Two Week Itineraries for Every Continent

I’m a huge fan of travel podcasts and one of my favourites, World Wide Honeymoon Travel Podcast, recently did a series sharing two week itineraries for every continent. The catch? This itinerary would be for someone’s first and only trip to that continent. I loved the concept so much that I forced my partner, Colin, to plan itineraries with me over breakfast. And now I’ve decided to turn it into a blog post!

Here’s how the game works: 

• You have to design a two week itinerary for each continent for someone who has never been to that continent and may never go again. This is their first and only trip!
• The itinerary is a full 14 days; travel time to and from the continent don’t count.
• This hypothetical game takes place in a world where it is safe to travel freely.

Fun, right? It’s incredibly difficult to narrow down an entire continent to just two weeks worth of travel. You want this person to see everything since they may never come back, but you also don’t want them to be on a flight every day (though, as you’ll see below, lots of flights are sometimes necessary).

In case it has to be said: I’m not suggesting people should try to see an entire continent in just two weeks or that they should visit each continent only once. Those are just the rules of this game! I know a lot of people do take their annual two week vacation and try to cram in as much as possible. While I don’t think that’s the most beneficial way to travel, I do think the concept works well for a game. It’s a fun activity to try and decide what places will make the cut!

For my itineraries, I focused mainly on places I’ve been and my own interests. I’m more into cities, culture, food and great views – and not so into hiking, art, beaches or museums. I tried my best to keep the itineraries more relaxed, but it’s hard when you need to fit so much in!

Without further ado, let’s get to the two week itineraries! 

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Two weeks in North America

New York (3 days), New Orleans (2 days), Mexico City (3 days), San Francisco (3 days), Banff (3 days)

This was SO difficult! I really had to kill my darlings on this itinerary.

The itinerary starts off in New York City. I think New York is so iconic and I can’t imagine someone coming to North America for their first and only visit and not seeing it. There’s a ton to do in the city, so three days is probably not enough. But it should give you enough time to stroll through Central Park, take in the view from The Top of the Rock, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, eat incredible food and take in a Broadway show or two.

Next up in New Orleans. I’ve actually never been to New Orleans, but have heard great things. I think it has such a unique culture that I wouldn’t want a visitor to miss out on. Mexico City is another place I’ve never been to but can’t wait to visit. I know there’s a lot to see, do and, most importantly, eat there! Plus, I wanted to make sure we got a few spots outside of the US.

San Francisco was a tough choice but I wanted some coastal time on the itinerary and thought there was more to do in SF than my back up choice (and current home), Vancouver. San Francisco has a really cool vibe to it, great food, and iconic sites like Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

From there, you’re finally flying into Canada for a few days in beautiful Banff. Sadly, I have also not visited Banff but I’ve seen the photos and think ending the trip with some gorgeous mountains and lakes sounds perfect!

Snubs:

I really wanted to include Montreal, Austin and, of course, my hometown of Vancouver! I also feel bad that my itinerary doesn’t have a beach location, completely skips the Caribbean and Central America, and didn’t have room for a US National Park.

Another huge snub is missing out on the classic American road trip. While some of the destinations listed above do require a flight, you could tweak this two week itinerary, rent a car and set out on a road trip instead. Check out Discover Cars to compare the best rates for car rentals all over the world!

Alternatives:

I know this itinerary is a lot of flights and is fairly fast paced. So if you wanted to cut back on flights, I think you could change it up a bit: Start in Montreal, train to New York, fly to Mexico City, fly to Seattle or Portland, and then train to Vancouver as your final stop. That would be five locations but only two flights, as opposed to my itinerary above which is also five locations but requires four flights.

If you just wanted to slow down, I think you could remove San Francisco from the itinerary and spend a bit more time in the other stops.

Two weeks in South America

Machu Picchu (3 days), Amazon Rainforest (3 days), Rio de Janeiro (3 days), Patagonia (5 days)

This was a hard itinerary for me to make as I’ve only been to Peru in South America and even then, I didn’t make it to Machu Picchu (yes, I’m still kicking myself for missing it). South America is huge and there is so much to discover! But I tried to focus my itinerary on the biggest highlights.

