Hi Backpackers,
Figuring out what to bring backpacking can be quite the challenge while traveling to international destination especially for the first time! How do you decide exactly what are the backpacker essentials, and what to leave behind?
Here you will find a complete backpacking packing list of everything you will need for a trip abroad so you can purchase your gear before you set off adventuring around the world.
See below what to pack while backpacking as we give you our top-secret backpacking checklist.
Do have a look and ask us as many questions before the beginning of the trip till you are satisfied with your pre-arrival arrangments. We’ll be happy to help!
So, there is a huge difference in style and weather between the different regions, and nailing down what exactly to throw in your backpack may be daunting.
Staying warm and comfortable should be your number one goal. That means you might have to sacrifice a bit when it comes to fashion but it’s well worth it.
1. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EUROPEAN WINTERS: Winters in Europe can be fairly unpredictable and vary depending on where you’re visiting — which also makes packing more challenging. Areas you are covering can get very cold, wet, and there is a higher chance of snow.
You can expect the temperature to be -5 degree Celsius or lower. We would recommend you to check the live weather as well as weather forecasts to ensure you’re fully prepared for the European winters.
2. CHOOSING LUGGAGE AND PACKING LIGHT: As it’s a backpacking trip and you are hopping to various countries within Europe, traveling in train & buses, staying in hostels, going out for walks etc travel backpacks are great for packing your stuff. Not only because they allow hands-free travel but it even makes it easy to manoeuvre stairs and busy streets.
It’s good to stick with a backpack that’s carry-on size, but don’t go overboard if you choose a backpack over the carry-on limit. For reference, carry-on size roughly translates to 50-60 L (give or take).
3. DAYPACK: A day pack is a small backpack you wear while exploring the city. It should be just big enough to carry a few things (journal, souvenirs, small umbrella/light rain jacket, camera, power banks etc). This is literally the most convenient thing to carry around the entire day.
4. PASSPORT HOLDER: Do ensure you have a good quality passport cover. It protects your passport from humidity that can harm the pages. Passport covers prevent water damage so do travel with a waterproof cover. Passport is one of your most important thing in your entire packing list.
5.TRICK FOR LAYERING: The clothing you choose to pack will have a huge impact on the enjoyability of your winter travels. That’s why it’s smart to choose your clothing carefully — remember, you’re going to spend much of your time outdoors so staying warm and dry should be your number one priority.
-The real secret to dressing for winter is layering: What is layering, you ask? It’s a technique of wearing multiple thinner layers of clothing instead of one or two super bulky layers. This technique helps keep you warmer and it helps you pack lighter. Ensure you have both upper and lower thermals and warmers.
Base layer — This is worn tight against your skin. This helps keep your warm and dry. These are usually your thermal wear. Ensure you have both upper wear and lower wear thermals. Mid Layer — This is basically your normal clothes (pants, shirts, sweaters, fleece, etc.). It’s better to have multiple thin mid-layers (like a shirt and a fleece) than one bulky mid-layer (like a really thick sweater). Outer Layer — This “shell” layer protects you from the elements like wind, rain, and snow — so it’s basically a coat or jacket. A lot of times this is a waterproof layer or a heavy winter coat. Pick a waterproof coat if possible and don’t waste space on an extra rain jacket. Go for a longer, slightly oversized coat that you can easily wear lots of layers underneath.
6. PACK BOOTS, NOT SHOES
We are big believer in the one-pair-of-shoes rule. For winter European travel, go for a comfortable pair of slip on boots.
Why boots?
-Boots are easy to take on and off at the airport (travel-friendly — check)
-They match virtually everything (fashion — check)
-You can walk for hours in them (comfortable — check)
-They keep your feet warm and dry better than sneakers or flats (warmth — check)
If you do have to bring a second pair of shoes, like a pair of sneakers for hiking, plan on wearing your boots while traveling, it’s upto an individual traveler.
Do ensure that your shoes are water and snow proof. You can find them on Amazon or Decathlon easily.
7. SOCKS : Socks + base layer = toasty. A great pair of socks will make a huge impact on the comfort of your feet so don’t skimp on the socks. Boots alone won’t keep your feet warm. It’s important to pack warm socks when packing for cold weather anywhere.
