If you are reading this, it is because you have already made the decision to travel. Whether for a short trip or for a tour around the world, this post will help you determine what to bring with you and what to leave at home.
Before I start telling you what I had on my world trip, my best recommendation is to travel light. Less is more in this case. Even if your trip is short, you will appreciate carrying less things and your back will appreciate it a lot.
BAGGAGE
BACKPACK
The first thing you have to decide is which suitcase you are going to travel with. If you go to a single destination or you have all the transport arranged, a suitcase with wheels can be a good decision and more comfortable. If the idea of your trip is to go aimlessly, walk, take different types of transport, I recommend a Backpack. It is more versatile and you can handle it more easily.
To travel the world I decided to travel with the 80L Totto Kirat …. I know it sounds very big but I chose it since it can be rolled to 60L. My advice is to use a 65L backpack or bigger it will give you enough space to carry your clothes for different climates and a sleeping bag (I always travel with one).
If your trip is shorter you can use a smaller one that makes it easier for you to move and you can even take it in the plane as a carry on bag 45-50L should be good.
Something very important for the decision is that the backpack is very comfortable. Today the vast majority of Backpacks come with adjustable straps so you can put it just right for you and the weight will be balanced. It is very important to travel comfortably and more if it is a very long trip. Without health there is no trip so take care of your back and your body
SMALL BACKPACK
For any type of trip you make, I recommend alway carrying a small backpack so you can carry all your valuables safely while moving through different cities.
I decided to travel with a The North Face Recon backpack. It is quite comfortable and a perfect size for what I carry.
In this backpack I always carry almost all the electronic equipment such as my computer, cameras and drone. It is a perfect place to carry passports, a water bottle and a book.
Although it is very useful for valuables, it is perfect for day to day activities.
BACKPACK COVER
For safety and ease reasons, I decided to buy this Vaude case. Backpacks usually can’t be locked and they come with many straps that can be easily get tangled.
I use this cover when the backpack is going to travel as a check in bag on airplanes. It is very useful and easy to put on.
CLOTHES
Remember what I told you at the beginning, less is more in this case. You will always be tempted to put much more clothes thinking about different occasions but in the end you will not even use everything and your body will suffer a little from the weight of your luggage. My recommendation, even if it is a bit drastic, is to pack once and then take out a little less than half of your suitcase.
In my case, since I did not know what type of climates I was going to, I had to take a little bit of everything to be prepared, so this was my luggage:
Shirts and T-Shirts: 3 T-Shirts, 1 long sleeve T-Shirt and 1 Shirt
You’re clearly going to wear almost every day a T-shirts so this is very important.
A couple months before starting my trip, I discovered with The Frenchie Co some shirts with anti-odor technology. Although I was very skeptical of this, I found that they are indeed odor free and very good for travel. I recommend you find out this type of t-shirts as it helps you to reduce the space of the suitcase.
I always travel with a long-sleeved t-shirt because it is useful in hot and cold climates.
An elegant shirt is never a bad idea. I happened to be invited to elegant meals, I had to celebrate the new year, there are countries that if you want to party they only allow you if you have a shirt. So you better be prepared for that occasion.
Pants: 1 Jean, 1 Convertible Quick Dry y 1 Thermic legging
Although I am more a shorts guy, pants are important for hikes and to protect you from the weather. Some jeans will be good to walk in the different cities, go to events and to avoid the cold in your legs.
Quick dry and convertible pants are the best choice for adventures. You can walk without worrying about the rain, the mud will fall easily, they are comfortable and they will help you with the weather. The vast majority have large pockets and traveling with these is a very good option.
I only used the leggings in winter at -30 °C and it was extremely useful. If you do not think you are going to cold places I would recommend not taking it but if your path is uncertain, it can be very useful.
Shorts: 1 short y 1 swimsuit
Although with the quick dry pants you already have a short at your disposal, I travel with another option for comfort, for different activities and I really prefer to always sleep in shorts.
A MUST-HAVE item in my suitcase is a swimsuit. I love jumping into the sea, the rivers, a lakes so I always have one and most of the times is at hand where I can easily access it to jump into the water.
Jackets: 1 Thermal y 1 wind breaker
Although you plan to travel mainly looking for the summer, I recommend you take these two jackets. If you go hiking or go to mountainous countries where the weather can change easily it will be very useful. Also, you will never know if you have to change your travel plans.
The thermal jacket is very important because in the mountains the weather can change easily and you may also have to change your route or go through a cold country in winter. I recommend you travel with a 3 in 1 jacket from The North Face. They are very useful, you can remove the different layers of the jacket according to the temperature, they are light and waterproof. Perfect for any situation.
A wind breaker jacket is key for hiking. If you travel with a 3-in-1, you can use the outer layer but if not, look for a light one that is perfect to hold some water and help you protect yourself from strong winds and cold weather on the hike.
Ropa interior: 7 boxers y 7 socks
The underwear should be changed often so it doesn’t get smelly or you have to turned them upside down. I always try to carry for 1 week so I can wash easily.
