What goes into a travel recap video
The best recaps are short and in order: one route, one vehicle per leg, one photo per stop.
The route
Every place you went, joined in the order you went. The line draws itself stop by stop, so the order of the year is the story.
The vehicle
A plane for flights, a car or campervan for road trips, a train or ferry where that's how you travelled. Each leg can use its own vehicle.
The photos
One photo at each stop is enough. Pick the shot that says the most about the place, not the one with the best light.
The labels
Place names and country flags let viewers follow along without sound — most people watch recaps muted at first.
How to make your travel recap
- 01
List your places in order
Scroll your camera roll or Google Maps Timeline month by month and write down each city in the order you visited it.
- 02
Add them in Travel Animator
Search for each place, drop a pin, or paste a Google Maps link. Use a recorded GPX file for a hike, ride or road trip you tracked.
- 03
Choose vehicles, map and photos
Set a vehicle for each leg, pick a map style, and attach a photo at the stops you want to linger on.
- 04
Export vertical and post
Export at 9:16 for Reels, TikTok and Shorts. Free includes HD with a watermark; Pro adds 4K and removes it. Add your music in the app you post from.
Recap ideas that work
Every flight of the year
One plane, every airport, back home at the end. The simplest recap to make and the easiest to follow.
The country count
Open on the number — “14 countries in 2026” — then let the route prove it, with a flag at each border you crossed.
The year's big road trip
If one trip defined the year, give it the whole video: a car from the first stop to the last, with a photo at each overnight.
Home to home
Start and end every leg at home, so the video shows how far each trip took you and that you always came back.
When to post your recap
Year-in-travel recaps are posted mostly in the last two weeks of December and the first days of January, when everyone is looking back. Make yours before the holidays, then post it as soon as your last trip of the year is over.
Travel recap videos: FAQ
How do I make a travel recap video?
List the places you visited this year in order, add them in Travel Animator, choose a vehicle for each leg and a map style, add a photo at each stop, and export the video at 9:16. No video editor or keyframing is needed.
Can I make a travel recap for free?
Yes. Route creation, preview and HD export are included in Free, with a watermark. Pro adds the full model and map-style libraries, 4K export and watermark removal. Check the current features and price in the app.
Can one recap mix flights and road trips?
Yes. Each leg of the route can use a different vehicle, so a flight, a train ride and a road trip can sit in the same recap video.
What size should a travel recap be for Reels and TikTok?
Use 9:16 vertical for Reels, TikTok, Shorts and Stories. Use 16:9 if the recap is the opening of a YouTube video or a slide in a presentation.
How long should a travel recap video be?
Fifteen to thirty seconds suits most social recaps. Give each stop enough time to read its label; for a year with many places, a faster speed or fewer photos keeps it short.
Can I use my Google Maps Timeline?
Use your Timeline, or the locations on your photos, as the checklist of where you went and in what order, then add those places in Travel Animator by search or a Google Maps link.
More ways to tell the year
Read the step-by-step recap tutorial, learn how to show country flags, or see plane route animations. Comparing apps? See Travel Animator vs TravelBoast and vs mult.dev.
Make your 2026 travel recap
Free on iOS and Android. Your year, in thirty seconds.
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