So, you’ve decided to go on an exciting backpacking adventure! Getting ready for a backpacking trip and closing it out properly once you return home is just as important as the journey itself. Here are some key things to do before and after your backpacking holiday to make sure you’re fully prepared and have commemorated the experience.
Land Or Sea?
While lots of backpackers travel between cities, don’t overlook the benefits of taking your travels on to the water.
Boat trips are a popular activity for backpackers to experience while travelling. They provide an opportunity to relax on the water and take in gorgeous views of landscapes and seascapes that may be difficult to access on foot. Many backpackers enjoy multiday sailing or cruising adventures that let them island hop and visit small coastal communities.
Shorter day trips like snorkelling, fishing, and whale watching are also sought after for their ability to get backpackers briefly off-land without requiring extensive planning or packing. Boat excursions give backpackers water-based reprieves from all the time spent discovering places by train, bus, and hiking boots. They offer scenic diversity to round out the cultural and terrestrial highlights of backpacking trips.
Before Your Backpacking Trip
Here’s what you need to do before you set off.
Get Travel Insurance
Purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy should be at the very top of your pre-trip to-do list. A good policy will protect you financially in case of cancellations, lost baggage, injuries, illness that requires medical treatment, and more unforeseen incidents.
Research & Plan a Loose Itinerary
It’s wise to have a general sense of the route you want to take and major spots you hope to hit, but don’t over-plan! The spontaneity of backpacking and going with the flow is part of the magic. Read up on your destinations, look into transportation options between them, and list ideas for how long you might stay in each place.
Sort Travel Documents
Make sure your passport, travel insurance documents, medical papers, visa(s) if required, and other important paperwork are valid and stored securely. Scan copies and email them to yourself as a backup. Print spare passport photos as well – they can expedite replacement if your passport gets lost or stolen.
Get Medical Check-ups
See your doctor, dentist, optometrist, and any other relevant medical professionals for a check-up before embarking on your backpacking trip. Get prescription refills, medical devices refilled, update vaccinations, fill cavities, order contacts, etc. It’s better to do this at home than be stuck needing healthcare abroad.
Test & Upgrade Gear
Weeks before your trip, test out your backpack, boots, tent and other gear to make sure everything is functioning properly. This gives you time to repair or replace anything faulty. Also, upgrade the essentials like socks, hiking poles, filters and so on if needed. Break in new hiking boots by wearing them daily.
Buy Guidebooks & Download Offline Maps
Purchase a reputable guidebook for the countries/regions you’ll be visiting and study it thoroughly for tips and planning insights specific to backpackers. Also, download offline maps of your destinations on Google Maps to access on the fly when internet connectivity is spotty.
After Your Backpacking Trip
When you get home, there are a few things you’ll need to do.
Do Laundry & Organise Gear
One of the first things to do when you get home is laundry – likely lots of it! As you wash all your travel clothes, inspect them for wear and permanent stains. Set aside anything that needs repairs. Also, carefully go through your backpack and gear. Make notes on what held up well versus items needing replacement. Re-pack everything neatly once it is dry.
Back Up Photos & Videos
Back up any precious photos and videos from your phone, camera, drone or GoPro to both your computer and a secure cloud storage service. Deleting the pics from devices you carried abroad will free up space once they’re safely stored elsewhere, though you may want to keep a few to reminisce over in the short term.
Make an Online Photo Album
Select your favourite 100 – 200 images that capture key highlights and create a free online photo book through services like Adobe Express. In minutes you can have a gorgeous, professionally made photo album commemorating your adventure. Send copies to family and friends if you’d like.
Update Your CV
Include a concise and descriptive entry about your backpacking travels on your CV. Quantify miles hiked, length of journey, regions visited and any special accomplishments. This shows independence, organisation skills and perseverance – all qualities employers value.
Catch Up with Friends & Family
Let your loved ones know you are back safely and make plans to see them soon for a personal travel debrief over coffee or a pint. Offer to give a short talk about your travels at a community centre, school or workplace if you took exceptional pictures/videos or had a particularly exotic journey.
Get Inspired for Your Next Adventure
The post-trip blues can be intense after such an immersive experience backpacking solo across the world! Combat this by starting to research options and dream about your next big travel adventure – whether it’s hiking in Saint Lucia, biking across the US or doing a weeklong cruise around Europe.
Preparing thoroughly pre-trip and taking a few important actions once your epic backpacking holiday comes to an end will make your travels more enjoyable and memorable. Most importantly, take time to let it all soak in – you earned amazing stories and perspectives exploring the world under your own steam! The trip of a lifetime deserves thoughtful retrospection.
