Backpacking is an inexpensive multi day hike, in which you rent low cost accommodation or camp and have all that you need in one single backpack!
As a backpacker you can go for a trip from a few days, weeks or months to years travelling to different countries.
You can visit countries simply as a tourist or on a working holiday.
Some of the places you can visit include Australia and Canada.
Although backpacking is an exciting experience there is a lot of planning and plenty of things to consider.
In this article you will find what you need to know as a first time backpacker – it doesn’t mean that as a more experienced backpacker you won’t gain some useful tips!
Read on for 25 tips on backpacking.
Firstly, it’s important to pick an easy destination to travel to.
Easy meaning that it’s a safe, popular tourist destination, where transport is widely accessible, and a place that doesn’t give you a huge culture shock.
You should also ask yourself where you want to go and why – maybe there are certain places you want to see.
Additionally, you should consider ease in your activities!
Once you reach your destination – if you would like to go on hikes, make sure you choose a relatively easy, popular trail.
If you are planning on camping, choose a location with water nearby.
Why? Your journey to and back from the water source would be a lot quicker.
But make sure to check what the regulations are – some spots require you to stay a certain distance away from the water.
Countries you could visit as a beginner include Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and more!
Once you decide where you want to go and why – it’s time for research.
You should research the places you want to visit and if they require tickets for entry – if so, ensure there are tickets available.
The last thing you want to do is travel to a destination for a certain attraction and not be able to obtain a ticket!
However, make sure you don’t plan your whole trip, instead allow for spontaneity to really experience the place you are visiting.
You will also want to research the culture and become familiar with any particular norms – this is to help you know what to expect and avoid offending anyone.
Searching for flights is also important.
To get the cheapest flights you should book in advance – this is known as the ‘prime booking window.’
The ‘CheapAir Annual Airfare Study’ for International flights found the following prime booking window:
When you go backpacking, you want to make sure that you don’t pack lots of unnecessary items.
However, there are things that you’ll need for your backpacking experience to be successful.
Everyone will need different things depending on:
You’ll need to bring a backpack of course!
Also a tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad – remember that different seasons require you to have different tents and sleeping bags.
A trekking pole could be useful for maintaining stability when hiking and reducing the impact on your knees.
Have a water filter to treat water if you are camping – even see through water will need to be treated!
Camping will also require you to have a backpack stove and matches to start a fire – unless you have pre-cooked meals covering all the days.
You’ll also need kitchen supplies including cutlery, pots etc.
Before choosing what clothes to bring, check the weather!
You should be able to use the clothes you bring for multiple occasions.
Hence why simple clothes may be more suitable.
Polyester and nylon are the two suitable materials for clothes when you’re backpacking since they’re light and will keep you dry.
When it comes to socks, wool or synthetic are ideal.
Bring layers! Even if it’s warm, layers can always be taken off – better be warm enough than sorry.
Additionally, no matter where you’re going make sure you have a rainproof coat and bag cover – the last thing you want is for you or your backpack to get unexpectedly drenched!
When you’re backpacking wear comfortable shoes, either over the ankle boots or trail shoes.
Make sure you don’t wear your new shoes that you have to break when you set off on your adventure – blisters will give you a bad time!
Although it may seem obvious, don’t forget to take any prescribed medication.
You should also bring medicine to have for any sickness, for example, a cold.
So if anything comes up you’re prepared!
You may need a power bank to keep your phone charged, especially if you’re using maps.
Your skin and eyes require some attention too!
It’s important to protect them so bring sunglasses and sunscreen if you need them where you’re travelling.
Finally, remember a towel – more so if you’re staying in a hostel!
Towels in hostels can come at an extra cost, get stolen or aren’t the cleanest.
So bringing your own towel is the safest bet!
When it comes to backpacks, you shouldn’t spend money on the biggest backpack!
Why? You’ll certainly try to fill up all that space.
Instead, buy a medium to large backpack, with a capacity of 40 – 50 litres.
