Take the Stress out of Travel
You’ve made the decision to hit the road, and go backpacking, congratulations, you’ve got that feeling of total freedom! What next, you might be asking yourself? For that reason, I’ve put together this ideal long term travel packing list.
It was a major headache for me, not quite knowing what I’d need to pack for such a long trip. I was terrified of leaving something behind that I’d later regret or taking too much.
This list is suitable for central and South America, however, most of these ideas will be useful wherever you are going. Remember that whatever you pack, you’ll be carrying on your back for 6 months, 12 months or however long it may be. Always have in the back of your mind, the less the better.
I’ve built this list with a trip to a warmer climate in mind, as this is where most backpackers head to. This would include Central and South America, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.
Deciding what to take with you is only one consideration. For more essential travel tips read the article below. If you’re still saving for you perfect trip find how to save faster and better – its easier than you think!
packing list: Suitcase or Backpack?
Most backpackers and travellers on long term trips opt for a backpack rather than a suitcase with wheels. A backpack is easier to carry when walking along cobbled streets or up hills and it leaves your hands free.
I would only suggest a suitcase if you have some health problems and for some reason can’t carry the bag on your back.
packing list: Style of Backpack?
Another style consideration is a top loading hiking style bag or a front opening bag that opens more like a suitcase. My preference is the front opening bag. It’s so much easier to access everything without totally emptying your bag.
I’ve seen fellow travellers with top loaders, every time they want to get something they seem to empty the whole contents of their bag. It’s just a bad design, so go for a front-loading style.
What size Backpack - Size MAtters?
One of the first questions to answer is what size backpack should you go with? Do you want to only travel with carry-on to save costs on flights? Or you prefer to take a few more things with you in a larger pack? There is advantages and disadvantages to both.
The size will really depend on you, and how you prefer to travel. I would suggest considering two options:
- 35L – 40L is usually suitable for carry-on luggage
- 60L – 70L is big enough for everything you will ever need
I travelled for 5 months in Central America and used a 70L + 13L backpack plus a day backpack and had more than enough space. This should be the maximum you would ever need and after a while I regretted bringing so much with me.
My suggested travel packing list is designed for a 60-70 Litre backpack, and I’ll note what items to leave out if you prefer a smaller 35-40L backpack.
I have an Osprey backpack (see below) and am a big fan – it’s light weight, durable and comfortable to carry. You can buy the 70L + 13L option or a 40L option. A friend bought the 40L bag for a two-year trip and he highly recommends. I have seen it in action and if you like to travel light this is the perfect bag.
Long Term Travel Packing List: clothing
When it comes to clothing, you need to get the right balance, which isn’t easy. I always try to bring things that I would wear in my everyday life. If you normally wear Jeans, pack a pair of Jeans. You really don’t need to think about buying special ‘functional clothing’.
You’ll likely be partying at night (sometimes!), so think about what you like to wear in the evenings. Possibly a nice pair of shoes, smart shirt/dress or whatever it might be. Have one, maximum 2 going out outfits.
You’ll always inevitably pack more than you need, so put it all in your backpack, and then review, and take a few things out.
Footwear to pack for travel
· Shoes: Maximum of two pairs, try to bring pairs that are multi-functional. If you have a pair of shoes that are good for hiking and good for walking than that’s great. If they also look good and you can wear them in the evenings even better.
· Flip Flops: A must have and useful for walking in to hostel bathrooms, as well as the beach. If you have a pair of sandals with a buckle these are also good as can be worn in the water. I took a pair of water shoes with me but only used them twice in my whole trip so this is something I will do without next time.
Underwear to pack for travel
· Pairs of socks x 6 and underwear x 8: Due to the hot weather, you’ll likely be wearing flip flops often so won’t get through socks as quickly as underwear. The more underwear you have the less often you’ll need to do laundry.
Tops to pack for travel
· T-Shirts / Polo Shirts x 3-4: You can always buy more on your trip if this isn’t enough.
· Vests x 1-2: Due to the hot climate vests are a good item to have with you and don’t take up as much space as larger t-shirts.
