Perhaps, all modern travelers can be conditionally divided into two categories - those who go to unknown destinations with the help of travel companies and those who organize their trip from and to on their own.

IN Lately there are more and more people traveling without intermediaries - both in the world and in Russia in particular. It is obvious that independent tourism has become widespread due to the development of the Internet and electronic technologies that do not require, say, even a personal presence when buying air tickets.

The maximum simplification of paperwork, hotel reservations, and the purchase of tickets for all kinds of transport allowed people to expand the boundaries of choice. And if earlier a person had to go to a travel agency to find out absolutely all the questions about the upcoming trip, now we just need to enter any request into the search line on the Internet and get an exhaustive amount of information.

Interestingly, according to some data, employees of a number of travel companies are already talking about the fact that their business is on the verge of extinction. Of course, travel companies will not be able to completely disappear - lazy, rich and elderly people will always crave the caring "hand" of the tour operator, but the problems with the "passenger traffic" are increasingly and more clearly beginning to be felt by companies. After all, young people mostly turn away from them - they are not afraid of anything and know perfectly well how to find cheap air tickets, how to book the most suitable hotel rooms, how to get a visa and how to see the maximum sights at a minimum financial cost.

In this material, we will not debunk the uselessness of travel agents and praise independent travelers, if only because in the first and second cases there are both obvious pluses and minuses that are not so noticeable at first glance.

Here we’ll talk about how it’s cheaper to travel - through a travel agency or on your own, which country is better to go through a tour operator, and which one you can go “on your own”, and also look at an example - how to organize a trip on your own according to a similar travel agency offer, what time it will cost - what will be its advantages and disadvantages.

Let's start with the fact that the choice of organizing an upcoming trip depends on a number of circumstances and factors. These include primarily travel dates, choice of dates and days for a flight or move, financial opportunities for tourists, direction - that is, the country they have chosen for their vacation, as well as personal wishes for the level of the hotel, its location, and so on.

As practice shows, travel companies are usually contacted by people who do not want or do not have enough time to organize a trip on their own, citizens who have problems with a foreign language and need constant guide accompaniment, as well as those who are “greedy” for last-minute tours, that is vouchers that can be bought, roughly speaking, a day before departure at a super-low price.

As a rule, people who speak English fluently go to foreign countries on their own, who are able to independently organize the best leisure activities for themselves and the conditions of their stay in a foreign country, who are not afraid to buy air tickets on their own, resolve visa issues, and so on, as well as those who do not want to rest according to the template set by the travel company.

And now let's look at the example of specific countries where it is still easier for our fellow citizens to travel through travel agencies, and where it is more profitable to travel on their own.

All statistics show that the most popular tourist destinations for Russians are Turkey, Egypt, Greece, China, Thailand, India and Spain. The sample of these countries is naturally supplemented from year to year by others, but even among those listed here it is clear that mainly in demand are European states, or the countries of Southeast Asia. Neither Latin and North America, nor Australia, nor Central and South Africa can be found in this top.

The craving for Europe among our compatriots is most often explained by the close location of the countries, their rich history and saturation with sights smoothly interspersed with a favorable Mediterranean climate. As for Asia, Russians are most often attracted there by a thirst to get acquainted with the exotic, to expand spiritual knowledge, and also attracted by the cheapness of Asian life. However, first things first.

Where is the best place to travel?

To begin with, let's take such popular destinations among Russians as Türkiye and Egypt. As a rule, these countries attract compatriots by their territorial proximity to Russia, resorts with access to the sea, warm climate and developed tourist infrastructure. Both countries, due to their popularity, are in good standing with Russian travel companies. That is why it is easy to spend a week in Egyptian Hurghada or Turkish Antalya with the help of a tour operator for 14-16 thousand rubles, with a flight, mandatory meals and all-inclusive drinks, in at least a 4-star hotel with a swimming pool and a water park on site.

Otherwise, the choice is up to the tourists themselves - to spend all 7 days in a hotel, relaxing and basking in the sun, or combine passive recreation with active trips to sights for an additional price. For example, at the very same hotel, you can easily take a tour and go on a real safari or to the ancient mysterious pyramids.

As practice shows, it is better and cheaper to go to the countries in question on a package tour. An independent trip on only round-trip tickets will cost the traveler the price of the entire tour from the tour operator. And if you add accommodation, food and entertainment to this, then you will need to overpay at least twice.

Of course, with a great desire to Turkey or Egypt, you can go on your own. However, if you choose beach holiday, then it makes no sense to overpay for it, using an individual search for hotels and good conditions they are practically non-existent.

