With it looking more and more likely that travel is going to return to normal in the near future, it might be time to finally brush yourself off from the past year and get back on track with planning that backpacking trip of a lifetime. Whether you’ve had to postpone your trip due to the COVID-19 pandemic or the events of the past year have made you realise that you just need to grab life and do the things that you often think about but never get around to, going backpacking is definitely going to be an experience you’ll never forget. And the first challenge to tackle is packing – here are some tips to help you out.

Getting a Good Backpack

Before you start packing, you’ll need to get a good backpack. What you choose will depend on the type of trip you want to take, where you are going and where you want to stay. If you want to travel through a few different countries but prefer the idea of staying in nicer hotels instead of hostels and have a bit of money to spend, then you might be fine with a regular suitcase. On the other hand, if you plan to live out of your backpack, camp and stay in the cheapest hostels you can find, get a sturdy, high-quality backpack that has enough room for all your stuff and is easy on your back and shoulders.

Travel Light

When you’re moving around between destinations a lot, the last thing that you will want is to be weighed down by tons of stuff that you are not even sure that you are going to use. The best tip here is to travel light and pack a lot of versatile basics that you can use for several different things. Depending on where you plan to visit, lighter clothing can be not only easier to carry around but will also help you stay cool. If you’re going to be visiting countries with a hot climate over the summer, cotton outfits will be your best friend.

Research Beforehand

Not knowing what to pack – or even worse, arriving at your first destination only to realise that you’ve packed all the wrong things – is a situation you want to avoid. Thankfully, there’s tons of information out there for backpackers, whether you want to research your destinations thoroughly or get tips on what to take from other backpackers who have been. Forums, blogs and Facebook groups can be a great place to start, and you might even end up making friends who you can meet up with while you’re out there.

Get Insurance

Finally, it’s a good idea to make sure that everything you have packed is covered by a good insurance policy that will be in place in every destination that you visit. This is not only important for protecting your electronics and other valuables that you may be taking along with you, but it can also come in handy if you need to replace your backpack itself or any essentials you have packed.

With travel finally starting to re-open, it’s time to get planning that backpacking adventure you have always wanted to take.