· Long sleeved shirt x 1: Can be used for going out, and if the evenings get a little cooler where you are. Make it light weight material.
· Jumper x 1: It’s always useful to have the possibility of an extra layer. Choose one that’s not too thick and heavy though. Even in warm climate countries, if you’re planning on any hiking at altitude, remember the temperature will drop a lot.
· Thermal Base Layers x 1: These are only required if you plan to do some hiking, or visit mountainous regions, where the temperature will drop. It can get cold, and some accommodation in remote places don’t have heating, so a thermal layer like this can be a lifesaver. I loved having this when hiking Volcano Acatenango in Guatemala.
Shorts / Pants / Trousers to pack for travel
· Shorts x 2: You’ll be wearing these most days. One of my pairs of shorts doubled up as hiking pants as I could unzip the lower legs. This was a great space saver. Another tip – Try to buy shorts that have zipped pockets – they are great for additional security.
· Jeans x 1: I wear jeans every day at home so why not take a pair with you. Wherever you are , in the evenings in many places it gets colder. I wore my jeans often so definitely take a pair of long pants.
Jacket / Coat / Swimwear to pack for travel
· Lightweight, waterproof jacket: This is sometimes worth an investment. If you can get one that keeps you warm, keeps you dry, and is light weight, it’s worth the money.
· Swimwear: Don’t forget your swim wear, you’ll almost definitely need this at some point on a long trip.
Long Term Travel Packing List: accessories
· Pair of sunglasses, and a hard case. I’m awful with either losing or breaking sunglasses. I always buy mine at TK Maxx, you can get a good pair for under £20, so you’re not gutted when you lose them or crush them in your bag.
· Towel: These days you can get great microfibre travel towels (see below), that dry quickly, and fold very small, to save space in your luggage. Try to survive with this one towel, buy a large size, as the small ones, are not much more than a tea towel. If you’re going to the beach every day, you can always buy a beach towel on your trip and then give it away before you leave.
· Baseball cap: I don’t usually wear one at home, but if you’re in a sunny climate, it offers great protection from the sun. Buy one on your travels if you don’t have one already or buy one on your trip as a nice souvenir.
· Filtered Water Bottle (see below): I always carry a water bottle on my travels, it’s good for the environment, and means you don’t need to spend so much money on buying water every day. Depending on where you go, the tap water may not be drinkable, so this is an awesome addition to your accessories.
· Earplugs and eye mask (see below): If you will be staying in dorm rooms (which you should be!), these are an essential! This is always the first thing I pack.
· Combination padlock (see below): I always take enough locks for each bag, plus a spare. It’s really useful to lock your bag to an immovable object, even in your room. It just gives you extra piece of mind.
· Laundry Bag: As you collect dirty clothes you don’t want to mix them with your clean clothes. A laundry bag a useful addition.
· Plastic Bags: Always pack a couple of plastic bags, they have multiple uses. You can store dirty shoes in them, wet or damp clothes, extra luggage if you really need the space.
· Salt and spray cooking oil: If you’ll be cooking often in hostels, it’s always useful to have Salt and spray cooking oil. You can buy these when you arrive, rather than pack before you leave, but they will definitely come in handy.
· Bottle opener: I always carry a little bottle opener on my keys back home and it’s useful to take one with you traveling to open bottles of beer or anything else.
Long Term travel packing list: toiletries
This is obviously very personal, but just always ask yourself, “Do I really need it?” Whatever you pack, always keep all bottles to a max size of 250ml or 100ml if you only have a carry-on backpack. 250ml is big enough that you don’t need to buy a new one every couple of weeks, and not too big that it’s a hassle.
Hostels don’t usually provide any toiletries, so you need to take these with you.
· Shampoo
· Shower gel or soap
· Toothpaste + toothbrush
· Razor + shaving foam
· Face moisturiser
· Nail clippers, small scissors, tweezers
· Ibuprofen, or paracetamol
· Multi-pack of different sized plasters.
· Contraception, always better safe than sorry
· Toilet roll: I always pack half a toilet roll in case of emergencies. You never know what you’ll face, or when you might need it.
· Sun cream: No explanation needed! Even if it doesn’t seem that hot, the sun can be strong.