It is known that such destinations as Thailand, China and India have also recently been widely developed by travel companies and, accordingly, by the flows of Russian citizens. At first glance, these countries are also easier, safer and more appropriate to visit on tours offered by operators. However, it immediately becomes clear that to fly, say, to sunny Thailand is many times more expensive than to plunge into warm seas Turkey.

Usually, the offers of travel agencies for holidays in Southeast Asia for two are full of amounts almost reaching 100 thousand rubles for a weekly vacation, and there is definitely no question of any all inclusive. Sometimes, of course, companies do a “throw away” of unsold vouchers and Internet surfers, thirsty for wanderings, catch a discount trip for 30-40 thousand, which, you see, is noticeably cheaper than 100, but still more expensive than Turkish “baklava”.

Which countries are cheaper to travel on your own?

And here tour operators are replaced by free travelers, those who are meticulously ready to tell you that it is best to travel around Asia on your own.

Firstly, it is important to understand that such resorts in Thailand as Pattaya and Phuket (the most popular among tour operators and, accordingly, tourists) are becoming exorbitantly expensive every year, not without the help of our compatriots. Secondly, even in these, which have become expensive places in Thailand, independent travelers find budget options for food and accommodation, rather than what the operators offer.

For example, in the "kingdom of smiles" it is not necessary to rent a 4-star hotel with free breakfast at the fabulous price of a travel agency. With an independent search, you can easily find hotels or guest houses on the same Booking at two or even three times cheaper, with conditions that are practically no different from a 4-star hotel.

As for air travel, if you plan your trip in advance, say, three months in advance, you can buy the cheapest tickets, and sometimes even direct ones. Sometimes independent travelers manage to grab round-trip tickets for $500-550. And if we add here the rent of housing, an average of 500-600 rubles per room per day in a decent guest house, and daily meals for the same amount, then housing plus food will cost a maximum of 8 thousand rubles for one or 12-15 thousand for two.

At the same time, you will not be constrained by the schedule set by the travel company, you will be free to change the place of deployment in accordance with your preferences and budget, and you will also be able to easily travel around the memorable places of the country without resorting to the help of guides and groups hanging around behind it. To implement the last point, it will be enough to arm yourself with a map of the area and a smile, even knowledge of English high level you won't need to.

If we talk about a trip to India on a tour, then it’s definitely worth saying here that the benefit of such a trip will consist only in the fact that the organizer will in some sense be responsible for you - for the round-trip flight, check-in at the hotel and what - something food. For the rest, you need to know that holidays in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and, say, Vietnam are best planned on your own, since factors such as housing, food and hotel location, firstly, are more priority to determine on the spot , and secondly, all this in the conditions of the local market will cost you several times cheaper than the tour operator will offer.

Thus, in many respects, the countries of Southeast Asia will be cheaper and more interesting to visit on your own. Even despite the fact that the flight to this region far from central Russia takes a lot of time and costs an order of magnitude more expensive than the road to a clean and civilized Europe.

And what about Europe?

As for Europe, here opinions about how it is more profitable to travel - on your own or through a travel agency in each case are ambiguous. In fact, one cannot generalize about European countries that they are all equally expensive, for example, as for Asian countries, we confidently assure that all these states are approximately equally cheap.

The paradox of Europe often lies in the fact that it is quite cheap to fly there from Moscow or St. Petersburg, but in the Schengen area itself, everything is not so accessible to our tourists. Let's say that many travelers, whether on a tour or on their own, who traveled to Paris, note the high cost of the French capital, the inability to idly drink coffee in the mornings in coffee shops and afford to have lunch and dinner at cafes every day. About Norway and Denmark, in general, only exclamations are heard about the incredible prices for everything, and not at all stories about the fjords.

However, our tourist still does not bypass old Europe, despite all its pretentiousness and high cost. There are also corners here that attract streams of Russians from year to year. For example, Spain, Bulgaria or Czech Republic.

Traveling to these countries in most cases will cost less if you plan on your own. Unless you want to visit one of the designated countries and not several in a week on a bus tour.

For example, on average, you can go to Czech Karlovy Vary with a tourist package for 1000-1500 euros for 7 days, this amount includes flights, as well as accommodation in a 4-star hotel with daily breakfasts.

If you organize a trip yourself, then there is a chance to cut costs by half, that is, for 500-500 euros. All that is required for this is a plane directly to the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague, for an average of 120 euros for both tickets, from where you then need to go on your own to Karlovy Vary for about 50-60 euros one way, to a booked hotel of your choice for 240 euro for 7 days.

