how to feed and care for it at night.
Planning and preparation checklist
12 months ago
- Determine the destination, route and purpose of the trip.
- Decide which travel group you will travel with.
- Consider transportation options.
- Evaluate the activities to be carried out.
- Conduct a risk assessment.
- Request travel permission from the destination country.
- Develop a rough budget.
- Search and organize information about the destination.
10-12 months before
- Hold the first travel team meeting.
- Make the final decision on the date of travel.
- Verify that all teammates have passed the required medical examinations.
- Finalize the details of the activities to be carried out.
- Agree on dates for all training courses.
- Go on a weekend camping trip with all your friends.
8-10 months before
- Finalize the list of necessary equipment.
- Make a personal list of the required equipment.
- Take out insurance (medical, personal, third party, etc.).
- Write the menu and the necessary foods.
- Book tickets for boats, planes, trains, and any necessary campsites or hotels.
- Designate contact families.
4 months ago
- Obtain the necessary visas.
- Start any required vaccination schedule.
- Determine the food and the final menu.
- Establish the detailed itinerary .
1 month before
- Obtain other required documents.
- Pack all long-life foods.
- Meet with teammates to check and pack all equipment.
- Review and prepare the means of transportation to be used.
- Please ship all large items early.
- Exchange local currency; if possible, purchase traveler's checks.
1 week before
- Complete all vaccinations; start taking smallpox pills if necessary.
- Check all equipment and food against the checklist.
- Check all passports and other travel documents.
- Inform the contact family of the complete itinerary.
1 day before
- Check bus, boat or plane tickets.
- Check the package to make sure all equipment is packed.
If you are traveling to a distant, remote location or one far from professional medical facilities, you should invest in first aid supplies. Before traveling, undergo the necessary vaccination procedures and prepare a complete first aid kit .
If your trip involves high-risk activities, such as mountain climbing, it is essential to have advanced first aid knowledge. In the event of an epidemic or accident, knowing how to act will significantly increase your chances of survival.
For this type of adventure travel, preparations should begin at least 12 months in advance. The comparison table above can serve as a preliminary reference. Depending on your specific situation, you can remove or add items as needed.
How do I know how much money I need for a trip?
The first task when organizing your funds for the trip is to figure out how much it will cost in total. The next task is to decide how to spend the money. For this, you need a budget. The budget planning here is just a guideline, and you can add or remove certain expenses based on your own trip.
Consider yourself the reality
The planned budget should be based on reality and accurately calculated. This will give you confidence that you will be able to cover all expenses during the trip. Worrying about money while traveling will affect your mood and enjoyment.
Plan your budget ahead of time so you have enough time to research costs. If you can't get a firm price, get as many estimates as possible. Consider both the best (lowest) price and the worst (highest) price, and average the two to get your budget. Ideally, your budget should be generous or broad. Otherwise, you'll need to dip into your emergency fund to cover basic expenses like food, transportation, and lodging. If plans suddenly change, there will be less money available for emergencies.
Bank fees
If you need to purchase foreign currency, budget for bank fees for currency exchange and fund transfers. If you have previously opened a bank account for the trip, arrange for funds to be transferred to other necessary accounts based on your budget.
Food and equipment
If you're travelling by public transport, make sure you don't exceed the baggage allowance stated on your ticket, otherwise extra charges will apply. While you can ship goods, this can be expensive and time-consuming, especially when going through customs. Research in advance whether it's cheaper to buy food and equipment at your destination.
Emergency fund
An emergency fund is just as important as insurance. If your trip includes a self-driving leg, you should allocate at least 15% of your total budget to cover possible vehicle repairs and other unforeseen events.
Budget planning
Administration
- Postage
- Telephone/fax/internet charges
- Promotion
- Passport and visa
Equipment costs
- Buys
- Rent
Training
- Rowing/Horse riding/Cycling/Skiing
- First aid
Transport
- Plane/Boat/Train/Car/Taxi
- Transport rental
- Livestock leasing
Transporting equipment
- Equipment
- Transport
Sure
- Staff
- Vehicle
Bank fees
- Currency exchange
- Bank transfer
Food
- National Purchase
- Buying abroad
Travel expenses
- Cost of living
- Fuel
- Hire tour guides/locals
- Customs and port taxes
- Gifts
- Others
Post-closing rates
- Management
- Photograph
Emergency fund
- 15% of the total budget
Financing and Insurance
No matter what type of trip you are planning, it is essential to consider the safest and most convenient way to transport funds and ensure you have the appropriate insurance for all planned activities.
How to pay abroad?
Carry as little cash as possible to avoid risks. Pay in advance for everything you can.
Traveler's checks
They are a safe option as thieves generally don't use them. Buy checks in local currency or in the most popular currency in the region. Note that in some rural areas of developing countries, they may not be accepted, so carry some local cash.
Cash limit
Find out if your destination requires you to exchange a specific amount of local currency that cannot be exchanged back. Budget accordingly.
