Packing Guide

Final home checks before you start the trip.

Five things that affect packing:

• Charge all devices and power banks
• Photograph important gear for insurance records
• Digitise key documents: passport, insurance, visa
• Download offline maps and translation packs
• Install airline, hotel, taxi, and banking apps

Install, update, and log in to important travel apps before departure. Do this at home while internet access is reliable and two-factor authentication is easy.

For French-speaking West Africa, download French in Google Translate before departure. For countries with unreliable mobile data, download offline maps on both your main phone and backup phone if you carry one.

Choose a 30–40L carry-on backpack. For independent travel, a backpack usually works better than a roller on stairs, dirt roads, boats, tuk-tuks, rough pavements and old-town lanes.

Use the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L if you want a smaller disciplined setup. Use the Osprey Farpoint 40 if you need extra space for mixed climates.

Keep a simple tote for shopping, laundry, beach days and overflow. Add a packable daypack only if you hike, explore towns without your main bag, or need a small bag for food, water, camera gear and a rain layer.

Do not over-organise. Two or three pouches are enough: one medium clothing cube, one small cube for underwear and socks, one tech pouch, and one clear pouch for liquids or small toiletries.

Use one medium cube, one small cube, one tech pouch, one clear liquids pouch, and one tote or dry bag for dirty laundry.

Pack for 4–5 days, then wash as you go. Choose quick-drying fabrics, neutral colours, and clothes that layer well. The aim is not more outfits; it is fewer pieces that work together.

Quantities

Avoid packing duplicate "maybe" clothes. One good rain jacket or wind shell is more useful than several extra shirts.

Two pairs are usually enough: main walking or running shoes worn on travel day, and lightweight sandals packed in the bag.

Keen-style sandals are protective and comfortable but bulkier. Teva, Xero, Bedrock, or similar flatter sandals are easier to pack. Choose protective sandals when toe protection matters; choose flatter sandals when space and weight matter more.

Avoid a third pair unless the trip specifically requires dress shoes, boots or technical footwear.

A rain jacket or wind shell is one of the highest-value one-bag items. It covers wind, light rain, cold buses, ferries, mountain evenings and airport chills. Sun protection should be just as deliberate: choose a cap, wide-brim hat, or neck gaiter based on the real exposure of the trip.

Pack one rain jacket or wind shell only. Choose a wind shell for mostly dry trips, or a rain shell for wet climates. Pack both a hat and cap only for hot, exposed routes where sun protection is a core safety item.

Carry documents in three forms: original, paper backup, and offline digital copy.

Do not keep all payment cards, cash, and ID in one place. Store one backup card and some emergency cash separately inside your main bag.

Independent travel often means crowded buses, shared taxis, hostels, markets, ports, airports, and unpredictable border situations. A small security system is useful, but it should not become heavy or complicated.

Use a simple rule: the items you cannot afford to lose should not all be in the same pocket, pouch, or bag.

Keep electronics compact and boring. The best tech kit charges everything with the fewest parts.

• Smartphone and protective case
• Wired or wireless earphones
• Compact USB-C charger
• Short charging cable and one backup cable
• Power bank
• Universal adapter
• SIM tool
• Small tech pouch

Use Anker or Ugreen for chargers and cables, Anker or Nitecore for power banks, Skross or Epicka for universal adapters, and Bellroy, Peak Design or Matador for tech pouches.

Keep toiletries small. Almost everything can be bought locally.

• Toothbrush and small toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Bar soap or small body wash
• Razor if needed
• Nail clippers and tweezers
• Comb
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm with SPF
• Laundry soap sheets or tiny detergent

The Matador FlatPak Soap Bar Case is useful for bar soap. Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash or laundry sheets work for sink washing. Pack a Sea to Summit Airlite towel only if you regularly stay somewhere without towels.

Do not carry a pharmacy. Carry a small first-aid kit focused on the problems that most often disrupt travel: stomach issues, dehydration, blisters, pain, heat, allergies, and personal prescriptions.

Check the rules for prescription medicines before travelling. Some medications that are legal at home may be restricted in other countries.

Choose one main bottle system based on the destination. Electrolyte tablets are a useful addition for hot climates, long transit days, or heavy sweating.

Choose one main bottle system. Do not carry a hard bottle, collapsible bottle, and purifying bottle unless the destination genuinely requires it.

Comfort items should be small. Take them only if they solve a real problem for you.

Do not pack every comfort item. Choose the one or two that genuinely improve sleep or recovery.

Use this as the final sweep after reading the guide. Do not pack every optional item; choose only what fits the destination and trip style.

Before closing the bag, lay everything on the floor and ask three questions:

1. 1.

   Will I use this every week?

   If it sits unused for a week of travel, it isn't earning its place.

2. 2.

   Can something else already in the bag do the same job?

   Duplicates are how packs get heavy.

3. 3.

   Could I buy this easily if I really needed it?

   Available in most countries means you don't need to carry it.