Shoes: 1 hiking boots, 1 sneakers y 1 flip flops
I leave this to you and it depends on your taste. I love to hike in the mountains so I wear comfortable ankle boots that protect me from injuries while walking on uneven terrain and that are waterproof. I recommend some not very big. HERE.
If you don’t like hiking, with a pair of sneakers or exercise shoes, you are perfect.
Flip flops are very important for personal hygiene. They are very useful for showers in hostels and also for walking inside the rooms.
Cap or hat: 1 cap
The sun can be one of your greatest enemies so I always recommend having a hat on hand. It is easy to carry and will protect you from sun rays.
PERSONAL HYGIENE AND MEDICATIONS
As I mentioned before, your health is the most important thing on your trip, if you are not feeling well there is no trip. It is for this reason that you have to take care of your body, any discomfort can be expensive so it is better to have a good hygiene and good health.
HYGIENE KIT
You can use a small case or you can get special kits that you can hang and bring different pockets for the items that you must carry on your trip.
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Soap (I recommend liquid)
- Nail clipper
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Talcum powder
- Condoms
For men a razor and for women personal care items.
You never know when you will have stomachache or get cut so it is better to carry a small first aid kit with some essential medications. I am not a doctor and surely there will be other things that you should bring but I was carrying:
- Analgesics.
- Gaviscon (Antacids).
- Sterile gauze.
- Isodine / Antiseptics.
- Latex gloves.
- Loratadine.
- Diclofenac / Anti-inflammatory.
- Micropore.
- Loperamide / Antidiarrheal.
- Repellent.
- Amoxicillin
FIRST AID KIT
DRY FAST TOWEL
Microfiber towels are easy to carry and useful as they dry quickly perfect for travel. There are several brands but some that you can easily find around the world are those of Decathlon.
I warn you, they are not the best to dry but they are very useful.
TECHNOLOGY
For me photography and technology is essential. Obviously I try to travel as light as possible and on my trip I try not to get distracted but I love taking pictures and writing so I decided to travel with the following items:
SMARTPHONE
If you don’t have a lot of space for computers and cameras. Your best option is a good smartphone. With your phone, you’ll be able to book everything you need, use the maps, take very good pictures (even better than some digital cameras)
I was traveling with iPhone 8 but sadly it was damaged in Malawi. Today I decided to invest in this because it seems to me an important gadget for the traveler and I am traveling with an iPhone 11
PC
I travel with a light and fast laptop to be able to carry easily and to be able to work in some moments of the trip. It is useful for the plane bookings, accommodation and it could work to watch a movie.
DIGITAL CAMERA
If you are a photography lover, you will love to bring a good camera. I was traveling with a Canon T3i Rebel but I am in the process of replacing it due to damage. The photos you take will be great memories of your travels.
GOPRO HERO 5
GoPro is one of the most famous and very useful sports cameras. It is a great tool for taking photos and videos. It is much more resistant than a digital camera. If I had to choose between Digital Camera and GoPro I would go for the GoPro.
DRONE
In Colombia I already had a DJI Mavic Pro that served me for small trips and although I love it, I would recommend you look for a smaller one. Remember that there are several countries with flight regulations and there are others that you cannot even enter the drones in your backpack . With this mapa you’ll be able to see the restrictions of the countries so make sure you have everything clear.
HARD DRIVE
When traveling I take many photos and videos and I must carry different memories. It is also a very good option to have as a backup of everything in case your computer dies. I use a 4Tb Western Digital. This is why I decided to buy a WD hard drive. It is a very good brand and
POWER BANK
If you go camping or hiking, having your cell phone charged can be important for security. In several places I found myself where I didn’t have a plug on hand and the power bank was my salvation.
During the trip, several people criticized my powerbank until they found it necessary to borrow it. I travel with iMuto de 30,000 mAh you can clearly look for a smaller one.
UNIVERSAL ADAPTER AND MULTI-SOCKET
Many countries have different connection ports so it is important that you travel with a universal adapter to be prepared and able to charge your gadgets. Additionally, it seems useful to me if it is a multi-socket and you can connect several devices at the same time.
EXTRAS
These articles that I mention here, were very important to me when traveling but I leave it at your discretion. If you have space I would take them.
DRY BAG
These 100% waterproof bags are perfect to take your items to the beach or to the river. Everything will be kept dry and safe.
SLEEPING BAG
I always travel with a sleeping bag, in some places I have used it for camping or in others for hygiene. I travel with a Hannah Scout. It doesn’t take up much space and it heats up perfectly.
HAMMOCK
On the beach or iin the mountains a hammock can make you happy. Not only for comfort, there were some places where I had to hang it to spend the night in it.
LIFE STRAW
A flask is a good choice for when you go hiking as well as helping the environment. In many places the water is drinkable and you can refill it.
Although I don’t have it yet, I already ordered it for my next adventures. Life Straw allows you to drink water without worries since it cleans the dirt.
FANNY PACK
Useful to carry your important belongings while traveling. It allows you to save (passport, cell phone, cash and other documents). It is an element for security and tranquility.
LOCKS
Important to close your bags and prevent people from reaching inside. Many hostels put lockers at your disposal to store your belongings but it is important to be able to lock them securely.
