A Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking

Backpacking can refer to two different things: budget travel or a form of multi-day trekking done in many of the best hiking destinations around the world. What both have in common is right there in the name: a backpack. In both cases, you bring along (pretty much) only what you can carry on your back.

However, in travel circles, you’ll find that most people mean the former—budget travel—when they talk about backpacking. Unlike the casual budget backpackers who probably just want to save some money and see the world, hardy hikers are often more concerned about choosing the right equipment, perfecting the weight of their pack to within an inch of its life. For example, some purists might say my multi-day trekking experiences weren’t true backpacking trips, just because I didn’t carry a tent or cookstove.

And yet, I still vividly remember the challenge of choosing what to pack and what to leave behind for the Camino de Santiago through France and Spain. By the time I made it to Santiago de Compostela, though, I loved being able to get ready in the mornings and be out the door in just a few minutes. With less on my back, I had less on my mind, too. It may sound challenging, but learn to backpack and you open so many doors to adventure, whether you want to make your way through budget-friendly parts of the world, trek in mountain destinations such as Nepal, or just bounce around Europe like I did.

Related: “Mother of the Camino” Pilar Cuiña González’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago

Backpacking involves traveling with just a backpack (though you might also carry a small purse or tote, too), unlike other forms of leisure travel in which you might bring along an entire suitcase full of clothing options. Most people who consider themselves backpackers are budget travelers—or, at the very least, those who use public transportation, stay in hostels, and pack only the bare minimum. In many cases, short backpacking trips can turn into long-term travel, whether that means attempting a multi-day or thru-hike, volunteering in hostels in exchange for room and board as you see the world, or even exploring Angkor Wat and eating your way through Bangkok for a couple of years (do recommend).

What I look back on most fondly from my backpacking days, though, was how free I felt to make last-minute plans and shape my trip around my desires at any given moment—something that doesn’t happen when you plan a trip in advance, have prebooked plane tickets, or go on a multi-day tour. When I was backpacking in Italy, I joined in on a spur-of-the-moment plan to visit Berlin with a friend from the college town of Forli in Emilia-Romagna. There, I made a new friend at the hostel, and eventually booked a ticket to visit her in London a couple of weeks later. I spent months like this, indulging my every whim, and collecting the kind of anecdotes that only seem to come with a backpacking adventure.

Because backpacking is all about independence, it lends itself well to solo travel—in fact, backpackers are quite often going it alone. But whether you’re backpacking solo or with a group of friends, one highlight of being on the road is connecting with like-minded travelers. And one very easy way to do that (beyond boozy bar crawls, if that’s your kind of thing) is on an organized tour.

During my backpacking days, I liked to book guided excursions—I did a walking tour of Berlin, a floating village tour from Siem Reap, and a Vespa wine tour in Florence—so I could meet other backpackers while also getting to know the destinations more deeply. I obviously enjoyed all my days wandering around foreign cities with hostel friends, but during these more structured tours I got to chat with locals and learn things about each place that I couldn’t have discovered on my own.

If it’s your first time backpacking, you may be wondering which parts of the world you should set your sights on. While you can obviously go anywhere, the best backpacking destinations are those that are both relatively affordable and offer convenient public transportation.

Those who want to go hiking often land in parts of Latin America—think: Patagonia for the W Circuit or Peru for the Inca Trail. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is broadly loved for its affordable eats (and nightlife), pocket-friendly accommodation, and sunny weather. When my budget was at its tightest, I knew my hard-earned money would go farther there than in other places, so I booked tickets to Siem Reap, spent a few days lazing on the island of Koh Rong Sanloem off Sihanoukville. Then, I took a bus over the border to neighboring Thailand to bike around Bangkok’s Bang Kracaho and sample spicy street food. Bliss.

However, Europe—particularly Eastern Europe, including Albania, Slovenia, and Croatia—is another favorite backpacker destination, thanks to affordable hostels, beautiful scenery, and convenient public transportation (not to mention each country’s proximity to the next).

When it comes to beginner backpacking gear, the most important piece of equipment is the backpack itself, which should fit your body and have shoulder and waist straps for comfort—especially if you’re actually going to hike with it. I personally found 65 liters to be the ideal size for a month or more of travel … though that did mean paying to check my bag on flights. (If you want to squeeze your bag aboard as a carry-on, look for a 40-litre option instead—but just know that you’ll have to sacrifice at least five of your eight skincare steps to make it work.)

The other key to my success as a backpacker was bringing along a daypack (around a 26-liter size) to store essentials when leaving the hostel for day trips and walking tours. Other backpacking basics I always had on hand included a padlock to secure my belongings in hostel lockers, a destination guidebook, and laundry supplies so it was easier to reuse the limited clothing I’d brought. Snacks, a first aid kit, basic toiletries, and a journal also had a place in my pack. (Oh, and you’ll need fewer shoes than you might think: one pair of sandals and one pair of sneakers will usually do the trick.)

Insider tip: For outdoor or mountaineering-type backpacking, needs are slightly different. Most trekking backpackers bring lightweight equipment such as a tent, camp stove, and a water filtration system.

One of the most important tenets of backpacking is to pack light, whether you’re venturing into the backcountry or just traveling around the world with your backpack. That way, you won’t hurt your back, it’ll be (quite literally) easier to pick up and travel to a new destination, and you’ll save a little room for souvenirs or other items that catch your eye along the way. (Though I’ve definitely been guilty of buying an additional bag once or twice to use as a carry-on and stuff with souvenirs before my final flight home.)

If you’re planning on visiting top attractions during your travels, book those skip-the-line tickets early—but also leave some room for flexibility in your plans (that’s the fun of backpacking). Plus, travel during shoulder seasons to avoid the crowds, and consider staying in hostels, where a bed in a large dorm can save you money that you can then put towards other adventures.

Insider tip: Every now and then, it’s worth splurging on a private room in a hostel, though—you’ll get some space, extra security, and a night free from the chorus of snores typical of shared dorms.

If you’re wondering how to start backpacking, it’s simple: buy a backpack and a plane ticket for wherever is calling your name. Maybe that’s Brazil, Tanzania, or Australia, or maybe, like me, you dream of the wilderness of Mongolia. (Just make sure to research visa and vaccine requirements before you set off!)

When it comes to budgeting for the trip, do some research on typical flight, accommodation, and food prices, and factor in the spend of a few tours for bucket-list activities you want to try. And don’t forget to pad your budget with extra, just in case unexpected costs come up—I was really relieved that I’d overestimated some spends after I missed the last train to my destination in Germany and had to pay extra for a late-night taxi.

For beginner hiking trips, the only extra step is to train first to avoid injury. Before attempting the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, I made sure to ramp up my cardio for a few weeks and practiced hiking with a backpack on to get used to the additional weight. As my group struggled to make it in the thin air to Humantay Lake that first early morning, I was grateful for the extra edge my preparation had given me.