Are you looking to go abroad anytime soon? Are you going to several different locations and worrying that you will have to sort through all the logistical mud to actually get it done? Would you like a service that can do all of the logistical legwork and leave you to worry about the more important things?
Well, help is at hand, as we explore 3 multi-destination trip planners so you don't have to!
1. Kayak
Though most travel websites offer the option for a multi-destination trip planner, Kayak is one of the main websites in the game to take it seriously, offering its very own trip builder for public consumption.
Not only will you be able to embark and plan your own multi-city trip with the Kayak trip builder, but you will be offered advice on which of your multiple destinations to start from.
After all, 'airfares aren't as simple as buying things from your grocery store where you just add up everything. There are multiple combinations and sometimes, breaking your journey apart using separate tickets saves you money.' In this spirit, the Kayak trip builder can help to shine a light through the fog of your multi-city itinerary and work out which of your multi-destination trips to take first.
How to Use the Trip Builder
Otherwise known as Nomad, the Kayak trip builder is an incredibly useful tool (among the best travel apps) for multi-city trips, so why not try it with your own trip? Can't get it to work, well follow these helpful instructions to get started.
- Visit the Kayak website and change the dropdown menu to Trip Builder from Round-trip.
- Here, whichever browser you are using should hopefully create a separate window to work within, creating a space for the Nomad trip builder.
- Now, you should be able to create multi-city trips from an endless plethora of locations or from templates with itineraries that can be modified entirely to fit your needs.
- If you are working on one of your own amazing trips, then the next step is to ensure that your airport transfers are locked in - make sure you enter your starting airport, date and time of departure, and the number of nights you plan to travel overall (if, though, you are more flexible, you can always leave this part blank.)
- Here, you can begin to add in more destinations, building your trip from the ground up, adjusting for each how many nights you are likely to stay in each place, and pressing the 'search for journeys' button when you are ready to go.
- At this point, you will be given a list of different options that you can choose from to work out the best for you, adjusting the number of nights in each place and filtering through the lists until you find what you need.
- By now, you should have found the perfect journey for you. Review the entire itinerary to ensure that all of your flights are doable for fees that suit you.
2. Triptile
Starting from the very front page of the website, Triptile offers all the very same features. In fact, where Kayak's trip builder is an integral part of their website, Triptile is entirely devoted to this trip-building aspect, allowing for the linking of multiple European destinations easily and quickly.
Indeed, from the very front page, we are guided to 'start building your trip', offering a series of luscious European destinations to choose from: Florence, Milan, Venice, Barcelona, Paris, London, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Sicily, Dublin, Stockholm, etc. In this way, you can build your very own Europe Trip Diary!
In their own words, 'Triptile is an online European tour planner. With Triptile you can plan your trip to Europe just like you want it. Select from over 400 European destinations, 300 template programs that can be modified just like you want them, and from over 3000 activities hand-picked for each destination by expert travel planners to build your perfect European tour program.
'Triptile gives you control and the freedom to travel to Europe just like you want. Our Europe tour planner is unique and is the most powerful tool out there, which was previously available only to travel professionals, but is now open to all.'
Though Triptile is inherently dedicated to European trip planning, they have also expanded their reach to elsewhere on the planet, helpfully evinced by the drop-down menu on the front page titled 'Rest of The World'. Here, you will see Italy, France, UK & Ireland, Spain & Portugal, Scandinavia, North America, and Asia, alongside the so-called Rest of The World.
Presumably, this comes to mean South America, a markedly massive continent for all intents and purposes. Still, this oversight shouldn't discourage you from using this service, as you are likely to find the best price on your next trip.
What Can Triptile Offer You?
Below are just three of the many things that Triptile can offer you if used to the best of its ability.
- With Triptile you can select from a whole host of cities in less than a minute - a speed like that you can't bank on in many other places.
- Such speed is then furthered by the ability to add dates of trips into the planner in a matter of 30 seconds.
- All in all, you can customize your trip in about three minutes, leaving you with plenty of time to actually think about where you want to go and what you want to do.
- Thus, the grand total will leave with you a fully planned and booked trip ready to go in under five minutes - who knew it could be so easy and simple!
3. You
Of course, if you are feeling confident enough, you can add destinations to your own planner. Yes, it might be a little more time-consuming than just using a ready-made planner online, but there is real art to it. For all its perks, a computer-generated journey planner isn't always going to get you the best deal or the best travel experiences.
No, for this you will need to use your own know-how, and here's how to do it.
Step 1: Research
This is perhaps the most exciting part about the whole enterprise, for it is here that you get to plan your route - anything is possible, so do act as though this is the case.
Indeed, travelers should not be put off by any logistical difficulties at this stage, for it is now that the imagination goes into full swing.
Step 2: Planning
Now that you have decided where specifically you would like to go, you can go about planning exactly which points to keep on your route and which to discard due to cost or logistical difficulty.
Don't be deterred if this stage takes a little longer - finding the right fit of logistics and cost is bound to take the longest of all the steps.
Step 3: Finding & Booking Accommodation
This step should be fairly self-explanatory (and you can even use a multi-trip destination planner for only this step if you are feeling cheeky).
Step 4: Activities
Unless you are looking to just sun it up, then you might want to have a look and see what kinds of activities there are to do in your chosen locations. This can be anything from exciting water sports to cultural excursions, the latter of which tends to be a lot more affordable (or free altogether).
Step 5: Sharing the Itinerary
Before you head out, it is especially advisable to share your intended route and the dates on which you will be staying in certain locations with friends and family, lest anything go wrong and they have no idea where you are.
Final Words
So, there you have it! Hopefully, you are now feeling ready and able to plan your very own multi-destination trip!
FAQS Multi-Destination Trip Planner
IS THERE AN APP TO PLAN A TRIP TOGETHER?
The closest you are likely to get to an actual app for planning a trip abroad with multiple destinations is the trip builder function on the Kayak website. Helpfully dubbed Nomad, this is more than just an add-on to the website. Instead, it expands the possibilities of the site, completely allowing the user total flexibility for choosing a trip with several different destinations on it. You begin by choosing your exit point of the country, choosing the airport you will use and the day you will leave, and from there you can get as flexible or inflexible as you like. Those in the former camp might not even add a time for returning, though thankfully those in the latter camp are also catered to.
WHAT IS THE BEST SITE FOR PLANNING A TRIP WITH MULTIPLE DESTINATIONS?
This will depend on where you are going. Though Kayak's helpful trip-building add-on Nomad is a great way to visit multiple destinations just about anywhere in the world and book accommodation and flights along the way, it is hard to deny just how effective the Triptile website is for doing so specifically for European destinations. This is, in fact, Triptile's central demographic - those looking to visit multiple destinations in Europe in sequence. You can see as much when you visit the website - the front page is literally a wall of tiles, each featuring a different city in a different European country. Sure, they do also cater to those looking for places to go and stay elsewhere in the world, but if you are looking to do so in Europe, then you can scarcely do better than this.
