World Travel Awards Winner Machu Travel Peru 2025
Long term travel tips

Long Term Travel: How to prepare for long vacations

Have you ever dreamed of taking a break to travel the world? Long-term travel preparation is essential to enjoy every moment without stress or setbacks. With the right planning, your dream trip can become a smooth and fulfilling reality.

At Machu Travel Peru, we don’t just offer destinations, we help you prepare for the journey ahead. From the heart of Peru, we guide travelers toward meaningful and well-organized adventures. Start your long vacation with confidence and excitement!

How to prepare for long-term travel?

Preparing for travel involves a combination of planning, research, and practical steps to ensure an incredible experience. It is important to be careful and honest with your ideas about traveling.

Visas Requirements

For long trips, preparing for a visa means checking entry rules. You will need to gather important documents. You may also need to apply for visas early before your trip.

It is important to check the visa requirements for each country you plan to visit. Also, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your return date.

Passport Validity

Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay in each country. If it’s nearing expiration, renew it before you start your trip.

High/Low Seasons

The idea of how to prepare for a trip requires planning and anticipation. And when it comes to tourism, Peru has two distinct seasons, high and low seasons. Their variability is mainly attributed to weather.

To illustrate, one of the perks of traveling in South America during the low season is that prices are low. The water levels are high in the Amazon, creating a good opportunity for visitors to kayak and canoe down waterways. Also, if you prefer to avoid crowds during your Machu Picchu Tours, this is the perfect season.

In the case of the high season, it’s the best time for Andean festivals and highland sports, including treks, due to good weather conditions.

Cost of travel

For most travelers, budgeting is the fun part of preparing for a trip. They consider that doing the research and planning makes them feel they are closer to making their trip a reality.

With a rough idea of how long you will be away, flip through websites or guidebooks on your destination to work out your daily cost. Although it’s not the same for everyone, since it depends on tastes, comfort, and luxury, you can consider the biggest travel expenses like flights, transport, accommodations, and food. Add in a little more for tours, outdoor activities, museum entry fees, souvenirs, and many more.

We recommend making your travel budget early if you don’t want to run out of money in the middle of your trip.

Design a useful travel plan

Rent your place

Traveling is an incredible experience. But is it important to understand they the principal key is the preparation. Lots of travelers opt to rent their place to travel for long vacations. It helps with finances and supports ongoing travel.

Furthermore, you can also sell some stuff or donate it to charities. It can cover the cost of at least some weeks of your trip.

Close Accounts

Nobody wants to waste money while traveling, right? There is no point in paying bills when you are on a trip and not using the services (gas, electricity, internet, phone lines, etc.), so cut them off.

Take advantage of the fact that we are talking about this topic; this could be a great opportunity for you to “turn off” your mind and shift into vacation mode. To illustrate, you can step away from your desk or turn your phone off for an afternoon walk. This is a good way to show your brain you don’t have to be constantly connected, since your next travel will be just relaxation and joy. So, keep yourself open to this advice, and your journey may be an incredible experience.

Pack lightly for your travel

Packing for a trip can be a puzzle. Everyone wants to feel prepared for all situations and not weighed down by overpacking. So, one of our best packing advice for carry-on luggage is to pack light and not wait until the last minute.

Start some days before your travel. Then, go back and eliminate items. You will save time, be less stressed, and avoid some packing disasters. Trust us, your back will thank you. Besides, remember that you can always buy what you need. In addition, make sure your electronic chargers are dual voltage or don’t forget plug adapters.

Precautions to be taken

Insurance

Many travelers consider travel insurance a luxury item; they dismiss it as an unnecessary expense, and they could not be more wrong. Travel insurance for Peru or any other country in Latin America or abroad is essential for traveling.

It doesn’t matter how healthy and fit you are to travel; you might need to schedule an appointment with a doctor to get advice on any vaccination requirements for your travel. Some vaccinations require multiple shots spread out over several months. So, when you think about travel, take into consideration this important aspect. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Besides, we also recommend reading up on the history and politics of your destination. Stay up to date with warnings and travel alerts.

Travel banking

If you don’t want to lose money with ATM fees and international transaction fees, it’s so important to organize your banking when preparing for travel. We recommend checking the fees for overseas ATM withdrawals before leaving.

Long-term travel tips

Your bags are packed, your route is set, and the adventure of a lifetime is just around the corner. But before you take off on your long trip, take a few minutes to go over these final, crucial tips. These details can save you money, stress, and even your sanity as a digital nomad or traveler.

1. Choose the right credit card

A good credit card can be your best friend on the road. Look for cards that offer no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance benefits, and rewards such as points or cash back. These perks add up fast over a year of travel. You can check out our recommended cards using this affiliate link; they’re traveler-approved and offer exclusive bonuses.

2. Secure your peace of mind

Peace of mind while traveling isn’t a luxury’s a necessity. Make copies of important documents, use cloud storage for backups, and consider travel medical insurance or emergency evacuation coverage. Budgeting apps and money management tools can help you stay on top of your expenses and avoid nasty surprises.

3. Optimize your “Year of Travel”

Planning to make this your big year of travel? Great! Invest in useful gear like a global SIM card or eSIM, a VPN to access content securely, and offline apps for maps and translations. If you’re a digital nomad, tools like co-working passes or online job platforms can help you stay productive while exploring.

FAQs for beginner travelers

If you’re just starting your journey, you probably have a million questions, and that’s normal. Whether you need tips for the beginner traveler or an experienced nomad, brush up on the essentials; this FAQ section is for you.

How do I get started as a beginner traveler?

Begin with easy destinations that are welcoming for solo or first-time travelers. Choose places with good infrastructure and safety records. Research ahead, talk to other travelers and give yourself the grace to make mistakes. Being a digital nomad or traveler is a learning process. Every step builds confidence.

What should I pack for a long trip?

For any traveler, smart packing is key. Consider lightweight and versatile clothing. Pack essential toiletries in travel sizes. Bring a universal power adapter and a portable charger. Don’t forget a credit card that works worldwide.

What are the best tips for long flights?

Long-haul flights can be brutal if you’re not prepared. Our top tips for long flights: wear comfortable layers, bring noise-canceling headphones or earplugs, pack healthy snacks, stay hydrated, and stretch often. A neck pillow, eye mask, and downloaded content (podcast, shows, playlist) can make that time fly by.

“True life is lived when small changes happen”

Now you know how to prepare for long-term travel. You may be asking yourself Where to go for a relaxing vacation? Machu Travel Peru has the answer in one word: South America. It simply houses some of the most beautiful and mind-blowing destinations in the world. Finally, we hope this article has helped you to prepare for an incredible and stress-free long vacation. Embrace your freedom and bon voyage!

South America has so much to offer, it can be hard to know where to start. With many years of experience in the tourism sector, Machu Travel Peru is happy to help with anything regarding your trip to Peru and any tours around it. Let us help you make your Peru travel experience unforgettable! Contact us today to plan your dream adventure!

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Our Awards

World Travel Awards Recognition

Machu Travel Peru has been internationally recognized by the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA), which have celebrated excellence in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries since 1993.

From 2017 to 2019, we were awarded as Peru’s Leading Tour Operator, and from 2022 to 2025, we have been consistently recognized as Peru’s Leading Destination Management Company, achievements that culminated in 2025 with our recognition as South America’s Leading Destination Management Company.

These awards reflect our professionalism and commitment to delivering authentic, high-quality travel experiences.

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