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It is an adventure you’ve always dreamt of, but haven’t been able to plan and execute properly. Here are some useful pointers on how to plan a trip, that put an end to the cluttered chaos by streamlining your vacations to perfect harmony and pure bliss.

Vacations often start off as a wonderful idea and then eventually end up being a nightmare to manage. Often overlooked, a lot of thought and brainstorming goes into perfectly organizing touring plans. The lack of know-how on how to plan a trip often reflects during “unseen hurdles” on a vacation.

With a little bit of preparation and effort in maintaining a personalized trip planner, travelers can overcome 90% of their difficulties they may face during a trip. Here are some handy trip planning tips that will keep your prepared for the proverbial rainy-day.

1. Pick your destination

If you are wondering how to plan a trip with friends or family than you should probably start from either some stunning pics that gone viral on social media, the scenic setting of a movie, or an irresistible story of a friend’s last trip abroad. Touring plans, more often than not, are triggered by external factors.

Picking a destination

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Things to keep in mind before selecting a destination

  • There’s nothing to say when a traveler’s mind wishes to visit the beaches, mountains, or a forest. However, picking the right destination according to the season is a key factor in understanding how to plan a trip successfully.
  • Check out the best time to visit all destinations. Usually, the ideal season to visit beaches and mountains is completely different.
  • Consider the cost factor while picking a destination. Some places are more enjoyable in a luxury budget than others. Going to a luxury destination during the shoulder season (a few weeks before or after the official ‘busy season’) can result in some good discounts on hotels and flights.
  • Safety of travelers is a prime concern people specially when you are concerned of how to plan a family vacation. Pay attention to it before stating off the journey (especially when female travelers are included).
  • Ease of accessibility or lack thereof is also a factor that can sway the decision of visiting a destination or not. Generally, the popular destinations have a lot of daily flights, trains, and good highway infrastructure to support the tourist influx.

2. Decide the duration of your trip

There is a fine line between getting bored and enjoying every moment at a destination. However, no destination has a predefined ideal duration. Wondering how to plan your road trip? It often depends on the touring plans and purpose of the visit of the travelers. Some travelers like to see new cities every day, whereas some travelers prefer taking it slow by witnessing and enjoying the subtle nuances of places they visit. This is a key aspect of your trip planning which can help your itinerary and budget both. Additionally, Travel Triangle also offers customize itinerary so if you are concerned of how to prepare an itinerary for a trip, no worries!

Handwriting travel plan

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Things to keep in mind before deciding the duration of a trip

  • A key aspect of a good trip planner is to correctly estimate the number of days required to visit a destination. A road trip planner would elongate the duration of a trip whereas, a trip planned with flight tickets could be a little shorter.
  • Trips, where the destination is within 8 hours, can also be done on a weekend provided that the night time is utilized for traveling.
  • A trip with a lot of urban destinations will need more time in the sightseeing, and therefore a longer trip duration. Whereas a trip to a tropical beach town would not involve much sightseeing and hence, the duration can be shorter.
  • It is advisable to keep a vacant day in touring plans that exceed 7 days. This gives a buffer to things like flight/train delays, traffic jams, weather hold-ups, or a change-of-heart to extend one’s stay at a particular destination.

3. Book flights, train, or bus tickets, and accommodation

After the ideation is complete, booking tickets for your flight, train or bus transfer well in advance is an important step in learning how to plan your trip to perfection. Since flight and train tickets are subject to availability and prices rise over time, getting the bookings done a few months in advance will help you avoid additional costs on your initial budget. Whether you are planning to explore the hidden places in Goa or savour the local flavour of Rajasthan, advance booking can help you with a hassle-free journey.

Booking flights

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Things to keep in mind while booking transfers and accommodation

  • Only book the cheaper non-refundable flight or train tickets if you are absolutely certain of your vacation plans. Otherwise, it is advisable to book refundable tickets if booking well-in-advance.
  • Flight prices fluctuate a lot, keep a track on flight prices by using Google Flights Tracker.
  • Expect a surge in prices of flights and accommodations if you are booking tickets for a vacation that falls during the peak season of that particular destination.
  • Use credit cards that give frequent flyer miles and points on every rupee spent on booking flights and hotels to earn great rewards and cash-backs.

4. Plan the day-wise activities and course of action

It always sounds fascinating and adventurous when touring plans are made on a sudden impulse and gut feel. However, the downside of going on such trips is that there could be many days where the scheduling can go haywire because of everything being so last-minute.