Credit cards
Credit cards may not be accepted everywhere except in urban areas or international hotels. Find out about service fees and exchange rates before withdrawing cash from an ATM abroad. Corporate credit cards are useful for services such as taxis and car rentals. Keep some small denominations of cash for emergencies.
What travel insurance should I buy?
- Standard holiday insurance: Covers most trips, but you may need specialist insurance for adventures.
- Personal accident insurance: Make sure it adequately covers you in the event of death, amputation or blindness.
- Medical insurance: Necessary if medical services at your destination are insufficient. Consider emergency insurance for airplanes and additional rescue insurance for remote areas or activities such as kayaking.
- Baggage Insurance: Provides coverage if your luggage is delayed or lost. Insures valuable items such as cameras and jewelry. Avoid carrying unnecessary valuables.
- Credit Card Insurance: Take out insurance that covers lost or stolen credit cards. Always carry the phone number of the issuing bank with you to report lost or stolen cards.
- Hazardous Activities Insurance: Necessary for winter sports, mountaineering, boating, diving, hunting and other hazardous activities. Understand what your standard holiday insurance covers and what it doesn't.
- Third party insurance: Important in case you cause injury or damage to another person's property. Check that it is included in your standard holiday insurance.
- Car Insurance: Make sure you have adequate vehicle insurance if you rent or bring your own vehicle.
- Aircraft insurance: Check if your personal accident insurance covers aircraft travel. Piloting an aircraft requires additional insurance.
risk assessment
As a team member, you have a responsibility both to yourself and to other members. During travel activities, team members may be injured. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the potential risks associated with each activity and determine the level of risk.
Why conduct a risk assessment?
Risk assessment is a crucial process for determining what problems may arise during an activity, who may be injured, and what steps can be taken to prevent these problems. Although unforeseen circumstances may always arise, an effective risk assessment reduces the likelihood of accidents and allows team members to learn from minor incidents or near misses.
Risk identification
Mentally review the steps of the activity from a fresh perspective, focusing on areas that could cause serious harm. Ask team members, especially those new to the activity, to identify problems that veterans may miss. The equipment manufacturer's instructions can also help identify potential hazards and risks.
Additionally, other potential hazards need to be considered, including natural disasters, extreme weather conditions, high-altitude acclimatization, dangerous wildlife, and local water safety. If mountain rescue services are likely to be needed, check to see if such services are available locally. You should also be aware of any medical or health risks and ensure that everyone has the necessary vaccinations. A good travel brochure should provide this information.
When travelling abroad, you may enter politically unstable areas where war, kidnapping, ransomware and terrorism are potential threats. The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually provides the most up-to-date and reliable information in this regard.
Regardless of the activity, the risk to participants and their coaches is obviously higher. However, it is also necessary to assess whether there will be any harm to people waiting to participate in the activity, spectators and passers-by.
Assess the risk
Once you have broken down the activity into separate steps, it is time to assess the risk in each of them. Classify the risk into three levels: high, medium and low. When making this assessment, take into account the history of the activity, including any previous accidents or incidents.
Making changes to methods, adding equipment, or providing training to reduce risk levels is critical. These measures can improve safety without eliminating challenging steps. Be sure to carefully read the contents of your insurance policy (both individual and group policies, as well as those related to vehicles) to confirm that the risks involved are adequately covered.
Log file
It is crucial to maintain a log file documenting the purchase date, usage history, repair or modification history of all equipment or tools used by the team, whether new or used, during the current trip. This log should include details about any incidents involving this equipment.
When someone wants to use a device or tool in the future, it is essential to provide them with access to the log file. This ensures that they have all the necessary information about the equipment, including its history and any previous repairs or modifications that have been performed. Keeping this log file up to date is essential to ensure the safety and proper functioning of the equipment over time.
Risk assessment process
- Check for potential hazards: Identify and analyze any potential hazards that may arise during the activity.
- Determine potential harms: Identify who could be harmed by these hazards and how.
- Assess risks: Analyze the likelihood and impact of identified risks and determine whether existing measures are adequate to mitigate them. If necessary, additional measures should be taken to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.
- Record of findings: Document all findings and decisions made during the assessment process.
- Reviewing the report during the trip: During the trip, it is important to review the risk assessment report to remind yourself of the risks identified and the corresponding mitigation measures. If necessary, the report should be reviewed to take further action.
- Post-trip review: After the trip, the risk assessment report should be reviewed again to assess its effectiveness and identify lessons learned. If necessary, adjustments should be made for future trips.
Personal documents
Meticulous document preparation can be a tedious process, but it is vitally important for any trip. Problems with personal documents can result in significant setbacks, especially if you face situations such as being detained at customs.
Below is a list of essential documents that you should make sure you have before embarking on your trip:
- Passport
- Visa
- Driving license
- International driving license
- Vaccination records
- International vaccination certificate
- International Camping Pass
- Proof of currency and valuables
Passport
If you are traveling to a country that requires a visa, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your intended entry date. Also, make sure you have enough blank pages for visas. Some countries issue passports with an extended number of pages for frequent travelers or those who plan to visit multiple countries.
