10 Things To Do Before Going On A Backpacking Adventure

Now that you have decided to go on a backpacking adventure, it’s time to prepare for it. What to do before leaving for your backpacking adventure? What do you need to consider? What shall you do? From where to start?

Today, we help you better prepare for your next backpacking adventure.

Check out the 10 Things to Do Before Going on a Backpacking Adventure

1. Make a Plan, But Don’t Plan Your Whole Trip! NEVER Plan it All!!

It’s good to list down the countries you want to visit, and it’s essential to have your accommodation booked for your first few days until you settle down, but don’t plan everything! Imagine you arrive at a destination where you booked accommodation for one or two nights, and you’re enjoying yourself so much that you don’t want to leave. If you have booked all flights and accommodations for the following weeks, you’ll lose all the money if you decide to stay longer. If you don’t have a plan, you can easily extend your stay without problems.

2. Keep Extra Copies of Important Documents

Make extra copies of your passport and bank cards if you lose them or get stolen. This way, you can easily have their details and be able to cancel them if something happens.

3. Cancel All Irrelevant Memberships

Do you have a spa membership or a gym membership? You definitely won’t need all these monthly subscriptions during your backpacking adventure! Cancel them immediately to reduce your finances before leaving. You can always start over when you return home.

4. Pay Off Your Debt

Before leaving for your backpacking adventure, try to pay all the interest and monthly bills. Remember that during your travels, there’s a high possibility of forgetting about your pending bills. Avoid extra stress, especially while travelling on a budget.

5. Inform Your Bank

Call your bank and inform them about the duration of your travels and let them know which countries you’re travelling to so they don’t flag any of your transactions as suspicious. They might block your cards while you’re overseas if you don’t inform them.

6. Download a Translator App Before You Leave

You’re doing an adventure, so you’ll jump from one country to another. You’ll be in countries where you don’t speak the native language, so having a translator app is essential. We usually use Google Translate, which is free on iOS and Android.

7. Download Offline Maps

Even if you have great data roaming and free WiFi, having an offline map is always good when you’re away from home. You’ll save more on data usage and avoid exceeding your monthly payment. We use Google Maps. Remember that offline Google Maps aren’t available for walking and public transportation; they only work for driving.

8. Take Out Some Local Currency

Usually, it’s possible to withdraw money from an ATM in the airport, but it’s also possible that you have issues with your bank card or the ATM doesn’t work. It’s better to have a local currency that lasts for the first few days until you settle.

9. Sort Out Your Airport Transfer

Check out the best way to get to your first accommodation from the airport. Stay calm when you arrive in a new country by keeping a list of all the details sorted on your phone, whether you’re travelling by public transport, taxi or airport shuttle bus.

10. Keep in Mind That Only 50% or Less of Your Actual Plan Will Work Out

We’re always honest with you. We don’t want you to be disappointed, but even if you’re the most organised person in the world and have the most detailed plan, some things fail, and you’ll have to change your itinerary. Not everything will work out. This can be changing your accommodation at the last minute (this has happened to us several times) or losing a flight or train; you must change your plan altogether. Many things may go wrong, but don’t freak out, whatever the reason! Stop, take a deep breath and think of an option. We realised that when things don’t go our way, we learned how to turn an obstacle into an opportunity, and that’s precisely what you should do! Remember that every backpacker passes from the same situation.

So there you are. You know what to do before leaving for your backpacking adventure. Now that you have everything ready, take some time to relax and, lastly, go and enjoy your adventure!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. If you book your accommodation or buy anything through our links, we earn a small commission at NO extra cost to you. We only recommend links to services we truly trust. Thank you for your support!