Routes that actually work
The best multi-country routes share three traits: geographically logical (no backtracking), reasonable pace (4+ nights per country), and balanced variety (city + nature + beach). Below are five that thousands of travelers have done — with day-by-day, budget and timing detail.
For the framework on building your own, see our how to plan a multi-country trip guide.
Route 1 — Southeast Asia Loop (3 weeks)
Countries: Thailand + Cambodia + Vietnam
Cost: $1,200-1,500 on the ground + $800-1,200 flights
Best season: November – February
- Days 1-7: Bangkok → Chiang Mai (overnight train) → Pai (bus)
- Days 8-11: Bangkok → Siem Reap (flight), Angkor temples
- Days 12-15: Phnom Penh (bus) → Saigon (bus, border crossing)
- Days 16-21: Saigon → Hoi An (flight + train) → Hanoi → Halong Bay
- Out: Hanoi (open-jaw, cheaper)
Read our Thailand itinerary and Vietnam 2-week itinerary for individual country detail.
Route 2 — The Balkans (2 weeks)
Countries: Croatia + Bosnia + Montenegro + Albania
Cost: $900-1,200 on the ground + $600-900 flights
Best season: May – June or September
- Days 1-4: Dubrovnik → Split (Croatia, drive or ferry)
- Days 5-7: Mostar (Bosnia, bus from Split, day to Sarajevo)
- Days 8-10: Kotor (Montenegro), the bay and Tara River Canyon
- Days 11-14: Tirana → Berat → the Albanian Riviera (Ksamil)
- Out: Tirana (cheap flights to Western Europe)
Route 3 — Andes Highlights (3 weeks)
Countries: Peru + Bolivia + Chile
Cost: $1,500-2,000 on the ground + $900-1,400 flights
Best season: May – September (dry season)
- Days 1-4: Lima → Cusco (flight). Acclimatise, see the Sacred Valley
- Days 5-9: Cusco → Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail (book 6 months ahead!) or train
- Days 10-12: Cusco → Puno → Lake Titicaca (bus)
- Days 13-15: La Paz, Bolivia → Salar de Uyuni salt flats (3-day jeep tour)
- Days 16-18: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile (border crossing). Stargazing.
- Days 19-21: Santiago (flight). City, wine country, depart.
Route 4 — Morocco + Spain Loop (2 weeks)
Countries: Spain (Andalucía) + Morocco
Cost: $1,300-1,800 on the ground + $700-1,000 flights
Best season: March – May or September – November
- Days 1-4: Madrid → Seville (high-speed train). Tapas, Alcázar.
- Days 5-7: Granada → Tarifa (ferry to Tangier)
- Days 8-10: Chefchaouen (the blue town) → Fes
- Days 11-13: Sahara dunes overnight → Marrakech
- Day 14: Fly home from Marrakech (open-jaw)
Route 5 — Central Europe Capitals (12 days)
Countries: Czech Republic + Austria + Hungary
Cost: $1,200-1,500 on the ground + $600-900 flights
Best season: April – June, September – October, or December for Christmas markets
- Days 1-4: Prague (Old Town, Charles Bridge, Karlovy Vary day trip)
- Days 5-7: Vienna (train from Prague, 4 hours). Schönbrunn, opera, Sachertorte.
- Days 8-12: Budapest (train from Vienna, 2.5 hours). Thermal baths, ruin bars, Buda Castle.
- Out: Budapest (cheap flights to Western Europe + US connections)
Build your own
Use the AI Trip Planner to customise any of these routes to your dates and interests. Confirm visa requirements with the Visa Checker, estimate costs with the Budget Calculator, and read individual country guides linked above.
