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A 3-Week, $9,000 Round-the-World Trip (Yes, Really)

Reading time: 5 minutes 12 seconds

If you could fly around the world in three weeks, would you?

I used to think round-the-world trips were for gap-year backpackers or retirees with unlimited time. Then I found these flights—LAX to Santiago to Johannesburg to Sydney and back home—for $2,446. Four legs. Three continents. Twenty-one days total.

The full trip—flights, hotels, food, activities, everything—costs around $9,000 per person. That's less than most families spend on two separate vacations. The difference? You get three continents instead of one beach resort.

Why Go Around the World?

Here's what nobody tells you about round-the-world trips: they're not about checking off a bucket list. They're about realizing how small the world actually is.

When you land in Santiago and order a coffee that tastes better than anything back home, you realize South America isn't "exotic"—it's just different. When you watch elephants in South Africa and then sit on Bondi Beach four days later, you understand that adventure and relaxation aren't mutually exclusive.

Most people spend their lives talking about "someday." Someday when the kids are older. Someday when work slows down. Someday when they have more money.

But here's the truth: that "someday" trip is closer than you think. It's just three weeks, one flight search, and the courage to book it.

Table of Contents

• A 3-Week, $9,000 Round-the-World Trip (Yes, Really …

  • Why Go Around the World?

  • The Route: How to Book These Flights

  • Best Time of Year for This Trip

  • Week 1: Santiago, Chile (6 nights)

  • Week 2: Johannesburg, South Africa (6 nights)

  • Week 3: Sydney, Australia (6 nights)

  • The Full Budget Breakdown

  • Money-Saving Hacks

  • Why This Works for Busy Families

The Route: How to Book These Flights

• LAX → Santiago (LATAM, 10h 45min)

• Santiago → Johannesburg via São Paulo (LATAM, 15-20+ hours with layover)

• Johannesburg → Sydney (Qantas, 12h)

• Sydney → LAX (United, 13h 40min)

How to find this itinerary:

Use Google Flights' multi-city search. Enter all four legs at once—don't book them separately or you'll pay double. The key is booking 3-4 months out for the best prices. I've seen this route as low as $2,200 and as high as $3,500 depending on dates.

Pro tip: Flexible dates are your friend. Moving your trip by even 2-3 days can save $400+ per person. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are almost always cheaper than weekends.

Airlines to watch: LATAM, Qantas, United, and Air New Zealand all operate these routes. Set up price alerts on Google Flights and wait for a deal.

Best Time of Year for This Trip

February-March is ideal (late summer/early fall). Here's why:

Santiago: September to March is warm and dry, perfect for wine country and coastal trips. March brings harvest season in the valleys with wine festivals in full swing.

Johannesburg: March to May is autumn—mild weather, fewer crowds, and lower prices after the busy summer. Game viewing is excellent year-round at Kruger and Pilanesberg.

Sydney: March to May is autumn—warm, pleasant weather with fewer tourists than peak summer. Beach weather is still perfect, but you'll avoid the December-February crowds.

Alternative window: September-November works too (spring in the Southern Hemisphere), but you'll catch the tail end of winter in South Africa and early spring in Chile—still good, just slightly cooler.

Week 1: Santiago, Chile (6 nights)

Santiago sits in the shadow of the Andes, close enough to wine country and the coast that you can do both. Spend a day in Valparaíso's painted hills, tour Maipo Valley vineyards, and walk through Lastarria's cafés and Mercado Central's seafood stalls.

Most people skip Santiago for Buenos Aires or Rio. That's exactly why it works—fewer crowds, lower prices, more space to just be somewhere different.

Where to stay:

• Budget: Hostal Providencia or similar ($50-70/night)

• Mid-range: Courtyard Santiago Las Condes ($100-130/night)

• Splurge: The Singular Santiago ($200-250/night)

Stay in Providencia or Las Condes for safety and walkability. Avoid staying near the airport—it's 40 minutes from the city center.

Budget for 6 nights: ~$600-750 (hotels), ~$400 (food/activities)

Week 2: Johannesburg, South Africa (6 nights)

Joburg isn't pretty, but it's real. You feel South Africa's history in Soweto, at the Apartheid Museum, in conversations over a braai. Within a few hours, you're on safari in Pilanesberg or Kruger, watching elephants cross the road.

This is the stop that changes the trip from "cool itinerary" to "I can't believe we just did that."