Your backpack should be comfortable, have padded shoulders and hip straps.
Hip straps will shift the weight from your shoulders and back, making your trip more comfortable.
A meshed backpack would be more suitable when backpacking – it allows for more ventilation than your average backpack and dries perspiration.
When you’re backpacking light food is your friend.
Freeze-dried food is perfect.
You don’t want to bring canned food since it’s heavy.
Cooking your own meals in advance is also an option.
Remember that if you are camping, whether you cook there or you bring your own food – you could attract some wild animals.
So you need to protect your food!
Bring a bear canister to keep your food airtight.
You could also hang your food in a tree by putting your food in a sack and using a nylon cord to hang high.
Note that you should hang your food 100 feet away from your tent during the night.
Backpacking is an experience away from home.
So if anything breaks, you cannot go through the tools you have in your house.
That’s why you need to bring a small repair kit with you!
Often when backpacking you have to be your own handyman – unless you find someone on the way to help you.
You should pack in advance, last minute packing is too stressful and you may even forget important items.
Packing two weeks to a couple of days before your departure gives you the time and space to make errors and fix them.
Making a checklist of the items you need to pack can ease the process.
When you get down to packing, rolling your clothes tightly can give you more space!
Alternatively, you could use compression bags for your clothes.
Losing your visa or passport could make for an unpleasant experience.
Hence why you should always bring copies of these documents when backpacking.
Although it will not replace your passport or any other document, copies can make the process of acquiring a new document easier.
Don’t underestimate the importance of practising your survival and outdoor skills before going on your trip.
First of all, backpacking requires some level of fitness, so no better way to practice than going on a couple of hikes and even working out regularly.
Moreover, learn how to read a map and compass (you might even have a compass built into your phone, if not you can download a compass from your app store).
You should also brush up on knowing how to:
As part of your survival skills you should also know to stay away from wild animals as you are in their territory!
One thing is for sure, backpacking consists of a lot of downtime.
Therefore, you must stay entertained!
Apart from enjoying the scenery, you can bring a book, crossword, puzzle, or even a kindle since it’s lightweight.
Listening to podcasts is also a good idea – whether it’s for entertainment or learning something new.
…and of course cards.
Don’t hesitate to bring your deck of cards – it’s a great way to meet new people as it can be a conversation starter.
You could even teach the other person a card game they don’t know or you might be taught new card games from different cultures.
Before your departure, there are a few things to consider when it comes to banking.
Firstly, let your bank know you are leaving the country – the last thing you want is your bank to think a thief is trying to use your card in another country and block your card.
Another aspect to think about is fees when withdrawing money.
Yes, most places use cards now, but you may still need to withdraw money for one reason or another.
Fortunately, there are cards you can use that have less cash withdrawal fees.
Some popular cards include Revolut and Monzo.
Neither have foreign transaction fees so they are worth checking out!
Setting a budget can be useful, however, don’t budget to the point of not taking on fun opportunities!
Instead think about the multiple ways you can save money, for example:
When backpacking it’s about knowing which places to spend your money in.
That way you can save money while doing what you really enjoy and what will give you a memorable experience!
Although you can have an amazing experience backpacking solo, you could also travel with others – like friends or family.
The benefits of travelling with others is that you could share certain items, such as shower gel, shampoo, or water filter making your load easier.
It can also turn out cheaper as travel costs are distributed between you.
Additionally, if you travel with someone more experienced you could quickly learn many things along the way you would have otherwise had to figure out yourself.
Most importantly, backpack with someone you know you could spend a lot of time with!
Keeping in touch with your family and friends when you are travelling is really important.
You could easily keep in touch not only by calling, but also through social media and video calling.
So if anything happens to you, they know where you are, so you can be rescued.
Besides keeping in contact, giving your friends or family a travel plan including where you will be going and when you will be returning can be useful in case you don’t return according to your plan.
Staying in contact with your family and friends will not only help you in a dangerous situation but will also give them peace of mind that you are safe!
