A (longer) backpacking adventure requires a lot of planning and of course the backpack has to be packed. But what do you have to think about? Packing can be super stressfull, I know so hopefully I can help you to take away a bit of the stress and remind you of everything you need with my Packing List.
Of course, these are just tips and maybe you don’t need everything. You can also take other things with you that may be important to you but are not on this list. But from my experience I can say that you shouldn’t travel without these things:
Bags
Backpack
The most important thing for your backpacking adventure is, of course, your backpack 😉 Make sure to buy a high-quality backpack, because if you buy cheap, you buy twice… Osprey backpacks are very popular among backpackers. My backpack is from Frilufts and is also of very good quality.
Rain cover for the backpack
To prevent your expensive backpack from getting ruined or your clothes from getting wet, a rain cover for rainy days can be worthwhile. These are often already included when you buy the backpack. I put the rain cover on my backpack for every trip, whether it rains or not. That way, I protect it from getting damaged during flights or bus rides.
Packing Cubes
A backpack can quickly turn into a big mess when you’re trying to get something out that you packed at the very bottom. To avoid repacking every day and constantly searching for clothing, packing cubes can help keep your luggage organized. Packing cubes are small bags where you can store your belongings. For example, you can keep your underwear in one cube and your T-shirts in another. This way, everything in your backpack has its place.
Daypack
For day trips, you should bring a backpack with enough space for food and water to last the whole day. Since you’ll likely be walking a lot and doing some climbing up and down, a shoulder bag is not really suitable for longer tours. You can also use your daypack as your carry-on for the flight.
Small Hipbag
Instead of a handbag, I like to take a hipbag with me when I travel. It fits all the important things you might need quickly. A hipbag is especially practical because, for example, it’s less likely to be stolen.
Beach Bag
A small pouch or shoulder bag that doesn’t take up too much space in your backpack can be very useful for going to the beach, for example.
Dry Bag
A dry bag can be useful for water-based excursions. A dry bag is a waterproof bag. If you want to bring your phone on a boat trip to take great photos, for instance, you can store it in a dry bag to keep it from getting wet. Other items like a change of clothes or your wallet can also be safely stored in a dry bag.
Documents
Passport
The most important thing on your trip is probably your passport. Before you start your trip, make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months.
Visa
Before entering each country, you should check at least 7 days in advance what the entry conditions are in the respective country and what kind of visa you need. Sometimes you get a visa directly upon entry. However, in some cases, you may need to apply for the visa a few days in advance.
Credit card
Before you travel, you should let your bank know that you will be abroad for a while. Otherwise, your card may be blocked due to unknown transactions. You should also carry at least two credit cards with you, in case you lose one, one gets stolen, or one suddenly stops working. You don’t want to end up alone and without money in a foreign country.
Travel insurance
Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. Be sure to have health insurance, accident insurance and liability insurance. Alternatively, luggage insurance is also recommended. When you are from Germany I can recommend HanseMerkur.
Vaccination Record
Before your trip, make sure you have all the vaccinations you might need.
Copies of Your Important Documents
In case you lose an important document like your passport, it can be very helpful to show a copy at the embassy. Sometimes, a copy of your passport is sufficient for identification purposes. In such cases, it’s safer to keep your actual passport locked up in your hostel locker and only carry the copy with you. This lowers the risk of losing an important document.
Emergency Numbers
For emergencies, you should keep a note in your wallet with all the important phone numbers and contact details, such as those of your family.
Clothing
I think we all know the feeling: whether it’s a weekend getaway, a summer vacation, or a weeks-long backpacking trip — by the end of the journey, you always find clothes in your luggage that you never wore. Try to really limit yourself to the essentials for your backpacking adventure. Everything you don’t need is just extra weight.
Rain Jacket
No matter where your backpacking adventure takes you, you’ll inevitably get caught in bad weather now and then. Since you’ll want to make the most of your trip even on rainy days instead of staying inside your accommodation, you should definitely bring a rain jacket that keeps you warm.
Comfortable Clothing
When choosing your clothes, don’t just go for the nicest and most stylish pieces — also bring clothes that are comfortable, can get dirty, and can even get damaged. Your clothes will take a beating while traveling, whether from washing them in cheap hostel machines, wearing them repeatedly on hikes, or simply from being stored in your backpack. By the end of your trip, your clothes definitely won’t look as good as they did at the beginning.
Dressy Clothes
Still, you should pack at least one or two nicer tops, because you’ll almost certainly want to experience the nightlife during your trip. And let’s be honest — you probably don’t want to show up at a bar or club in your dirty hiking gear 😉
Sweater / Warm Clothing
Even if you’re traveling to a country known for being warm, there can still be chilly nights (for example, due to air conditioning in your room), so you’ll need a thick sweater.
Clothes that cover knees and shoulders
Depending on which countries you travel to, you’ll need clothes that cover your knees and shoulders — for example, when visiting a temple or mosque. In Morocco, for example, revealing clothing on women is often frowned upon.
Compression Socks
For long flights and bus rides, you should definitely get compression socks. On long bus trips, it’s also important to take advantage of breaks to stretch your legs. After all, it would be a shame if your trip were ruined by a case of thrombosis.
You should also pack: a cap or some kind of head covering, swimwear, sportswear (which works well for hiking), and a thick jacket to protect you from the cold — depending on where you’re traveling.
Cosmetics
Among the most important toiletries (depending on what you personally need) are: toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo / conditioner, shower gel, creams / skincare products, deodorant, makeup, brush / comb, hair ties, dry shampoo (helpful if you go several days without access to a shower), nail scissors, sunscreen, after-sun lotion, and hand sanitizer.
