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In this article we will go over the all-important checklist for planning your solo travel adventure. This detailed checklist is a starting point for your solo travel adventure, but remember, you can pick and choose the items you need based on your specific destination and trip length.
Pre-Departure Essentials:
- Documents: make sure you have a valid passport, visa (if needed), any health documentation, and relevant travel insurance information.
- Logistics: You need any transportation tickets, frequent flyer cards, emergency contact information, and properly confirmed hotel, hostel or alternative reservations (if needed).
- Finances: Take along the all versatile traveller’s checks (optional), local and US currency, credit cards, debit cards, guidebooks and maps.
- Copies: Make at last 3 copies of your passport, ID, and important documents. Leave a copy with family or friends at home who can courier them to you if something goes amiss.
- Day Pack: Depending on the type of solo trips, take along a comfortable backpack for carrying essentials during day trips. Obviously suitable luggage to take to the destination you are visiting.
- Essentials: You need a quality flashlight, first-aid kit, sunscreen, water bottle (with purification filter recommended), sunglasses, comfortable hat, loud whistle, map or travel guide (optional), compass or GPS receiver (optional), a mini language phrase book for the destination you are travelling to.
- Multi-purpose Tools: Multi-tool for quick fixes on the go, or sturdy pocket knife.
- Main Travel Bag: Choose a durable and suitably sized and style of travel luggage that suits your needs (duffel bag, backpack, etc.)
- Packing Accessories: Handy packing cubes or organizers for clothes, toiletries bags, and suitable mini carry bags for your smaller items.
- Security: Secure money belts for passport carriers and cash, luggage locks, security tags, luggage labels.
- Everyday Bag: Add in a smaller bag for daily essentials, or a suitable sized carry pack for when you are on the move that can take all your essentials.
- Clothing: Look up weather conditions where you are travelling to and pack in versatile mix and match, and layered pieces suitable for the climate and activities you plan.
- Weather Gear: For rainy and wet destinations, take along a compact foldable raincoat or umbrella for unpredictable weather.
- Footwear: carefully choose your shoes and hiking boots. You need comfortable shoes for walking and exploring, and perhaps slippers, or slip slops for evenings.
- Entertainment: You will need a quality camera, or a decent one on a quality smartphone, books, and perhaps games, or playing cards for downtime. (Optional)
- Comfort Items: Optional take along a travel pillow, eye mask, reusable earplugs, hand sanitizer, a travel journal or diary, pen, and your suitable personal hygiene items.
- Travel Adapters: Look for quality phone chargers, solar power chargers (Optional) and international converters for electronic devices.
- Safety: Take along a travel alarm, portable door lock pepper spray, emergency whistle (optional items).
- Health Kit: Pack basic medications (pain relievers, cold and headaches medicine, diarrhoea medicine etc.), insect repellent, and quality sunscreen. Consider additional medication based on your destination, and if you have chromic medication take along an extra script from your doctors.
- Prescriptions: As above, bring enough of any personal prescriptions you need a travel note form your doctor regarding what you are taking.
- Batteries: Consider packing extra batteries for your flashlight and other devices, if you are travelling somewhere where they might not be readily available, especially for camping trips.
- Repair Kit: Its always handy to take along a small sewing kit and duct tape can be lifesavers for minor repairs. These don’t take up much space anyway.
- Snacks: Optional depending on where you are travelling to; pack some healthy snacks for on-the-go energy.
- Language: A line language guide with common phrases can be helpful if you're traveling somewhere you don't speak the language.
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