Backpacking is off the beaten path. Your shoes take you everywhere
Most of us are regular tourist or travellers and not a typical backpacker, and we all require different things in our luggage. Travel packing is not just one-way forward, we are all different. My point and advice is you don´t need a lot when you travel. You never need as much as you think.
Travel and research: How to Plan a Trip
Pack as normal tourist
#1 Travel packing light or as little as possible, is rule number one. Everything I need for a month away fits into a quality bag, a suitcase or one backpack. In addition, I need a small backpack for photo and podcast equipment.
Buy on the road
#2 If you stick to the same climate during your trip you don´t need to carry lots of different cloths. Write your requirement list – and then cut it in half. For sure, plans can change, and then you can buy something needed. It´s not hard to find medicine, umbrella or cloths overseas.
Pack as Backpacker
#3 The backpack is essential. Try different ones and get help to find the one that fits your body and the size for your trip. You are always moving, packing and unpacking and use packing cubes in different sizes.
Shoes most important
#4 Backpacking is getting off the beaten path and your shoes will take you everywhere. Find a Gore-Tex shoe that can take you to the top of Machu Picchu, through the jungle, the desert and the rain. Bring light sneakers for everything else and flip flops for the beaches.
More advice
#5 Other equipment essentials is a head torch. You will need a padlock for hostel lockers and small padlocks to secure your backpack. Use the ones with a code so you can ́t loose the keys! Do not bother bringing a sleeping bag and camping gear. You can rent this if needed.
Read how to prepare – Advice from Backpacker Nina
Party Clothes
#6 You are well prepared for a party if you bring some nice cloths. Bring a pair of dress shoes, black dress socks and a dress shirt for going to high profile places in the evening. You might be invited to a party and need to dress up or show up at a place not sneaker-friendly. You don´t need to look as a backpacker.
No Advice
#7 I expect you to be a grown up, of this reason I don´t advice you to bring underwear and toothbrush. But don´t forget a small medical kit and a universal power adapter.
Share in the Air
#8 The best things in life were made to be shared. So if you know somebody who’d enjoy our travel advice and quality journalism, you are free to share. Thank You!
Find Motivation: Best Travel Tips
Thank you for this, I’ve never really backpacked before, but the idea is really interesting since I’ve always loved to be in nature and just be surrounded by plants and trees with the feeling the breeze of wind, and just overall travel to new places where I’ve never been. It’s news to me that you would need some party clothes, but thinking about it you can never really be too prepared, I will definitely keep this in mind so that whenever I decide to go backpacking I’d be prepared as I can.