My Backpacking Travel Bucket List

Those who have traveled know that having a bucket list means that you’re constantly adding a new place to the list all. the. time.

So, I am using this space to add and revise as I go.  If you have a suggestion on somewhere I should check out, I’m all ears!

My travel bucket list:

Europe

• Greece: Athens, Mykanos, Ios, Santorini
• Italy: Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Venice, Sicily, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Tuscany
• Switzerland: Interlaken, Geneva, Bern, Zurich
• Germany: Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Oktoberfest
• Austria: Salzberg
• Czech Republic: Prague
• Belgium: Brussels, Brugge
• Netherlands: Amsterdam
• France: Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Cannes, French Alps
• Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Granada, Camino de Santiago de Compostela
• Portugal: Lisbon, Lagos
• Hungary: Budapest
• Poland: Krakow
• UK: London, Edinburgh, Manchester
• Ireland: Dublin
• Scotland: Isle of Skye
• Denmark: Copenhagen, Faroe Islands
• Finland: Helsinki
• Norway: Oslo, Tromso
• Iceland: Reykjavik
• Sweden: Stockholm, Kiruna (Kungsleden Trail), Abisko

North America

• USA: California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Yellowstone National Park, Joshua Tree, Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Big Sur, Sequoia National Park, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Berkeley), New York (New York City, Adirondacks, Rainbow Falls – Lake Placid), Washington (Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Seattle), Oregon (Portland, Proxy Falls), Vermont, Florida (Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale), Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, Texas (Austin, Dallas) Alaska (Anchorage, Denali National Park), Hawaii, Zion National Park, Arizona (Sedona, Tuscon), Glacier National Park, Great Smoky Mountains, Colorado
• Canada: PEI (Charlottetown), Nova Scotia (Halifax, Cape Breton), British Columbia (Vancouver, Whistler, Kelowna, Vancouver Island), Alberta (Calgary, Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper), Northwest Territories (Yellowknife, Great Slave Lake), Yukon (Whitehorse), Quebec (Montreal, Tremblant, Gatineau, Chic Choc, Mont-Albert), All of the national parks,

South America

• Peru: Cusco, Lima, Macchu Picchu
• Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador
• Bolivia: La Paz
• Chile: Easter Island, Santiago, Torres del Paine
• Argentina: Beunos Aires, Patagonia

Africa

• Kenya
• Morocco: Marrakesh
• South Africa

Asia

• Japan
• Laos
• Nepal: Mount Everest Base Camp
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Indonesia
• Bali

Middle East

• Israel: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat
• Egypt: Cairo
• Turkey: Istanbul

Oceania

• Australia
• New Zealand
• Fiji

Packing list: Multi-City Adventures

Backpacking while jumping from City to City? Staying in hostels? Here’s a packing list!

Clothing

• 5 pairs of underwear
• 3-4 pairs of socks (remember: merino wool doesn’t make your feet smell!)
• 1 bathing suit
• 1 sports bra
• 1 nude bra
  • Try to bring one that you can wear strapless or have the option of multi strapped

• 1 Hat + Winter hat if cold weather
• 1 Rain jacket – optional
  • You can buy a poncho there if it’s bad weather if you want to reduce space

• 1 Jacket – optional
  • Try and find a packable one that can be made super small when packing. Mine is from uniqlo.

• 1 scarf/pashmina
  • You can use this also as a pillow/blanket or to cover your shoulders at religious places

• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of leggings/active pants
• 1 pair of jean shorts/nicer shorts
• 1 pair of active shorts/sleep shorts
• 1 long sleeve
• 1 skirt/dress
  • You may need to cover your knees at some religious sites or want to go somewhere “fancier” one day

• 3-4 t-shirts/tanks
• 1 casual sweater
• 1 micro-fleece zipup/warm sweater or sweatshirt

Shoes

• 1 pair of running shoes/walking shoes
  • If you plan on hiking a lot, bring a pair of worn in hiking boots instead. DO NOT bring brand new shoes on the trip (or you’ll be dealing with killer blisters). My hiking boots are the black versions of these.
• 1 pair of Shower/Beach sandals
  • If you have nice “fancier” ones that you can wear in the city, you can have these be multi-purpose
• 1 pair of comfortable flats (optional)

Toiletries

• 1 Hairbrush/mirror combo
• 1 Mini Shampoo
• 1 Mini Conditioner
• 1 face wash
• 1 face moisturizer
• 1 body wash
• 1 razor
• 1 toothbrush and toothpaste
• 1 bag of mini makeup
  • Think cosmetic samples: mini mascara, eyeliner, lip balm with colour, cover up

• Extra hair elastics/clips
• 1 sunscreen
• 1 bug spray – optional
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• 1 Glasses case
• 1 Contacts + extras (+ extra solution)
• 1 Sunglasses
• 1 pack of wet wipes
  • For the times you really need a shower while on a long flight or overnight train

Med Kit

• Any prescribed medication
• 1 pill bottle filled with: advil, pepto bismal, Imodium, gravol, benadryl
• Moleskine and bandaids
• 1 bottle of polysporin
• 1 tweezers
• 1 sewing kit

Miscellaneous

• 1 Backpack (mine is an older version of this 40L)
• 1 set of Packing Cubes 
• 1 eye mask and earplugs
  • I will NEVER go on a trip without these. I’m a super light sleeper and hostels sounds like a jungle when you sleep like me.

• 1 Sleep sheet
  • I prefer silk since it’s bed bug protective

• 1 small Sleeping bag – Optional
  • Only needed if your hostel does not provide bedding. Most major ones do so I rarely bring this unless camping

• 1 empty pillowcase
  • Takes up very little space and can be used as a laundry bag or as a pillow when stuffed with clothes.

• 1 Quick dry towel
• 1 flashlight (for use in hostel)
  • I prefer a headlight so I can be hands free

• 1 mini packet of duct tape (or a couple of strips)
  • It fixes everything. Shoes, bags, blisters…

• 1 mini packet of Kleenex
  • In a lot of countries, you pay to use the washroom. And sometimes, they don’t have toilet paper. Keep some Kleenex with you at all times

• 1 book
  • You just need one. Hostels are great book exchangers.

• 1 camera + camera charger/batteries + extra memory cards
• 1 phone (unlocked for global use) + phone charger
• 1 travel adapter for outlets
• 1 foldable “city” bag
  • You can also bring a tote bag but this way, you have something for day use while travelling

• 1-2 small combo locks
  • One for your bag while in transit, one to use in hostels in the lockers

• 1 water bottle
• 1 pair of small, cheap headphones
• 1 music device – optional
• 1 small notepad and pen
• 1 watch
  • BRING A CHEAP ONE! Mine was $10 at Wal Mart

• 5-6 ziploc bags
  • They may not have a purpose before you go, but they’re always a good thing to have on hand. Whether for packed sandwiches from the free hostel breakfast so you can have a cheap lunch or to pack wet toiletries/clothing in your bag

• Printout of your schedule/itinerary/travel information
• Photocopies of your documents
  • Photocopy your passport, license, health insurance info etc – if your wallet gets stolen, it’s easier to get things replaced if you have a copy of the backup with the relevant numbers and information. Leave a copy at home with friends/family as well