I started the itinerary at Machu Picchu just outside of Cusco, Peru. I think this was a bit of a hack as the game says you don’t have to factor in travel time to your first destination. I know it takes a bit of time to make it to Machu Picchu, usually connecting in Lima before arriving in Cusco, and then staying in Cusco for a day or two to acclimate to the altitude. But by starting the trip in Machu Picchu, I’m skipping all of that!

So three days to explore Machu Picchu, the various trails leading to it and the town of Cusco, which I hear is pretty cool. From there, you’re flying into the Amazon Rainforest. I will admit: I know next to nothing about the Amazon. But I know it’s iconic so definitely deserves a spot on the itinerary. I imagine you could spend your three days at a rainforest lodge learning about the flora and fauna and exploring.

Next is a total 180: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio is one of the most populous cities in South America and known for its beaches, vibrancy, views and carnival season. Three days should give you enough time to soak all of that in, plus take in the great views from the top of the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Speaking of views, I wanted to prioritize Patagonia in my South America itinerary, which is why I dedicated an entire five days to it. Again, I haven’t been to this southern area of the continent but photos and blog posts tell me its gorgeous. If you’re a hiker or a nature lover, this is a must! Plus, this is where you’d catch a boat to Antartica, which could be your next stop after South America!

Snubs:

I really wanted to include the Bolivian salt flats, the famed Galapagos Islands and somewhere in Colombia, likely Medellin, as its one of my personal bucket list dream trips. I also didn’t include Chile or Argentina, as much as I would’ve wanted to, and didn’t dedicate enough time to South America’s well-known beaches or coffee districts.

Alternatives:

South America is such a huge continent that you could spend two weeks in just one of its countries and not run out of things to do. If you wanted to go this route, I think I’d recommend Peru. That way, you can still see Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest.

If you’re not a city person, you could strike Rio from my original itinerary and spend more time in the other spots, or add in another natural wonder, like the Bolivian salt flats.

Two weeks in Africa

Cape Town (4 days), Kenya/Tanzania safari (5 days), Morocco (5 days)

I’ve spent some time in Africa – I did a three-month internship in Swaziland with four trips to South Africa and we visited Morocco last February – but I certainly haven’t seen much of the continent. But I think that actually worked in my favour for creating this itinerary. Because I haven’t seen enough of it, I don’t know what I’m missing so was able to create a slower-paced itinerary.

This two week itinerary starts off in Cape Town, South Africa which is one of my favourite cities in the world! Cape Town is such a cool city with a great vibe, beautiful views, delicious food and lots to see and do. During your four days in Cape Town, you can also take day trips out to Simon’s Town to see the Boulder Beach penguins, Cape of Good Hope, and Stellenbosch and the surrounding wine country.

From there, you’re flying up to East Africa for the iconic African safari. If you time your trip right, you can catch the Great Migration when wildebeests, zebras and other animals make their way from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. I’m dedicating five days for you to glamp in luxury and spot incredible animals in the wild.

Lastly, you’ll fly up to Morocco and get to choose your own adventure for how you’ll spend your last five days. You can either split your time between Fes and Chefchaouen, Marrakech and a nearby desert, or head to the Sahara. In Fes, you’ll explore the largest medina in the world, soaking up lots of Moroccan history and culture, before relaxing in the laidback and picturesque blue city of Chefchaouen. Or option 2: Marrakech is busy with a mix of modern and historic sights, including a few palaces that shouldn’t be missed. From there, you can spend a night or two glamping in the nearby Agafay Desert.

Or, if you a diehard desert fan, you can take option 3 and do a few nights in the Sahara Desert as well as a night or two in Fes or Marrakech.

Snubs:

My biggest snub would have to be Egypt. I know it’s so iconic and seeing the pyramids is definitely a bucket list item for me. But I was just so happy with the Cape Town/East Africa safari/Morocco itinerary that I planned, I had to skip it. I also would have loved to include gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda, as I grew up fascinated with gorillas, and relaxing on a luxurious beach in the Seychelles or Zanzibar.