As for countries such as Spain, Italy, France or Greece, it is possible that it is slightly, but still cheaper to travel on your own. Among the pluses in such a vacation there will be absolute freedom in movement and plans, among the minuses - a complete organization of the trip - from self-issuing visas to finding the best and inexpensive hotel in an unfamiliar country.

By the way, it's time to tell you about all the delights of independent and organized travel intermediaries. After all, in the end, a tourist must clearly see the difference between the first and second, in order to choose for himself the most optimal plan for spending a vacation or another segment of his life in a foreign country.

First, let's take a look at the points advantages of traveling abroad through tour operators:

• The minimum time spent on the preparation and organization of the upcoming trip, the purchase of a full package of services in a short time.
• Right at the moment of rest, you do not need to take care of booking a hotel, meals and visiting attractions.
• Any questions will be answered by the tour operator or his representative on the tour.
• If you do not speak English - it does not matter, the tour will be organized using Russian-speaking guides, hotels will meet you with a speech in your native language, you will practically not have to communicate in broken English.
• Organized excursions will take place in the order and speed set by the guides, there will be no time for tourists to think about anything superfluous. All decisions for travelers will be made at the moment when they pay for the trip in a travel agency in their home country.

As you can see, a trip through a travel company can be pleasant for those who are not ready to deal with some everyday problems during their vacation, as well as for those who love a clear, someone-set routine. In addition, people employed in everyday life, wealthy compatriots and other categories of people who, for some reason, do not want to plan their vacation on their own, will gladly use the services of a tour operator.

However, let's also see what are the advantages of solo travelers:

• The ability to adjust the travel route, both before the start of the trip, and during the trip itself.
• The ability to independently choose the most suitable level of hotel, food, transportation methods.
• The chance to purchase tickets in advance at a discounted low cost and the ability to shift the date of departure or arrival, as well as an independent tourist, if necessary, always have the right to return a ticket by paying the airline a minimum fine. For example, it is a priori impossible to refuse a tour from a travel agency without tangible damage to the wallet.
• A free traveler is completely on his own, so he can see the sights as much as he wants, change the route at will, return to the places he likes or study new ones more intensively. One can only dream of such freedom in organized tours.
• Self-organization of travel with a careful approach will often cost an order of magnitude cheaper than a tourist trip.
• In addition, when making a travel plan individually, a tourist, as a rule, truly penetrates the culture of an unknown country, expands his horizons, lives his journey from the very beginning to the very end consciously, independently, freely.

Usually young people go on trips on their own, who do not have money for organized tours and have no desire to follow some kind of guide, to be limited in their actions and aspirations. Also, individual trips are a priority for people who have been abroad more than once and "ate" organized tours, who are hungry for real adventures.

Among independent tourists you can meet middle-aged, even elderly people. As a rule, these are people who have not lost interest in life, striving to become more fully acquainted with local color countries to which they go, as well as understanding the value of their time and the fact that no one can organize a good trip for them better than themselves.

In principle, choosing how it is better or cheaper to go to distant countries is a personal matter for everyone. Because for some people the thought of independent organization traveling abroad will seem like a nightmare, while for others it will open up a “second wind” and incredibly inspire.

Finally, I want to give you an example of how you can organize your trip cheaper than using the services of a travel agency, even taking into account the fact that you are planning to buy tickets and the whole trip in a short time.

As a direction, we will choose sunny and distant Thailand. A ticket to the famous island of Phuket, so beloved by Russian tourists, for two, the first travel agency that came across in the search sells for 76,737 rubles. This price includes airfare, accommodation in a 4-star hotel for 6 nights from May 9 to May 15, free breakfast, insurance and transfer.

But let's see what price this trip will cost us if we organize it ourselves. Turning to the first low-cost airline that came across (sites selling tickets with discounts, cheaper than the airlines themselves), it turns out that flying from St. 29 643 rubles for one. That is, two tickets will cost 59,286 rubles, including fuel surcharges.

We go to booking and find the right 4-star hotel. The price for a double superior room with taxes included and breakfast is 168 euros for 6 nights. We convert them into rubles at the current exchange rate and get 8370 rubles.

To sum up - tickets plus accommodation without a ticket on their own will cost us 67,656 rubles.

That is with an independent organization, you can save up to 10 thousand rubles! For some, of course, this is not money, but for some categories of citizens, even such a difference will seem tangible. In addition, it can be significantly increased if, say, you stay not in the designated hotel, but in a guest house with the same pleasant and comfortable rooms, but without breakfast included in the price. It is quite easy to find a decent guest house in Phuket with accommodation per day for 600 rubles for two, which will be half the price of a hotel in the end.