Long Term Travel Packing List: Technology
· Laptop: If you are planning to work on your trip in any capacity you will likely need your laptop. If you’re not, ask yourself if you really need it. We all have smartphones these days with access to the internet to make bookings and do research. A laptop is extra weight so only bring it if you really think you’ll need it.
· Mobile phone: This can double up as internet access, camera etc. Make sure the phone is unlocked, as often its best to buy a local sim, especially if you’re in a country for more than a couple of weeks.
· Camera: Some of you may just want to use your phone. If you have a separate camera, make sure it’s not too big. On day trips, you don’t want to be lugging around a large heavy camera. Pack an extra battery too. I used a GoPro Hero10 (see below) as its safe to take in the water when at the beach or visiting cenotes in Mexico for example.
· Selfie Stick: Some people don’t like them, who cares. When you’re in all these amazing places, you want to take some great pics with you in them. You can ask other people, but honestly, most of the time I do that, I seem to pick the worst photographer in the world. The selfie stick makes life much easier.
· Earphones: For long coach rides, or for plane journeys, or watching a movie in your room. Get a pair that you find comfortable. I always just go for a simple small pair to save space. If you prefer wireless Bluetooth I would also take a wired pair as backup in case they run out of battery.
· Universal Plug Adapter (See below): If you’re travelling through more than one country, I would recommend you get a universal adapter. Try to find one that has USB ports built in as this is especially useful.
· Power Bank (see below): We use our phones so much these days, so I always carry a power bank with me, so I’ll never be stranded anywhere with a dead battery. I use Anker which is brilliant, provides many charges.
· Spare USB cable. Always pack a spare, as they can easily get lost, and it can be a pain, it always happens when you’ve got no battery left. Buy one at least 2m as the sockets are not always where you want them. A longer cable give you more flexibility.
· Headlight: This is multi-purpose. Yes, you have a torch on your phone, but I find a mini headlight can be really useful. You can use it as a reading light in your dorm. If you’re hiking somewhere in the dark, use the headlight. This saves your phone battery and keeps your hands free. It takes up very little space and is well worth it.
Back up important documents
When you travel, there is always a risk your belongings could get stolen, or possibly lost on a plane or bus. It’s important to have access to your key documents. Either email them to yourself or save them on cloud storage if you have it, such as Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. Take copies of the following:
· Passport
· Driving Licence
· Travel Insurance
· Credit card
Other items to bring with you
As well as all the above, it might be useful to take the following with you:
· Passport sized photos x 2. These can be required for some visas, and they take up zero space, so why not.
· Credit cards / debit cards x 3: If you lose one, you’ll be ok and still have one spare. There’s nothing worse than being stranded with no access to your money. I lost one of my cards after 3 weeks on a night out in Mexico. Luckily, I still had two other cards with me so it wasn’t a huge problem.
· Emergency cash: I always carry some emergency cash with me, just in case. I find USD are best, as you can change these easily in most countries. Think about taking $100, and again, hide it into a couple of different places in different bags.
· Pack of cards: This is the best way to make new friends, learn a few games before you, and I’m sure you’ll pick up new ones on your trip.
Long Term Travel Packing List: Final Tip
The last Long Term travel packing list tip I would give is to actually leave a little space in your bag. As you travel, you will inevitably pick up the odd souvenir, or new clothing.
So, anticipate this and give yourself a little wiggle room. This will also help keep your weight down initially until you get more used to lugging it around with you.
Travelling with hand luggage only - What to leave behind
If you have decided to travel with just hand luggage you may struggle to fit everything in this list. Therefore, I would suggest taking out the following from the long term travel packing list:
- Shoes: Find a multi-purpose pair of shoes that are suitable for all situations. I’ve just purchased a pair of Tropic Feel waterproof shoes that I hope will do the trick. I will shortly be testing them out so if they work I will recommend in the future.
- Laptop: A laptop adds depth to your backpack and weight so try to survive without it unless you really need it for work.
- Clothes: The last option to think about reducing your luggage is to review what clothes you are taking. Can you take less clothes or lighter weight thinner material.