When you are backpacking some people might, unfortunately, try to rip you off.
That’s why you must be aware of haggling.
Not all cultures, but some expect haggling, otherwise you could be paying ten times more for something.
Learning a little bit of the language to use for haggling can be useful – you could learn phrases like, “that’s too expensive.”
You should of course still be respectful when haggling and don’t try to rip off locals either.
However, research is your friend.
To know if a country haggles and how much things cost, do some research!
When you are backpacking, you can often lose signal.
The last thing you want is to be somewhere unfamiliar and have no access to maps.
That’s why you can download Google Maps on both Android and iOS phones so that you can navigate even when you are offline.
To do this you will have to select the area that you want offline before the trip.
You can also download maps offline with AllTrails Pro, however you need to have a subscription for the pro version.
Remember to bring a portable charger if you are planning on using maps since it uses a lot of battery.
Whilst you will certainly need to have a sim card to keep in touch with others for your safety, you may not always have access to the internet.
Therefore, once you arrive at your destination, it doesn’t hurt to know where the nearby free wifi is.
You may need to check it for bus times, getting an uber, or just need to search for something online.
Free wifi can be found in places like coffee shops, libraries, or even fast food restaurants.
Getting to know the locals is crucial if you want to have a good experience.
One great reason being that they can give you suggestions on exploring outside the tourist realm when it comes to the most delicious, cheap food, attractions, and the bars with the best people.
Some locals love to chat and you might get to know some more about the culture.
So spot out some friendly locals and start a conversation!
One of the things that isn’t mentioned enough to backpackers is the importance of taking care of yourself when you are away.
Depending on where you are travelling, jet lag can really affect you, so make sure you rest it out!
The amount of miles you should be backpacking for daily depends on your level – beginners should only backpack for 7-9 miles or less.
When you are backpacking you should drink a litre of water every two hours – this may vary depending on your trail type and time of the year.
You should eat healthy and keep up with your exercise when you can, so you can feel good and as a result make the best of your backpacking experience!
Remember that “you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Don’t be afraid to try new things!
You will have the opportunity to try new things like:
Who knows, maybe you’ll make a friend to show you one of their favourite traditional dishes!
When you are visiting places, remember to walk around and truly take in the scenery rather than just taking a picture and leaving.
Once you are ready to visit different trails you will need to sort out how you will get to and back from the trail – do I get a bus, taxi, etc?
You will also have to acquire permits for some trails.
So it’s best you know the regulations prior to your trip.
Going backpacking can often involve some risks especially if you are thinking of taking up some sports or hiking different trails while you are away.
With travel insurance you are protecting yourself from unpredictability – anything can happen.
Buy your insurance before leaving the country and don’t not opt out for cheap travel insurance!
When you are searching for travel insurance make sure you get the right coverage for you, i.e. if you are planning on taking on specific sports or activities make sure that they are covered.
Check out our detailed guide on the important of travel insurance.
Unfortunately, there is an unpleasant aspect you need to think about while you are on your long-awaited trip.
Watch your bags and your pockets!
Tourists are often picked on for this kind of thing.
One way to not stand out from your surroundings is to try to blend in with the locals.
Regardless, keep your money as close to you as you can.
You could also get a security belt – this looks exactly like a regular belt but it has storage for your money.
Preserving nature is critical when you are on your trip.
When you are visiting popular places there are usually a lot of people – meaning these areas can be impacted the most by humans.
To preserve nature for the future there are a number of things you can do:
Remember the overall leave no trace idea when you are backpacking.
As a backpacker it is important to keep in mind that we should protect nature and preserve our planet for the future generations.
The ultimate tip for backpacking is to have fun, and lots of it!
Go sightsee breathtaking places, meet new people, and create memorable moments.
When you are visiting places don’t just be an observer – take part in the activities going on.
Try new things.
And of course, remember to stay safe!
Visa First is here to help!
They can guide you through the process.
All you have to do is complete an application form and provide the correct documents, the rest will follow!
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