Bulky winter socks also take up more space than thin socks in your carry on. So pack 3 or 4 pairs of lightweight mountaineering expedition sweat proof socks (these are slightly expensive but totally worth it) and plan on washing them as you go. Pro Tip: Wash your socks and undies when you take your morning shower or in hostel’s washing machines. You can buy good winter socks in a store like Decathlon or other certified adventure sports shops.
8. WARM ACCESSORIES
When packing for winter travel in Europe, focus on those accessories that’ll keep you warm as well:
- Hats
- Gloves
- Scarves
- Long socks (for ladies)
9. SWISS-ARMY KNIFE/MULTITOOL: This always comes handy. So do carry it for “just in case” situations. Ensure you don’t carry it in the hand luggage, do stuff it in your check in baggage only. You may even carry safety pins. They are quite helpful at times.
10. PHOTOCOPIES OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS: This point is for your personal contingency plan. Make a few copies of your passport & VISA. Ensure you have few copies of your passport photograph too. Do click images of credit and debit cards. You should have full details and copies in case your personal items get stolen.
Also you should have at least 01 full set copy of each page of your passport, not just the front and back. This is required in case your passport is stolen. The government authorities are in a position to help you more in case you have all pages.
*Tripver will not be responsible for any loss of your personal item including passport. Kindly take care of your own belongings.
11. COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA: Searching for an umbrella in an unfamiliar city (especially while it’s raining) isn’t any fun. We suggest buying a travel umbrella before you leave. Its a good idea to carry rain poncho as they come in handy and are super easy to store.
12. TOOTHBRUSH COVER: Sounds funny & unnecessary. But a major necessity when backpacking especially for hygiene reasons when packing in a ruck sack.
13. ZIPLOC BAGS (VARIOUS SIZES): These are good for your dirty or wet socks/underwear. Put any liquids in Ziploc bags. In fact, double bag them. We have seen many backpackers open their bags to find that their shampoo bottle had spilled all over their clothes. Also, for extra protection, put your important travel documents/passport in a plastic bag.
14. EAR PLUGS & EYE MASK: There is a chance that you’ll encounter multiple snorers and people who turn the side lights on at 3 am not just in hostel but even in your flights. In case you are sensitive to sounds while you sleeping, do carry them along.
15. QUICK-DRYING TRAVEL TOWEL : A quick drying towel is one of the most important favorite travel accessories. To be honest, you may hate the feel of these towels, but they do an amazing job. They absorb a ton of liquid and they dry in a few hours. Normal towels take hours and hours to dry and they will really make your backpack stink. This is a must-buy. Some advice: These towels are much smaller than a normal towel. We suggest buying the large or XL size—especially if you have long hair. In case the respective hostel has a towel facility use the towel of the hostel so you don’t bother drying yours.
16. PACKING CUBES : Packing cubes are great for keeping all your clothes organized — which is important when you live out of a backpack. There are many companies that make packing cubes. You may easily find this stuff online on Amazon or other websites.
17. STUDENT CARD: In case you are a student, don’t forget to carry your student card. Its comes handy to get discounted prices at various entries. But don’t try to forge just to save few bucks. The regulations in Europe are very strict.
18. HANGING TOILETRY BAG: A toiletry bag is essential for keeping all your toiletries contained. Buy a toiletry bag that can be hung up because you won’t always have a lot of sink space in these tiny European bathrooms. Else if you already have a small pouch you think can come handy then go for it.
19. WATER BOTTLES : Europe is very expensive. Buying water in Europe means cost addition to your trip budget. Fill it up before you start your day. A litre of bottled water would cost 5 euros, and nearly 10 euros when served in restaurants, that is nearly 40 times what you spend back home. So ensure you carry a water bottle all the time. We recommend flexible water bottles that are lightweight and hardly take up any room in your pack.
20. HAND SANITISER: It’s good to have one on your day pack
21. FOOT CREAM: Take care of your feet because you’ll be walking a lot & it’s cold.
22. FIRST AID PACKING LIST: Medicines are costly if bought in Europe be it even a band aid. In case you have some specific doctor prescribed medicines do carry them alone. Do carry a small personal medkit of yours with basic aid in case of emergency. Else you always have your travel insurance. Do not forget to take a soft and a hard copy of that.
