Developing an Itinerary - Part 1

After I choose a country or countries of interest, it's time to develop an itinerary. Over the years, I have refined my process. Head to the library or book store and get several travel books on the country. Begin highlighting sites that interest you and their locations on a map. I also take a look at professional tours itineraries. This is a good way to get ideas on the top tourist areas and transportation options between locations. Tour companies typically go from one tourist site to another, not really my style, as I like to have some contact with the local culture and I definitely like to venture into remote locations.

Next create a list of tentative locations and list all of the sites you would like to see at that location. Now it's time to lay it out on a calendar. This helps plan the correct amount of time at each location. Begin to research transportation options between locations. I've used flights, ferries, buses, trains, metros and at times taxis.

Continue to refine your itinerary, but don't rush to lock into a plan yet.