After the success of our round-the-world contests (where the experts found incredible deals on flights to 6 different continents) we figured it was time to fly around the world again.
The 7 Natural Wonders Challenge
The goal was to find the cheapest way to fly to all 7 Natural Wonders of the World. To motivate our experts we offered them a $250 finder's fee.
1. Grand Canyon
2. Great Barrier Reef
3. Harbor at Rio de Janeiro
4. Mount Everest
5. Northern Lights
6. Parícutin Volcano
7. Victoria Falls
The Rules
- A minimum of 72 hours and a maximum of 2 weeks at each destination
- The freedom to pick whichever airport/city to use for each wonder
- Must start and end your trip at the same city (but can be anywhere in the world)
- Find availability for at least two passengers
How much would this trip normally cost?
We spoke to several travel agents to try and get a quote for this type of extravagant trip. Arif Khan from Norko Travel told us it would be 'a lot higher than $5,000' but that wasn't good enough. We wanted to know how much higher. We then spoke with Jose Catalan from Comfort Travel Agency in Montreal. He quoted us a price of 'at least $10,000 if not more' and with 26 years experience as a travel agent, he was pretty convincing.
Flying to all 7 Wonders should cost min. $10,000 but our experts found it for $3,370
The Results
See the World and All Its Wonders for Cheap
The lowest price came in from RDX (the winner) at US$3,370, flying out of Sydney. Here are some of the stops it includes:
Las Vegasto see the Grand Canyon (for 8 days)Guadalajarato climb up Pericutin Volcano (for 6 days)- 6 days in
Los Angeles, just for fun Rioto walk around the famous harbor (for 10 days)- 4 days in
Barcelona, just for fun - 12 days in
Oslo, Norway, for some more fun Tromsøto see the Northern Lights (for 10 days)- 1 day in
Barcelona, cause you didn't get enough the first time Livingstoneto take a photo with Victoria Falls (for 8 days)Kathmanduto see Mount Everest (for 2 weeks)Mackayto snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef (for 1 week)
7 Wonders in 14 weeks with stops all around the world for just $3,370
The best thing about RDX's itinerary is that you get to see so much of the world, even popular cities outside the ones that house the 7 Wonders. Plus, you'll get to see the Northern Lights from Tromsø, one of the best places to see the lights on the entire planet.
On the down side, most of these airports are a bit far away from the actual Wonders. It will take fairly long car rides to get to the Grand Canyon from Vegas, to Pericutin Volcano from Guadalajara and (a long ride or quick plane) to the Great Barrier Reef from Mackay.
Fly with Premium Airlines to 7 Wonders in 7 Weeks
The next best price was just $3,400 from Matdel, flying out of LA. Here's what the trip looks like:
Vegasto see the Grand Canyon (4 days)Guadalajarafor Pericutin Volcano (4 days)Rioto walk around the harbor (7 days)Rovaniemito see the Northern Lights (5 days)Livingstoneto see Victoria Falls (3 days)Kathmanduto take a helicopter over Mount Everest (7 days)Cairnsto snorkel the Great Barrier Reef (4 days)
The best thing about Matdel's itinerary is that it includes flights from premium airlines like Malaysia Airlines (rated 5 stars) and there aren't many long layovers. Plus Cairns is as close as you can get to the Great Barrier Reef without landing your plane on the coral.
On the other hand Matdel also chose some of those far off airports like Vegas and Guadalajara. But probably the biggest down side to this itinerary is how fast you go through each Wonder. You'll be spending a lot of time on planes and not that much time on land. It may be a bit dizzying.
Take a Perfectly Planned World Wonders Tour
Sometimes finding the best deal isn't just about finding the lowest price.
For just over $5,000 our expert, Mr.Hyde created an itinerary that stops at all the nearest airports; no 5-hour car rides necessary and no whizzing through each wonder. Plus he's even given transport and lodging suggestions as well as information on each of the Wonders.
For the Pericutin Volcano he said:"To get there, we fly through Los Angeles to the town of Uruapan. From this town, regular buses go to the village of Paricutin. Guides are available in the village and you may even be able to stay in your guide's house for a reasonable fee."
While all the other experts flew in through Guadalajara, which is hours away from the volcano, Mr.Hyde got you right where you need to go:
He did the same thing to get to the Grand Canyon. Rather than stopping at Vegas, which involves a long and boring car ride, he flew you into Flagstaff.
And if you were wondering what to do at the Grand Canyon (besides just stare at it) he says:"If possible, do go on a helicopter ride over the canyon. This is one location that makes you realise how small we are in this world."
And for viewing the Victoria Falls he offered another piece of classic advice:"Livingstone in Zambia is only 11kms away from Victoria Falls. It costs about $10 for a taxi to the Zimbabwe border and once in Zimbabwe, you can walk to Victoria Falls. Don't forget to cross the gorge on the narrow bridge as it has spectacular views"
His trip might be a bit pricier, but for every extra cent you pay you make up for it in convienience and time saved.
What's on your Bucket List?
If this kind of round-the-world trip is for you there's no better time or place to set your plans in motion (the Natural Wonders won't be around forever)! Most people don't ever get to see a natural wonder, let alone all seven.
But if the 7 Wonders aren't at the top of your bucket list, our experts can still help. The Flightfox experts know how to find cheap deals, and they're real people, so you can talk to them and get advice and help when planning the trip of your dreams.
Your bucket list doesn't have to take ten years or $10,000 to get through. If you can see all 7 Natural Wonders in one go for $3,400, there isn't much our experts can't find for you.
Why not launch your own contest and let our flight experts help you cross something off your bucket list?