23. LOCKS: You might need to lock up your bag in a hostel when you’re on the road. You don’t need a big, heavy padlock to do it. Good quality approved locks are smaller and lighter but just as effective. Ensure locks are small enough to use on your bag’s zippers to keep your stuff safe even if it’s not in a locker. Choose a cable lock (for flexibility) that uses a combination, not a key that could get misplaced. Usually hostel would have a locker for your essentials which are usually digitally coded. But ensure you have one manual lock for yourself too.
24.KEYCHAIN FLASHLIGHT : This is essential. A keychain flashlight is perfect for those nights when you return to your hostel dorm room late—don’t piss off your roommates by turning on the lights at 3am. The Nano Light Miniature Flash Light is an amazing little flashlight that is super bright and tiny. Else you always have a mobile.
25. SIM CARD/ CALLING: In case you have to call local number in Europe only then the local sim comes most handy. Else you may call your respective mobile operators and recharge a pack for incoming free international calls and free internet. So in case you have to make a call back home/trip captains/ co travellers you can use whatsapp or messenger & your incoming from India is free of charge 🙂
26. LUGGAGE POLICY FOR INTERCITY/COUNTRY TRANSPORT: For your bus and train tickets pre-reserved while in Europe, generally your ticket includes the free transportation of 02 bags as mentioned below:
1. One item of Hand baggage (max. 42 x 30 x 18 cm) & (max. 7kg)
2. One Travel baggage (max. 80 x 50 x 30 cm) & (max 20kg).
Please ensure that all of your baggage is labelled with your name and address to avoid any confusion.
Additional Baggage: It is not to exceed the dimensions of the travel baggage and may not weigh more than 20 kg (33.1 lbs). This additional baggage item costs €2 . The bus or train services cannot guarantee the ability to transport more than one travel baggage item in the luggage compartment of the bus. Therefore do carry your luggage accordingly.
27. LUGGAGE POLICY AIRLINES: Guys you are travelling internationally and on your own respective cities so may we kindly request you to go through the luggage policy of your respective individual airline to avoid inconvenience at the last minute.
28. CURRENCY AND CARD:
How much cash to carry & why use Forex Card?
We recommend you to carry approx 200 Euro in cash from India for basic minimal use. You may withdraw liquid cash once you are in Europe via ATM as the exchange rate would benefit you more. We recommend you not to use debit or credit card and use forex card instead. Forex card is travel card which can be uploaded with Euros and can be used to withdraw cash from ATM supporting master or visa cards. The advantage of using Forex card is that it is controlled via an app from where you can change the pin or even block the card in case lost instantly. Secondly, the taxes incurred by the banks are much lesser for a foreign swipe or a cash withdrawal as compared to Indian Credit or Debit cards. Thirdly, you don’t have worry about carrying cash most of the places would accept the card.
Tripver has collaborated with NIYO to provide you a smart Forex Card without any additional charges for your trip. You may also take a travel card from the bank where your bank account is and attach the card for easy transfer of money. Get in touch with your bank for details.
Its advisable not to carry to much cash on the go as it becomes difficult to manage & in case you loose it, it may turn out to be a heavy financial loss which cannot be traced.
Euro is the most prominent currency in Europe, however every country has its own currency. Irrespective of the currency loaded on the card, the cash will be dispensed based on the currencies supported at the ATMs. Please ensure that you have full information on the terms of use of currency as per the state of law in the respective country that you are travelling.
29. BE AWARE & CAUTIOUS: You are a tourist in an international destination, therefore we would recommend you to try & avoid walking around in dark and empty places during night while traveling. We would also recommend you to wear your bag in the front of my body in crowded places just to be sure. Tripver will not be in a position to assist you in any way for any loss of items/ cash/ police reporting etc. Stay out of trouble & be responsible.
30. LOST/STOLEN PASSPORT QUERIES: Remember that your passport is the most critical document when traveling abroad. The passport should always be with you when you are traveling. However, in case you lose it for any reason, do not panic & please do follow the LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS and do keep them handy.
31. CITY TAXES AND EXTRA LUGGAGE FEE: Hostels,Museums may charge you city tax amounting upto 3-4 Euro as per the destination. Always keep some cash handy. Hostel even charge fee in case you store luggage for a longer duration of time prior to check-in or post check out.
We hope this information helps. In case you have any further question we are available on our toll free number 24 x 7 . Feel free to buzz us & ask many times you like for any further details till you are absolutely satisfied with your pre arrival planning. We’ll be very happy to help !
Happy Tripping !
Tripver Travel Community
