Ultimate Solo Backpacker Packing List
2 min readApr 12, 2020
I spent two months backpacking South America solo, this is the packing list I’d wished I’d seen before I left.
I stayed in hostels, travelled via bus and did a lot of hiking while I was there. You can adapt the list to suit your specific travel plans but this is a good place to start. A lot of the toiletries you’ll be able to restock when you need too, any medication I would recommend bringing the amount that you will need for the time you are travelling.
If you’re not planning on camping you do not need a sleeping bag. They take up a lot of space and most hostels won’t let you use your own anyway, if you decide you want to go camping there are a lot opportunities to buy or rent them.
- A large backpack (50–60L), durable, and waterproof
- Packing Cubes *amazing! Organize them based on temperature (warm clothes in one, cooler clothes in another)
- A day bag with zippers
- A microfiber quick dry towel and face cloth
- T-shirts or tank tops (4)
- Long sleeved t-shirt (2)
- Jeans (1)
- Leggings (2)
- Studio Pants (1)
- Shorts (2)
- Sun Dress (1)
- Vest (1)
- Waterproof Coat
- Underwear (10)
- Sports Bra (3)
- Regular Bra (2)
- Socks (7)
- Bathing Suit (2)
- Flip-Flops (1)
- Sandels (1)
- Running Shoes (1)
- Blundstones (1)
- Ball Cap
- Hat, Mitts & Scarf *season dependant, winters at high altitude can get quite chilly, I was glad I’d brought a touque*
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen (SPF 50)
- Face Wash
- Dove Bar Soap
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Tooth Brush
- Nail Clippers
- Razor
- Shaving Cream Bar
- Hair Elastics
- Diva Cup
- Safety Pins
- Polysporin
- Benedryl Cream
- Tylenol
- Altitude Pills *talk to your doctor*
- Band Aids
- Aloe Vera
- Laundry Detergent Single-Use Packs
- Dryer Sheets *Put them in with your clothing to keep things smelling fresh*
- Elastics *life-saver, good for quick fixes and keeping things organized*
- Medium-Sized Tupperware
- Utensils
- Travel Clothesline
- Pocket Knife
- Notebook
- Pens/Pencils
- Clipable Water Bottle
- Cellphone
- Travel Adapter
- Charging Cord
- Power Bank
- Credit Cards (2, store them separately)
- Passport and a Photocopy
- Health Insurance Information
- Vaccination Record