However, in independent travel, not everything is as cloudless as it might seem. Naturally, saving sometimes requires some sacrifices, for example, time. Unfortunately, I have no data on what kind of flight the travel agency offers to Thailand from Russia - direct or with transfers. But most often they try to organize such tours with direct movements. In the meantime, when planning on your own, the cheapness of tickets is usually formed due to the fact that you fly with transfers, perhaps even with different airlines.

In our example, you can see this. The flight to Phuket will include two transfers and will take an average of 20 hours in both directions. As you can see, you will have to sacrifice a few hours of restful sleep in order to save on travel. Therefore, choosing the best way to go on vacation, I repeat, is a personal matter for everyone.

Do not forget that when organizing a trip on your own, a lot depends on how far in advance you started planning your trip, as a rule, the earlier tickets are bought, the cheaper they are. In our example, the terms are really quite short, and the dates chosen are not the best in terms of cost, so the difference in price between the tour operator’s offer and an independent trip may not seem too noticeable. But even with such an organization, it is obvious, which means that going to Thailand on your own will in any case be cheaper than through a company.

Summing up, I would like to say that naturally there is no single opinion on how best to travel around the world. Each person has his own needs, his own comfort zone and his own financial possibilities. As for how it will be cheaper to travel abroad, I think that within the framework of the article I managed to show you that there are certain trends based on which you can plan your trip and know which country is better to go on your own, and which through a tour operator .

If you decide to travel on your own, we recommend booking hotels here:

Every experienced traveler will tell you that planning your next trip is not difficult. But for a beginner, this task may seem not so much difficult as new and intimidating. After all, the success of the entire trip depends to a greater extent on preparation. Logistics, accommodation, on-site program, country specifics, local prices and the “right” shopping places are only a small part of what needs to be found and implemented. And for this, we have collected useful resources and services that can be useful at the initial stage of real travel.

I don’t know what will make me buy a ready-made ticket from a tour operator now (except for a super-unrealistic price that will cover the cost of flights and accommodation), because planning an independent trip is easy and simple. Often the trip comes out, if not cheaper, then much richer and more interesting. So let's get started!

What's the price

Numbeo- a convenient option to find out how much housing, food, transport, etc. cost in the country where you are going to go. Just select the criteria you need and estimate the budget for your trip.

How to get there

Kayak- looking for plane tickets. In my experience, he was the one who always gave me the cheapest airfare. And, of course, do not forget about flying out of Russia.

And if you do not know where to go on a trip, you have a direct road to Drungli. This site will tell you where you can fly the cheapest way from your city on a specific date, or it will give you a price table for the whole month.

What to pay attention to: which airport the plane arrives at (important for logistics or transfers), conditions for returning and exchanging a ticket, baggage rules, meals on board.

Where to live

Hotels Combined - a decent metasearch engine for hotels in different countries, thanks to which you do not have to check all the booking sites you know. On the site Bed and Breakfast you can find a B&B hotel (I just adore them). In addition to finding hotels, there is also a good content section with travel ideas and tips.

But hotels are not the only possible option for a stopover while traveling. On service Airbnb you can find an apartment, and on the site Hostels- find a cheap hostel. Website useful for travelers with children [email protected] family oriented.

What to pay attention to A: Does the price include local taxes, food, and cancellation policy.

What to do on site

Personally, I love getting to know real life in every new country and the city where I visit, so I always look for local friends on Couchsurfing. After all, they can not only give practical advice, but also arrange a tour, show life from the inside, and even feed you lunch. In addition, you can always track the parties and other activities organized by the "surfers" in a particular city. It is always interesting and fun to meet fellow travelers in person.

Second option - organize an official tour with a local resident, for example, using the service tripster. By the way, here you can not only find an excursion from the locals, but also ask the participants of the service a question of interest.

Currant- a startup guide to Russia that will tell you where to go and what to do without leaving your native country. Also from travelers for travelers.

In addition to Couchsurfing and Tripster, there are a few other resources you can add to find tips and advice from travelers.

tripadvisor- reviews of hotels, restaurants, beaches, etc. - a huge database of various objects and activities around the world. By the way, here you can find reviews about the hotel that you liked, for example, by price or location.

gogobot - somewhat similar to TripAdvisor, but it also has a large community of travellers. On Gogobot, you can ask a question or make a recommendation to others.

Travelers for travelers is another community of travelers from different countries focused on budget travel and getting to know the local life and culture.

