Backpacking Essentials – The Ultimate Packing List for Backpackers

I guess there are only two types of people: Those who hate packing and those who enjoy it. As for me, I am more the second type of person as packing always makes me look forward to my upcoming trip. But to be honest, it is not easy to find the perfect combination of things that you need to take with you and things that you want to take with you. So, I have created a list of all Backpacking essentials. 

For those of you struggling with figuring out what to pack, I am happy to share my personal packing list, which I have also partly used for my campervan packing list, with you. Therefore, I have split my belongings into four different groups. At the end of the article, I have also listed which of the items are found in my carry-on luggage (which is usually a small bag).

To begin with, you need to consider a few tips for packing light. Efficient packing is essential for a trip where you are carrying all your belongings on your back. Whether you are traveling for 2 weeks or 6 months, the number of clothes should not make a huge difference as you will always have the possibility to wash your clothes. As for me, my backpack always weighs around 9-11 kg, no matter if I was traveling for 7 days in Jordan, 3 weeks in Vietnam, or 3 months in Thailand.

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The ultimate Backpacking essentials you will need for your trip

Travel Essentials/ Main Backpacking Essentials

• Passport
• (International) Driving license
• Vaccination card (here’s a list of which vaccines you need for which country)
• Travel purse (to keep your most important documents and money)
• Small handbag/ jute bag
• Packing Cubes to keep your Backpack organized and save space (here’s a comparison of the best Packing Cubes on Amazon)
• Padlock (especially necessary if you are staying in a Hostel)
• Sunglasses
• Sunhat
• Small notebook and pen
• A book or Kindle (check out my list of the best books about travel and self-discovery)

Electronic Equipment

Your electronic equipment always has to be put in your carry-on luggage. In case you do not need a laptop on your trip, I would not recommend taking one with you as your phone or a tablet is just fine for organizing all the necessary things during your trip.

• Phone
• Camera
• Adapter
• Charging cables
• Earphones
• Powerbank
• (Laptop/ Tablet)

Clothes

Regarding clothes, I always try to pack clothing items that I can combine in different ways. For short trips (under 2 weeks) it can even help to compile full outfits for each day. Packing cubes are great for keeping your clothes organized and saving space in your luggage.

Also, I recommend choosing clothes that are made out of a light fabric and can be folded/ rolled easily. For example, jeans fabric is very heavy and takes up a lot of space in your backpack. My rule number one when packing clothes is asking myself the following two questions: “Can I really imagine myself wearing this at the destination?” and “Do I really need this (more than once) on the trip?” If this isn’t the case then the clothes are not joining the trip. In general, you will rather regret taking too much with you than the other way around, trust me! So, here is my list of clothes (warm destination):

• Shoes
• Sneakers, flip-flops, sandals (one pair of each)
• Jeans (1 long, 2 short)
• Leggings/ comfortable trousers (1)
• Tshirts and tops (10-12)
• Pullover, Sweater (2)
• Dresses (3)
• Skirts (2)
• Bikinis (2-3)
• Socks (10-15)
• Underwear
• Jacket (1)

Toilette Bag

• Medicaments

My essential medicaments when traveling to any country are paracetamol, aspirin, disinfection spray, an anti-inflammatory ointment, throat lozenges, and some band-aids. In the unlikely event that you get really sick on your trip, the medicaments of the destination’s doctors are probably the most helpful. 

• Towels (two small quick-drying microfiber towels)
• Mosquito spray
• Sunscreen and After-sun Body lotion
• Shampoo and shower gel
• Razor
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Face creme
• Make-up
• Deodorant
• Hairbrush and hair ties
• Nail set
• Feminine hygiene products
• (contact lenses)

What do I put in my Carry-on Luggage?

• All electronic equipment (incl. earphones)
• Travel documents (passport, vaccination card, driving license)
• Wallet
• Notebook and pen
• Book/ Travel Guide
• Small toilette bag (toothbrush, disinfection spray, creme)
• Sunglasses                                                                       
• (Sleeping mask and neck pillow)
• (Necessary medicine)

I hope you feel confident about the backpacking essentials now and start your solo travel adventure ASAP. Please let me know if I missed anything and make sure to save this post for later! 🙂

Can’t decide where to go? Take a look at detailed destination guides about my favorite places!

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