Alternatives:

If you wanted to cut down on travel time, as this itinerary does have you going from the bottom to the top of the continent, you could go on a safari in South Africa, instead of heading up to Central Africa. Kruger National Park is one of the most well-known and respected reserves in the world, and I personally went on an amazing safari experience there. I also think you could sub out Morocco for Egypt, if the pyramids were a must for you.

Two weeks in Asia

Tokyo (4 days), Tai Pei (2 days), Hoi An (2 days), Siem Reap (3 days), Chiang Mai (3 days)

My two week in Asia itinerary was another tough one for me as there were so many incredible places I wanted to include! As it is, I think I shoved a few too many in this itinerary, but if you’re up for it, you could really experience a lot.

We start off in one of my favourite cities in the world, Tokyo. If you haven’t been to Tokyo, it’s just such a different city than anywhere else in the world. It’s modern and historic at the same time, with so many incredible sights to see and, of course, some of the best food in the world. I think it’s well worth a four day stop – you may even be able to squeeze in a day trip to Mt. Fuji.

Next, you’ll take a quick flight over to Taiwan. You’re only there for two nights so you’ll likely stay in Tai Pei and just focus on one thing: eating. I have never been to Taiwan but I can’t wait to go and have a huge list of things I want to do (and eat!) there. Then it’s two quick days in Hoi An, Vietnam. Hoi An is a small little town that’s very charming. Since it’s so small, a couple of days should give you enough time to explore the Old Town, check out the beautiful beach, float a lantern down the river and maybe get a custom piece of clothing made.

From there, you’re flying over to Siem Reap, Cambodia to see the legendary Angkor Wat. The temples of Angkor need a few days to explore – I know many people who do it in just a day but there’s so much more to see. There’s also lots to do in Siem Reap itself like cooking classes, spas and landmine museums, and demonstrations with landmine detecting dogs and rats.

Lastly, you’ll end your busy two weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chiang Mai is a more laidback city in Thailand but you’ll still have lots to do. Visit all of the temples and cafes in the old town, climb up the local mountains, head out to one of the elephant sanctuaries nearby, and eat all the Khao Soi you can! If you happen to be in town during the Yi Peng Lantern Festival, you’re in for a treat.

Snubs:

As I said off the top, I’m not a big beach person. So this itinerary definitely doesn’t include some of the best islands and beaches, which I know is a shame since Asia is home to so many. I really wanted to include India (high up on my bucket list), the Great Wall of China and good eating in Shanghai, South Korea, Bali, Singapore, and some places in the Middle East and Central Asia. So many great places got snubbed!

Alternatives:

This is a pretty fast paced itinerary with a lot of flights: five locations and four flights. Luckily, flights in Asia are pretty cheap. However, if you wanted to slow this down, I think you could take out Taiwan and maybe Vietnam too. That way, you’d get all your city time in Tokyo, and still have lots of time to explore the temples in Siem Reap and all the cool places in Chiang Mai.

Two weeks in Europe

London (3 days), Paris (1 day) Amsterdam (2 days), Budapest (3 days), Tuscany (5 days)

Europe was both the hardest and easiest two week itinerary for me to build. I’ve spent so much time in Europe, so have a great idea of places to include. Plus, a lot of people do visit Europe for two weeks, so this is an itinerary I could see people copying. However, having all of that knowledge and pressure made this itinerary very difficult!

This itinerary starts off in London, possibly my favourite city in the world! With three days in London, you’ll have time to see all the highlights like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and the London Eye. You can grab a meal at Borough Market, stroll through Kensington Gardens and see a show in the West End!

From there, you’re hopping on the train for a quick stop in Paris. I know one day is not a long time in Paris but hear me out! I didn’t actually have Paris on my original itinerary, but because you can pass it going from London to Amsterdam, I figured it was worth a quick stop. You’ll have just a night in Paris and your priority should be seeing the Eiffel Tower and eating as many baked good as you can.