Find an expert

No desire or time to do everything yourself? Increase your budget by 10 - 20 € and order the desired service from others.

GO2- on this platform there is a good section of services, where experienced travelers offer their help to beginners. For example, developing logistics, finding plane tickets or housing options. There is no fixed price for any service, so you can negotiate with each expert individually.

Skillflick - a resource for finding local services in London, from guided tours to clarinet lessons to professional wedding photography.

I think that most of these services are familiar to experienced travelers or have alternatives. However, they will certainly come in handy for those who are just taking the first steps in organizing independent trips.

How to travel cheap on your own? Where to start, where to rent a house, how to buy cheap tickets? I will try to answer these and other questions below, based on my own experience.

Remember that in order to organize a good independent trip it takes a lot of time, but such a trip gives you complete freedom of action and can make your dreams come true.

Is it cheaper to travel alone?

Independent travel won't always be cheaper(but in 60% -70% of cases it will be much cheaper) than to go on a package tour, where you don’t have to think and everything has long been thought of. But impression from "package vacation" will never compare with impressions and emotions received from a trip planned by you personally. And this is the first and main plus of independent travel.

If you're planning your first solo trip, be sure to read on!

How to travel cheap on your own and how to organize an unforgettable trip?

Airplane tickets

For me, organizing an independent trip usually starts with ticket search to the desired destination. Moreover, it is not necessary that the plane tickets were to this particular country/city.

For example, if we talk about Europe, then there distances between cities and even countries are relatively small. And the difference in ticket prices between them can be a substantial amount.

It often happens that for the "won" difference in the cost of a plane ticket, you can not only get from one city to another, but also live there for several days. And by the way, flights in Europe are very cheap(often cheaper than other transport), flying for 2.5 hours for 1000 rubles is the norm there.

Thus, open the map, look, what cities are nearby and build a route. Of course, there are people who do not need all these troubles.

If the final price of the intermediary and the airline is the same or differs slightly, then it is better to buy tickets on the airline's website to avoid trouble. By the way, when buying tickets S7 has a promo code S7APP through the app(2-3% of the tariff), a trifle, but nice.

• are looking for the best prices for a flight;
• check prices for tickets from / to neighboring cities;
• compare the cost of tickets on the search engine website and on the official website of the selected airline;
• do not forget to look for a promotional code for the purchase;
• let's use imagination in the development of the route!

Check ticket prices for neighboring cities and countries. Check prices on airline websites and multi-search. Try to circle the route.

Planning an independent travel itinerary

Once the start and end points are known, it's time to take action. travel itinerary planning. You should not gallop and change cities every day, but I personally do not like to stay too long in one place. Learn Internet information, forums, blogs— a sea of ​​information and ideas.

I always use the forums on Otzyv.ru and Vinsky forum. Various blogs are found by search.

Forums and blogs are a great source for planning routes.

Tickets for transport between cities and/or countries You need to look on the websites of local carriers. If you really want to save money, you will have to sweat in the search best offers. Or maybe just take advantage of the growing popularity of the project, which itself will look for affordable tickets for buses, trains and planes, compare prices and duration of the trip (works in Europe)!

• we are looking for information on the Internet, I advise Otzyv.ru, Vinsky's forum, tripavisor;
• you can buy or download a guide with ready-made routes;
• find the best options for moving between cities.

Selection of sights and interesting places for independent travel

To at least a little navigate the city, it is enough make a list of the main attractions and other places of interest to you (you can also pre-mark them in Google maps or print / buy a map). In this list for yourself you need in advance Mark places you want must see, And plan their visit in the first days stay in the city. It's worth knowing beforehand opening hours, weekends, days when admission is free(it happens).

Again, use your imagination. You no longer have to blindly follow the tour program and run out sightseeing with your tongue hanging out because you're already meeting at the bus in an hour. Independence and time management- this is the fourth plus of independent travel.

Again, I get information about sights mainly from the Internet. In addition, for large cities, you can download/buy guide(I usually download and browse for "missing" places on the Internet).

Also I use travel app tripadvisor - you can see top places, reviews, as well as find good cafes / restaurants. The only possible negative is that there are not enough reviews in Russian, it is advisable to know English (or use a translator application). Also information about major cities can be downloaded to phone memory and use the app offline.

If you still don't trust yourself a bit and/or don't have time to work through your sightseeing program, you can always hire a guide! On the site tripster and even in Russian. Often found there really interesting routes!

• make a list of attractions;
• find out the opening hours, prices, free days;
• Otzyv.ru, Vinsky's forum, tripavisor or a guide will also come in handy;
• select interesting excursion.