Where to stay:

• Budget: Curiocity Backpackers Johannesburg ($45-60/night)

• Mid-range: The Maslow Sandton or Protea Hotel ($100-150/night)

• Splurge: Four Seasons The Westcliff ($300+/night)

Sandton is the safest, most convenient base. It's modern, walkable, and 30 minutes from the airport. Don't stay downtown—stick to Sandton or Rosebank.

Safari options:

• Pilanesberg (2-day trip): $300-500 per person

• Kruger National Park (2-3 days): $400-700 per person depending on lodge

Book safari tours in advance through reputable operators. Budget safaris exist, but this isn't the place to cheap out.

Budget for 6 nights: ~$700-900 (hotels), ~$800-1,200 (food/activities/safari)

Week 3: Sydney, Australia (6 nights)

By the time you land in Sydney, you've crossed two continents and logged 40+ hours in the air. Then you walk along Bondi Beach or catch the ferry to Manly, and you remember why you left home.

Walk the coastal trail from Bondi to Coogee. Drink flat whites in Surry Hills. Tour the Opera House. Sit by the harbor and watch the sun set over the bridge.

Where to stay:

• Budget: Wake Up! Sydney Central ($60-80/night)

• Mid-range: Adina Apartment Hotel or Ovolo ($140-180/night)

• Splurge: Park Hyatt Sydney ($400+/night with Opera House views)

Stay in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, or near Circular Quay for easy access to beaches, restaurants, and sights. Avoid staying in Kings Cross.

Budget for 6 nights: ~$900-1,100 (hotels), ~$600-800 (food/activities)

The Full Budget Breakdown

Here's what the entire 3-week trip actually costs:

• Flights (LAX-Santiago-Johannesburg-Sydney-LAX): $2,446

• Hotels (18 nights, mid-range): $2,200-2,750

• Food (3 weeks at ~$70/day): $1,500

• Activities:

  • Santiago wine tours & Valparaíso: $150

  • Joburg safari (2 days): $400-700

  • Sydney Opera House, coastal walks, ferries: $150

  • Misc/transport: $300

• Total activities/transport: $1,000-1,300

Grand total per person: $7,150-7,950 base / $8,500-9,500 with safari

For a couple: $15,000-19,000 for three weeks around the world.

That's what many families spend on a week in Europe or a Caribbean resort. Here, you get three continents, four countries, and memories that don't fit in a single Instagram caption.

Money-Saving Hacks

1. Book flights in incognito mode. Airlines track your searches and raise prices. Clear cookies or use a VPN.

2. Use travel credit cards strategically. The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you 60,000 points (worth $750+ in travel) after spending $4,000 in 3 months. That's nearly free flights if you time it right.

3. Skip expensive airport meals. Pack snacks for long flights. A $15 airport sandwich becomes $45 for a family.

4. Eat where locals eat. In Santiago, Mercado Central beats any tourist restaurant. In Joburg, try a braai at a local spot. In Sydney, grab fish and chips at Manly instead of harbor restaurants.

5. Book accommodations with kitchens. Airbnb or aparthotels let you make breakfast and pack lunches. You'll save $20-30/day easily.

6. Use public transport. Santiago's metro is $1.50. Sydney's Opal card offers discounts. Uber/taxis add up fast—trains don't.

7. Free activities are everywhere. Beaches, coastal walks, parks, and markets cost nothing. You don't need to pay for entertainment when you're somewhere beautiful.

8. Travel in shoulder season. February-March and September-November offer 20-30% savings on hotels compared to peak summer (December-January).

Why This Works for Busy Families

Three weeks is the sweet spot. Six nights per destination means you actually experience the place instead of just checking boxes. You have time to recover from long flights and settle in.

The flights do the heavy lifting. Each one moves you forward—no backtracking, no wasted travel days. You land, explore, move on.

It's balanced. Mountains in Chile. Safari in South Africa. Beaches in Australia. You're not choosing between adventure and relaxation. You're getting both.

It's realistic. Most Americans get 10-15 days of PTO. Add weekends on each end and you're at 17-21 days. This isn't a sabbatical—it's just using your vacation time differently.

Most people will spend their entire lives talking about "someday." Someday when they have more time. Someday when they have more money.

But the trip that feels impossible is usually just one good flight search away.

Three weeks. Three continents. One itinerary that proves you don't need to quit your job or empty your savings to see the world.

You just need to say yes.

— Jeff

P.S. LinkedIn is my main social media right now. I’ve got 2,000+ connections and I post every weekday. If you want more travel hacks and a look behind the scenes of building The World Unfolding, follow me here: linkedin.com/in/jeffrehmar