You’ll hop back on the train to Amsterdam, where I studied abroad in university. Amsterdam is such a charming city! Enjoy walking along the canals, seeing the tulips, visiting museums and the Anne Frank House, eating pancakes, touring the red light district, and trying not to get hit by a bike!

Next you’ll take a two hour flight to Budapest, one of the coolest cities in Europe. Budapest is so different from anywhere else on this itinerary, has so much to do from bath houses to castle ruins, and is much cheaper than most capital cities in Western Europe.

You’ll end your time in Europe with a relaxing five days in Tuscany, Italy! We stayed at a Tuscan villa with our moms in the fall of 2019 and it was one of my favourite trips. Enjoy the gorgeous scenery and delicious food as you visit nearby small towns, like Siena and San Gimignano, as well as bigger areas like Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre, on day trips.

Snubs:

There were SO MANY snubs in this itinerary! I am heartbroken that I couldn’t include Prague, where we lived for almost a year, and Seville, a city in southern Spain that totally captured my heart. Slovenia, Germany and Portugal were also high on my list but didn’t make the cut. I missed most of Eastern Europe and all of Scandinavia. And it’s a bit of a snub to Paris to only spend one night there!

Alternatives:

There are tons of ways to alter this itinerary to better suite your interests. If Paris is a priority for you, you could shave down some time in Tuscany. And if you want to stay in the west, you could cut Budapest (though I’d rather you didn’t). Check out this post for lots of amazing first trip to Europe itineraries!

Two weeks in Oceania

Sydney (3 days), Melbourne (2 days), Whitsundays/Great Barrier Reef (4 days), Queenstown (3 days), Milford Sound (2 days)

I’ve only been to Oceania once (I won a free trip to Australia!) but New Zealand is at the top of my bucket list. However, as you’ll see, I only dedicated five days to New Zealand on this two week itinerary. Sorry, New Zealand!

You start off in Sydney, one of the easier airports to fly into. You’ll spend your three days exploring the beaches and taking in the main sights, like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. From there you’re onto Melbourne for three days. Spend a day or two in the city, eating at all of the cool restaurants and checking out street art. And then head out on a day trip or overnight on the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles, and hopefully some wild koalas!

You’ll then take a flight to the northeast of the country and spend four relaxing days in the Whitsundays. I’ve never been to the Whitsundays but when my mother-in-law was showing us her photos from Australia, the Whitsunday beaches completely blew me away. Splurge on an amazing resort and head out scuba diving or snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef.

Say goodbye to Australia and head over to New Zealand for your remaining five days. You’ll just be in the South Island and primarily based in Queenstown. In Queenstown you can take in the views over the lake, eat amazing food and satisfy your inner adrenaline junkie. You can also do a day or overnight trip to nearby Wanaka, a cute town with a very famous tree.

Your last two nights will be spent on an epic Milford Sound cruise!

Snubs:

I would’ve loved to include Uluru and more of the outback, Tasmania and other areas in Australia. We recently watched Amazing Race Australia and saw just how many cool places the country has to offer. It also would’ve been great to explore more of New Zealand – I completely skipped the North Island! I also missed out on all of the other countries in Oceania like Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu.

Alternatives:

If you wanted more time in any of the stops, I think I’d suggest cutting Melbourne, as all of the other stops seem pretty iconic. You could also sub out the Whitsundays for a Polynesian island where you’d get your beach time (but no Great Barrier Reef). And if you wanted to see more of New Zealand, you could cut out an Australia stop or two and head up to New Zealand’s North Island.

No Antarctica?

Nope, I’m not including Antarctica in this game. Yes, it’s a continent and yes I’d love to spend two weeks there, but I don’t think it’s an itinerary where you have to make a lot of choices. You get on the boat and they tell you where to go!

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Thanks again to World Wide Honeymoon Travel Podcast for the inspiration for this post! Definitely check out their show if you’re a travel lover and podcast listener.

I want to know: What would be on your two week itinerary for each continent?

 

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