Internet, travel guides, TripAdvisor - a storehouse of information about attractions and places of interest.

Where to live while traveling

In the process of compiling the route, I at least briefly looking at house prices where I plan to stay. It may happen that a plane ticket from Russia will cost as much as one night's stay in the city.

For example, in Europe hellishly expensive in Switzerland and Scandinavia. In this case, for a budget tourist it is important competently plan your stay in the most expensive places... well, or use couchsurfing.

Booking etc.

Sometimes the choice of hotels can be quite difficult (for small towns). Then you can search the official website of the city, where you can usually find a list of hotels- and search directly.

And by the way, you can return 1000 rubles by booking accommodation on Booking using my link https://www.booking.com/s/57_6/1f708229

Airbnb

In addition to the hotel / hostel, you can rent a separate room or even an entire apartment. Airbnb, which is rapidly gaining popularity, will help you with this.

The meaning is this - people rent out their housing, you rent it, the money for accommodation is withdrawn immediately and kept by the site. If a day after arrival from the tenant, i.e. you, no complaints were received - the money is transferred to the landlord.

My experience with this site is only positive. It was possible to live in a separate apartment at a price cheaper than a bed in a 6-bed hostel.

And there are discounts for longer stays. So, for example, we lived in an apartment in Genoa for 9 nights for only 15,000 rubles, i.e. for 800 rubles per day per person!

Better choose options with reviews so as not to run into trouble.

By the way, this way of living allows you to go deeper immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the city. You can see how real people live and feel like a little local - open the door with your own key, say hello to neighbors, go down in the morning for fresh bread to the local bakery ... 🙂

I would point out that opportunity to choose accommodation for your own needs and requests, this is the fifth indisputable plus of independent travel.

Do not forget that when registering on airbnb using this link https://www.airbnb.ru/c/tgorokhova2?currency=RUB discount of 2100 rubles!

Couchsurfing

And the last way is find local resident (kaucha), who will kindly let you live in his apartment free of charge, i.e.! Yes, for some it sounds like wildness. You write off with a complete stranger from the other side of the world and go to visit him. 🙂

Couch can often act as guide, move along interesting places Or at least talk about them. It's a great opportunity to go deeper immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the place and interact with people from other cultures. The site will help you with all this. couchsurfing that has been in existence for many years.

The site is available in Russian, but for the whole idea it is desirable to know some foreign language (for communication), well, or look for only Russian-speaking couch. There's a similar tip here. read reviews.

If you're too lazy to look for yourself, create a public trip— describe your itinerary, interests, what you want from your stay. And potential coaches will write to you and invite you to visit. 🙂

• find out approximate housing prices at the route planning stage;
• looking for hotels; or on one of the most popular resources;
• check the price on the official website of the hotel;
• and you can also rent an apartment or a room, with a coupon for 2100 rubles it will be cheaper;
• or try your hand at couchsurfing.

If you are going to rent a car, check out the parking information. In some cities in Europe, entry into the city center by car is prohibited, in many there are problems with parking (not to mention the fact that they are paid). For example, in the center of Amsterdam, just a day parking pass will cost 30 euros!

Opportunity go anywhere and at any time using public transport, and even better, a rented car is the sixth plus of independent travel!

• we study fare prices, possible travel options;
• Thinking about whether to buy a tourist card?
• for those who have a car - be sure to find out the situation with parking!

Study in advance the types of transport and tickets, discount cards. This will allow you not to waste time on the proceedings on the spot.

Visa for travel in Europe

Many are afraid of the word visa and pay two or three times more money to visa processing firms. In fact, obtaining a visa to Europe is quite not scary. In large cities, there have long been multivisa centers, where you can consult and submit documents yourself (first of all, we are talking about Schengen).

The main rule when choosing a country for obtaining a visa is documents are submitted to the country in which you will stay the longest. If the number of days in several countries is the same, the country is preferred first entry.

When the country of submission was decided, study the list of documents(for a tourist visa, these are usually plane tickets and other transport; hotel / apartment reservations; proof of solvency - a bank statement, a letter from a sponsor, a certificate of currency purchase; medical insurance; employment certificate; photographs).

Insurance no extra running Can make a comparison and selection of insurances on the website . All options are available laid out, you can compare several insurance. In my experience buying even cheaper through this site(I made it out in the office for 10 days - it turned out 1010 rubles, another time I bought it through the site for 15 days for 740 rubles and with more options)!