Visa
Visas are essential for a country to control who can enter, and in some cases, they may require fees. Visa regulations can change, so it's crucial to check the specific requirements for the country you're traveling to. Before you travel, contact the embassy of the destination country to determine if you need a visa and how to obtain one. Depending on your nationality and the purpose of your trip, the process for obtaining a visa can vary in time and complexity. Be sure to follow all detailed instructions and plan ahead to avoid any setbacks.
If you need a visa while abroad, you may be able to apply for one through the relevant embassy in a neighboring country. However, this process can take time, so plan ahead and stay calm during the application process.
When planning a trip, be sure to consider visa requirements and allow enough time to obtain your visa before your planned travel date. Careful planning will ensure that you have all the necessary documents for a smooth trip.
National driving license
Although you may not need an International Driving Permit in all countries, it is always wise to carry a copy of your domestic driver's license. Most car rental companies abroad will accept a driver's license from another country that has your photo on it, proving your driving ability.
International Driving Permit (IDP)
This document is recognized worldwide and serves as an official translation of your national driver's license. Although not all countries require an IDP, it can be helpful to have one, especially if you plan to drive in places where driver's license requirements may differ significantly from those in your own country. Additionally, having an IDP can be beneficial in case you run into traffic problems abroad.
The International Driving Permit is printed in 10 different languages, making it easy to understand in different parts of the world. You can obtain an IDP from the agency that issued your domestic driver's license for a small fee.
Vaccination records
Some health organizations and airlines offer free booklets where you can record the vaccinations you have received. These records can serve as a helpful reminder to keep up with your vaccinations, and they can also be useful to prove to border authorities and local doctors that you are immunized against certain diseases. If you do not have access to these booklets, you can write down the vaccination date on a piece of paper and keep it with your passport.
Read more about the vaccines and first aid you need to prepare for a trip .
International vaccination certificate (Yellow Card)
This document is internationally recognized as proof that you have been vaccinated against certain diseases, such as measles, yellow fever, and polio. It is especially important if you are traveling to areas where these diseases are prevalent. Make sure the certificate is completed and stamped by a medical institution for it to be valid. Some countries may require this document during immigration inspection.
International camping pass
Issued by camping agencies, this document includes your passport information and can be used in lieu of a passport at some campgrounds. However, it is important to check the policies of the specific campground to ensure that they will accept this pass in lieu of a passport.
Currency declaration
Some countries require you to complete a foreign currency declaration form upon entry. This may also include declaring valuables such as cameras and jewelry. It is important to complete this form correctly and keep it in a safe place as it may be checked by border authorities upon leaving the country.
Documents related to the vehicle
When taking your car abroad, in addition to national and international driving licenses, you should also leave enough time to apply for other relevant documents. In some countries, if you are stopped by the traffic police and cannot produce the required documents, you will be in big trouble. Also, if the vehicle is not properly insured, it will cause great difficulties in the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident. Documents related to cars are usually issued by the national agency responsible for driving vehicles. If you are not sure what documents are required, check with one of these agencies before you travel to get the most up-to-date information related to the trip.
List of documents
- Driving license
- International driving license
- Vehicle insurance
- Vehicle registration certificate
- International motor vehicle certificate
- Authorization letter
- Customs Pass
Vehicle registration certificate
This is a required document. If you are stopped by the traffic police or when crossing an international border, the registration certificate proves that you are the owner of the vehicle.
Insurance documents
Carry the original insurance policy you purchased in your home country and make sure it is valid. If you take your vehicle abroad, you can purchase international car insurance through national motor vehicle authorities and insurance companies. Additional protection is provided by the Green Insurance Card (Green Card), which is part of the United Nations system designed specifically to provide protection for drivers of motor vehicles abroad.
International motor vehicle certificate
This is the vehicle's passport and is valid for one year. It has vehicle registration information printed on it in multiple languages. Although the countries that recognize this certificate are limited, the translation of the above vehicle information alone makes it worth getting one.
Power of attorney
If you are driving a vehicle that you do not own, such as a rental car, the car owner or rental car company will need to issue you a power of attorney that states your driver's license information, your authority to drive the vehicle, and where you will be.
Customs Pass
In some countries, a customs pass is required to transfer a vehicle from one country to another to avoid paying customs duties on the vehicle. When entering or leaving the country, customs officials will check your documents and then ask you to provide a deposit before issuing you a customs pass. Before traveling abroad, contact the relevant embassy to find out if a customs pass is required and what the deposit will be.
Copy of ID
For all vehicle-related documents, you should keep a copy and store it separately from the originals. If the original is lost or stolen, a copy can still prove your authority to drive the vehicle. Additionally, it is also helpful to carry a few copies of your passport and the passport's personal information page with you in the car.
When crossing a national border, if the car is carrying valuable, large or special equipment, it is best to make a list of it and show it to the customs officer. If you can have the list stamped by that country's embassy in advance, it will make getting through customs easier.
In conclusion, planning a trip properly is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. With the tips and tools provided, you will be ready to embark on your next adventure with confidence and peace of mind.
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