Activities on a trip

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Things to keep in mind while planning day-wise activities

  • Depending on the budget and time-at-disposal, getting a rough idea of what activities should be done on what day is a vital ingredient in understanding how to plan a trip perfectly.
  • Transfers between destinations should be kept as much as possible during the evening/night. This will provide enough time for sightseeing and activities as most of them are only possible during the day-time.
  • Most of the times, it is better to book activities like water sports, adventure sports, boat-rides, and safari rides at the destination itself to get a better price and some scope for bargaining.
  • In the trip planner, keep only one or two activities in a day if the purpose of the trip is to relax and take it easy during the vacation.
  • At some places, popular tourists activities like skiing, boating, scuba diving etc are closed during offseason. Check the availability of activities before going to the destination.

5. Pack diligently and make all the necessary adjustments

After the bookings are done, it is always advisable for your trip planning to pack your stuff keeping in mind the destination and the influence of external factors on it. The unpredictability of weather, socio-political scenario, or a festive season can adversely affect travel plans.  In order to avoid alteration of touring plans due to these scenarios, travelers should do a bit of research before starting their vacation.

packing for a trip

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Things to keep in mind while packing for a vacation

  • An extra shirt, sweater, pair of jeans, or jumper can always prove handy during trips where the weather is expected to be cold or rainy.
  • Things like sunscreen, lotion, or mosquito repellent sound like unnecessary items but they are very vital in preventing any skin-related diseases
  • As a part of cultural sensitivity and responsible tourism, travelers must research about the destination they are visiting. Reading about the do’s and don’ts is advisable in order to avoid causing any conflict or disrespect to the local people of the place to be visited.

Vacations are experiences that change people for the good. With a better understanding of how to plan a trip, travelers can enjoy their sojourns without any malice or unfortunate occurrence. Book a tour package to your dream destination with TravelTriangle and enjoy a responsible, thoughtful, and considerate way of traveling.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Trip Planning In India

Which are some of the offbeat destinations to plan budget trips in India?

Amidst an array of awe-inspiring destinations in India, there are some offbeat destinations that can easily be planned for an ultimate budget trip. Some of these destinations are:
1. Digha - West Bengal
2. Savarkut - Maharashtra
3. Maval - Maharashtra
4. Hampi

Which destinations in India can be explored on a very low budget?

Some incredible places in India can be explored on a very low budget. Some of them are:
1. Pushkar
2. Ooty
3. Lonavala
4. Nainital
5. Rishikesh
6. Hampi

Which place is best to travel for 2-3 days in India?

The best place for a 2-3 day trip in India would depend on your location. If you are located in North Delhi, then Shimla and Jaipur would be a good choice. For people living in South India, Mysore and Coorg must be on the list. For West India, head to Alibaug or Mahabaleshwar. Northeast can head to Pelling or Darjeeling. And East Indians would love to visit Sunderbans or Puri.

What is the best place to visit in South India with a low budget for a 3 to 4-day tour?

Hampi, Coorg, and Ooty are some of the best places to visit in South India if you are a budget traveler.

Which is the cheapest city in India?

Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore are arguably the cheapest cities in India. It is affordable for a majority of Indian citizens to rent out a place in these metro cities. Also, the dining options here are pretty cheap compared to other metro cities.

How can I travel cheaply in India?

If you plan to travel cheaply in India, you can live for free at an ashram in Pondicherry, drink at shacks in Goa that serve vodka shots for INR 60 per glass, travel by state-owned buses in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and prefer staying at homestays.

How much does a meal cost in India?

A meal in India costs INR 100 at street joints, INR 250-500 at medium-level restaurants, and over INR 1,000 at upscale restaurants. Make sure you taste the local street food while you’re in India. The flavor and the aroma of Indian cuisine is distinct and usually hits all your senses.

Which is the cheapest country to visit from India?

There are various countries that you can consider visiting from India on a low budget. Some of them have been listed below:
1. Malaysia
2. Sri Lanka
3. Bhutan
4. Nepal
5. Thailand
6. Laos
7. Singapore

What are some of the best tips to keep in mind while planning budget trips in India?

If you are thinking how to plan a vacation on a budget to India, make sure to go through the following tips. These tips would certainly come in handy while planning your budget trip and will allow you to have a seamless vacation. Check them out:
1. Research thoroughly - Make sure you research in depth about your destination. Research about the best budget hotels, pocket-friendly restaurants, and transportation options.
2. Travel during the off-season - If you intend to have a vacation that is easy on your pockets, it is vital to travel during the off-season, when the demand is less and prices are not inflated.
3. Travel in a group to share costs related to accommodation and transportation.
4. Travel to offbeat places in the country. Places that are already very popular amongst tourists would naturally cost you more. It is wise to travel to unexplored places and save some bucks!
5. Find accommodation in homestays. Homestays are relatively cheaper than hotels. You can also look for accommodation in budget-friendly hostels.
6. Travel via public transport instead of taxi/cab.
Keeping these tips in mind would surely aid you while planning your ideal budget trip in India.

Category: Destinations, Travel Tips

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