Well, then you collect it all and serve it, better in advance. In my experience, from submitting documents to obtaining a passport, it takes an average of 2 weeks. If you receive not the first Schengen, it is better to request a multivisa, and there the consul will sort it out.

The seventh plus of independent travel is visa processing at a "fair" price, choice of insurance with the options you need from any insurance company, and even with discount.

• find out if there is a visa / consular center in your city;
• choose a country for obtaining a visa;
• find out the list of required documents;
• download the questionnaire on the website of the consulate, print it out according to the specified rules (both sides) and fill it out;
• we print out plane tickets, if any - for a train, bus or car reservation confirmation;
• print out hotel or apartment booking confirmations;
• we take a certificate of employment at work;
• in the bank we get a certificate of account status (sometimes an extract from an ATM + a photocopy of the front side of the card is enough) or we leave a certificate of currency purchase;
• select and draw up insurance, print;
• we take pictures for a visa (sometimes you can do it right at the visa center);
• we take it all, the necessary amount of money to pay the fee and go to submit documents!

If your city or the nearest city has Visa Center- do not overpay intermediaries, submit documents yourself! It's not difficult at all. And it’s better to immediately ask for a multivisa.

What to take on an independent trip, more precisely, what should not be taken on a trip

No need to take 3 suitcases with you of things. Think about how many clothes you will need for 2-3 weeks? Given that everything and everywhere you can buy if necessary.

For many years I traveled with a small backpack - and there were always extra things! Remember that now the trend is that extra pounds and extra bags often have to pay. Usually the size of a suitcase (backpack) that can be carried as hand luggage — 55x40x20 cm, up to 10 kg.

It is also worth considering that in hand luggage can't carry liquids(including creams) in containers, over 100 ml with a total volume of more than 1 liter. And it’s better to put all the liquids in one bag / cosmetic bag and not take it far away - they may be asked to show it. I just pour everything into small bottles left over from hotels. :) Similar bottles can also be purchased at the store.

• think of a reasonable list of things;
• we buy medicines on the road (just in case, of course);
• Necessarily!!! we study the rules of the airline (at least we read what is written on the ticket);
• we remove all liquids more than 100 ml from hand luggage(including creams) or pour into small bottles;
• we collect the suitcase, it is advisable to check the weight before leaving for the airport.

Take a reasonable minimum of things. So you will be more mobile and save on flights.

That's all the main points when planning an independent trip. Believe me, following these simple tips, you can travel independently and cheaply!

Just think about how much money you overpay travel agencies just for the fact that some uncle / aunt will “lead you by the hand” from the bus to the next attraction. And often you won’t even be able to really consider the attraction, because it’s time to go to another one!

By planning a trip yourself, you can do everything the way you want!

And with the money saved, you can order a transfer or hire a guide, and even stay for trips to restaurants and other entertainment!

I hope this article helped you learn how to travel cheap on your own. Happy independent and cheap travel!

Want to travel on your own but don't know where to start? Are you wondering how to start traveling? The answer is here!

How to start traveling on your own?

There are 2 moments in this question: psychological and practical. There are clearly more sites covering the practical moment, there is nothing complicated here, you just need to take and do everything step by step, as experts advise. But the logical question always arises, if everything is so simple, why are there always more people who dream of traveling than those who still decide?

Here psychology enters the scene, and it turns out that someone is afraid to leave the comfort zone, someone is tightly held by parents or loved ones, someone is simply afraid because they are not well-informed, but from time to time they still present to the world mine - I want to travel. In this article I will tell you both about the psychological and practical aspects of this issue.

I want to travel a lot - where do I start? Psychology

1 - Desire

It's so simple, you critically need desire. "Yes, yes, that's understandable," you might say. But wait. Desires are different. You can lie on the couch, dream about how nice it would be now on the beach under the palm trees, present your " I want to travel and do nothing. But understand that in order to start traveling not on tour packages-twice-a-year-for-a-week-to-Thailand, you need to radically change your life. And it takes a strong will to change. Such that it was clear to you, further without traveling - well, absolutely nothing. All! Backed up!

I often heard from people that travel is too expensive, they say I want to travel - but there is no money. But so many responsibilities that keep in one place. And while some are held back by circumstances and lack of money, others travel. If you really want something, you will have it. If you really want to start traveling on your own, then you will not make hundreds of excuses, but simply find a way. "Circumstances" is just a convenient way to ignore your own fears.

People travel for the same reason they buy cars or a new iPhone. If you need something, you do everything to get it. That's the whole secret.

