I think it can be done successfully, but what your career is, might influence your re-entry.
Tech jobs, unfortunately, a 6 month or 1 year break might give you the “aura” of having out of date skills. It’s part of what kept me working after I had kids. (I’m an engineer).
I did take a 3 month sabbatical once. It was a hot job market (dot com boom) so I was able to negotiate an unpaid sabbatical. I’d just gotten married. We traveled across the US by car then visited several countries in Europe. It was awesome.
My husband has taken strategic breaks between jobs… The same 3 month period… plus another 6 month break when his dad broke his hip, got brain damage during surgery. We moved them in with us and hubby did active rehab that was NOT happening via the insurance system. He also took a break when he was designing the granny flat (the his parents now live in). Before I met him he took a year off to rehab his first house – it was a gutted HUD home when he purchased it so he did the drywall – finish plumbing, etc.
My sister has taken sabbatical – to care for my grandmother.
Some employers offer unpaid sabbaticals. Some don’t. (Some offer them on paper, but won’t approve them.)
My advise – make sure your skill sets are marketable, you have money to sit it out if you can’t find a job when you’re done traveling, and go for it.