Also include hygiene items such as tampons, pads, tissues, and condoms.
Medicine
Travel Sickness Tablets
If you tend to get seasick or carsick easily, travel sickness tablets can be very helpful.
Painkillers
Ibuprofen and paracetamol can be useful on any trip for all kinds of pain.
Mosquito Spray & Mosquito Ointment
To protect yourself from mosquitoes, a mosquito spray can be helpful. A cooling mosquito ointment is especially useful if you’ve already been bitten.
Other helpful medications for your trip may include: wound cream, band-aids, birth control pills, and any other medication you personally need.
Shoes
Flip-Flops / Slides
Flip-flops or slides are especially useful as indoor shoes in hostels and are also perfect for the beach.
Sports Shoes
For longer walks and hikes, you should definitely bring shoes that are very comfortable and suitable for walking long distances. They should also be shoes that can get dirty. Depending on how many hikes you’re planning, hiking boots might also be worth considering.
Electronics
Headphones
While traveling, you’ll often cover long distances by bus or plane. For these multi-hour journeys, headphones are perfect for passing the time with music, podcasts, series, or movies.
Power Bank
Depending on how long you’re traveling on a given day, whether you have a long bus ride ahead, or you’ll be without power for several days, eventually, your phone battery will start to run low. And a plug is not always available. That’s why I recommend packing a power bank that can charge your phone multiple times.
Laptop / iPad
A laptop or iPad isn’t absolutely necessary; it’s up to you whether you want to bring one or not. Personally, I always take my laptop with me to use it as a backup storage for my photos and videos, in case I lose my phone. But I also have my laptop with me for other tasks I prefer doing on it rather than on my phone while traveling.
External Hard Drive / SD Cards
If you decide to bring a laptop, it might be worth bringing a small external hard drive with enough storage space. You can store all your photos and videos on it, so you won’t have to worry about anything getting lost.
Camera, GoPro & Drone
Whether or not you bring a camera, GoPro, or drone is up to you. However, the photos you take with a good camera will be much better than those taken with your phone. Especially with a GoPro, you can capture amazing underwater shots while snorkeling. The footage you can get with a drone from the air is always breathtaking.
If you decide to bring a camera, GoPro, or drone, make sure to take good care of them so they don’t get stolen. Also, keep in mind that you’ll be carrying a heavy load on long trips.
Tripod
If you’re bringing your camera, a tripod can also be useful. If you’re traveling alone, a phone tripod can be helpful to take nice photos of yourself. Check out small travel tripods on Amazon — they don’t take up too much space in your backpack.
Charging Cables
Don’t forget the charging cables for your phone, camera, laptop/iPad, GoPro, and drone! 🙂
Other Stuff
Padlock
In most hostels, you’ll have a small locker where you can store your valuables. For that, you should definitely get a lock. It’s most practical to have a combination lock, as keys can get lost easily.
World wide travel adapter
Power outlets can vary from country to country. A world wide travel adapter can be useful, as it works in many countries. Additionally, with such an adapter, you can charge several devices at once.
Towels
Not all hostels provide towels, so you should definitely bring your own. It might also be worth bringing an extra beach towel that can get sandy. On Amazon, you can find microfiber towels that are lightweight, quick-drying, absorbent, and antibacterial —perfect for your backpack.
Neck Pillow
Since you’ll be taking long flights, bus rides, or car trips during your journey, a neck pillow is a good investment for these long travels. With it, you can sleep much better and avoid getting a stiff neck.
Earplugs and Sleep Mask
I never want to sleep in a hostel again without earplugs and a sleep mask. There will always be times when you have people in your room who don’t consider whether others are already asleep. They might come into your room at two in the morning, be loud, and turn the lights back on. To avoid hearing too much of this, a sleep mask and earplugs can be very helpful.
Sunglasses
When it’s very sunny, you shouldn’t skip bringing a pair of sunglasses.
Sleeping Bag
I now bring a sleeping bag on every one of my backpacking trips. You never know where your journey will take you, whether the bedding in your accommodation is hygienic, or if it might get colder at night than you expected.
Water Bottle
A water bottle with a capacity of about one liter that you can refill anywhere is very practical. Although if you can’t drink the tap water, some hostels provide free drinking water that you can use to refill your bottle regularly.
Lunchbox
Not only a water bottle but also a lunchbox can be very useful. A collapsible lunchbox is especially recommended, as it takes up less space in your luggage.
Travel Detergent
Maybe you’ll find yourself without access to a washing machine, or you only have one T-shirt that urgently needs washing. In such cases, it’s not really worth running a full laundry load. That’s why it can be practical to have travel detergent in your luggage. You can easily and quickly wash your clothes in the sink with it.
Travel Hairdryer
Most hostels don’t provide hairdryers, straighteners, or similar items, so if you need one, you should bring a travel hairdryer or straightener.
Glasses / Contact Lenses + Fluid
Only if you need them.
Chewing Gum
Depending on whether you have issues with air pressure while flying, you should always have a pack of chewing gum with you on flights.
Plastic Bags
I always like to have a few plastic bags with me during my travels. They can be very helpful in many situations, like when shampoo leaks or isn’t tightly closed, and you don’t want to ruin your luggage, or if you have leftover food you want to eat later.
Pepper Spray
Especially as a woman, it can be reassuring to carry pepper spray with you. It’s not always easy to get hold of pepper spray, and you definitely can’t bring it on a plane. However, if it’s possible for you to carry pepper spray, have it with you. As an alternative, you can also use small deodorant or hairspray bottles.
Get your free Packing List!
You can download my free Packing List for every Backpacking Adventure here, to make sure you don’t forget a thing.
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