• 2 - Focus

In order to start your independent journey around the world, you need to be "sick" of travel, and your life revolves around this desire. I'm serious. Everything that matters to you happens to you. It's critical. Therefore, maybe it’s enough to visit a cafe so often or where do you go there? Yes, you will have to give up some things, save on something, and it's worth it!

This paragraph closes the question " Where to get money?". You need to save up money. Before going on my first trip, I saved up for a year. I stopped going to cafes and learned to cook tolerably, I watched movies online, I practically didn’t buy clothes, I guess I was lucky that at that time I didn’t have girls Although who knows where the root cause is, but now is not about that.

To save money for travel, you need to control your cash flows - write down all expenses and income. Yes, it's boring, but I said that you have to change. You quickly get used to it, and do not flatter yourself with the illusion that you will not need to count money on a trip, this skill is more important there than at home, so it’s better to get used to it in advance. For such purposes, I use the Family Accounting program. It is convenient, easy and free. There are analogues for smartphones, here it’s more convenient for someone.

Another little tip, it's better to save a certain amount for travel immediately after getting paid. This is an important point, it will be much more comfortable. Believe me, it's easier to count on a smaller amount in advance than to try to pull out extra money in the middle of the month.

• 3 - Moral preparation

On long journeys, many things will happen to you that cannot be predicted, and you will not be ready for this. But this does not mean that if you have never traveled around the world or devoted your life to wandering, traveling is not for you.

Travel is wonderful. Life is short and I don't think you want to live it in one place without seeing the rest of the world. You can discover all the beauty of this world - from the chaotic Asian markets and the beautiful cities of Europe, to the impenetrable jungle and exotic wildlife in Central America. Wherever you go, every day something new awaits you - new places, people, experiences.

Many people are used to thinking that travel is necessarily expensive and you simply cannot afford it. I sincerely hope that by reading this blog, you will understand that this is not so. I don't earn much, but I can count money and find inexpensive ways to travel. I work hard to make my dreams come true. Frankly, you can start traveling the world without money, and I will definitely write an article on this topic.

And you start at least with a simple one. Pick it up and go on a weekend trip to a nearby city or go on a trip around your city. Because you need to be prepared for travel, first of all, mentally.

• 4 - Direction detection

The importance of this stage cannot be overestimated. Here we are slowly moving from theory to practice. No wonder they say - who is aware, he is armed. You need information to decide where to go, how to get there, where to live, what to eat, how to protect yourself, where to go in case of emergency, and many other important issues.

To understand which countries to start traveling from, read the article "My TOP 5 inexpensive countries for holidays". It is better to start with something inexpensive and trodden by many tourists, very good option for the first solo trip will be Southeast Asia. Write your list of countries you would like to visit and move on to practice.

How to start traveling on your own with a minimum of costs? Practice

By the way, I want to say that traveling on tour packages is not always more expensive. Maybe you shouldn't bother independent travel, but it is better to contact specialists. I'm not saying no, it's just that people are different. How to determine which clan of travelers you belong to? Here's a little test:

• Are you ready to take the time to create your own journey?
• Are you a free-spirited individual and don't like following a schedule someone else has created?

• 5 - Visa

Find out if your country of choice requires a visa. For this task, I use the Timatic service.

• 6- Flights

• 7 - Accommodation

For the first couple of days, book a hotel, hostel or guesthouse, depending on your financial capabilities. On the spot you can already find something better and cheaper. Perhaps you decide to stay longer and rent an apartment, or perhaps you move further. Finding suitable accommodation clearly requires a separate article, and I will definitely write it (and here is the article How to find a good and inexpensive hotel), plus my favorite service for finding inexpensive accommodation.

• 8 - Route

In general, I rarely advise using guidebooks, but if this is your first time going on a trip on your own, then it’s better to get it. I used to always use the advice from Lonely Planet, by right their guides are considered the best, they will help you plan the best route. This is one of the most exciting activities, be sure to try it!

• 9 - Luggage

The next step is to collect luggage and first aid kit. It would be useful to read an article about the necessary minimum of things. There is nothing difficult in that, the main thing is to leave everything superfluous at home and not forget the necessary.

• 10 - Insurance

• 11 - Vaccinations

To protect yourself, especially when traveling to African countries or South America need to be vaccinated. Are vaccinations required when entering your chosen country - ask Google. I usually do not vaccinate, this world is not so dangerous. In Goa, for example, people are more likely to die from coconuts that have fallen on their heads than from the bite of a malarial mosquito. But if for your own peace of mind you need to play it safe - please.

• 12 - Stop reading articles about how to start traveling - start!