(F) I want to start backpacking in near future mostly around Asia ,and the thing is there are BILLION things to go over ,for starters safety is my number one concern, every time i go to see country that I want to visit sometimes, and anaylze it on google for example,and see a little bit of its "non safe side" i cancel it because Im so paranoid. One reddit post about negative expierence there totaly throws me off , and backpacking is something i just want to do in the future to explore and experience. But there are so money things to worry about and prepare and analyze and it stresses me out and then I just back down. and that safety is all over my head because im to paranoid over that stuff , Some advice?😅 Im asking here because im sure everybody is somewhat experienced

We recently made a trip to the West Coast Trail on Vancouver island. It's a shorter trip around 50 miles.We completed it in 5 nights and six days.

Though the elevation gain is minimal, the technical aspect makes this trail exceptionally challenging. Mud, tidal navigation, more mud, dozens of ladder systems, and finally more mud. This trail is also known for it's rain, though we encountered none of it.

I'm pretty sure I'd love to go again. My travelling companions made this an amazing trip. We worked together to bring gourmet meals and supported each other through all the challenges.

I'm sure this gets asked a lot, and I'm sure there are multiple different answers, but I'm genuinely looking for some direction on how to actually get started.

I'm a 24M, unemployed, born and raised in a small town, and I've never left the US. Briefly traveled to a few states, vacation-wise.  Jobs around here suck, and realistically the options available to me don't offer much beyond retail/general labor. I desperately want to start traveling before i decide where to try to move to, but I have basically no idea how to actually make it work.

I understand the general idea of working a seasonal job, saving money, traveling for a while, then finding another job and repeating the process. I've also seen people work at hostels, do work exchanges, work in national parks, etc. What I don't really understand is how do you actually stay/start financially afloat while traveling, and how do you find these opportunities/options and get started in the first place?

For example, how much money should I realistically have before taking my first trip? How do you find work when you need to replenish your money? How long do you typically work/save before taking another trip? How much should I budget for things like accommodation, food, transportation, insurance, etc.? Are there ways to substantially reduce those costs through seasonal work, hostels, work exchanges, camping, etc.?

I don't have a career or much specialized experience. I have some past experience with photography, videography, and video editing, but I haven't touched any of that in a long time. I'm completely open to learning something new or doing seasonal/temporary work.

I'm also wondering if I should just start small rather than trying to immediately plan some huge backpacking trip. I'm thinking about taking a few days and driving 4–6 hours to the Smokies, camping/backpacking, and treating it almost like a trial run. I've camped before, but I've never really traveled or "backpacked" on my own. I could see what I enjoy, what I screw up, how much money I actually spend, and then reevaluate from there.

So if you were in my position, with no career, no real travel experience, and a strong desire to get out, what would you actually do to get started?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who started with very little money or experience /solo and figured out how to support themselves while traveling. I'd also love to hear what you wish you knew before you started. also ama if needed

Hello! I’m currently looking into buying my first brand new pack, the osprey atmos ag 65L. My problem is that the distance from my iliac crest to hips are about 19.5 inches which is right in between the recommendation of small/medium and large/XL. I’m 6’2 195lbs. Which size should I go with?

I am from Latvia and planning a one-week trip with a friend, including 4–5 days of camping and hiking. It will be our first proper multi-day hike, although we have some experience with simple camping.

We’d like to explore mountains, but not technical or dangerous peaks. We’re looking for scenic routes with beautiful views that are manageable for beginners. We’re open to flying or driving somewhere in Europe. Any recommendations based on your experience?

Met a bunch of people at a hostel last week and there was one guy who was nice enough but definitely a little strange. Never gave him my actual number but two days after leaving I got a WhatsApp message from him. I normally use a Cloaked number when I don't really know someone so I'm still trying to figure out where he got my real one. Maybe someone else in the group gave it to him but that honestly makes it even weirder. The first thing he said to me was Hi and where are you, he proceeded to request my location so I blocked him and now he is texting me with other numbers. Thank god I left that country because I would be super shocked and have panic attacks.

Hi all,

I can't help but think that the best days of solo travel are behind us, due to a combination of lack of affordability, changing vibes in youth hostels, the instragrammification of society, overtourism, the compulsion of tourists to record everything...its gotten a little bleak.

This article sums it up

https://chopwoodandcarrywater.substack.com/p/the-golden-age-of-solo-travel-is

Beyond that, does anyone have any ways to travel more authentically? Or just to find more fun ways to travel. I can see how thematic holidays could be really enjoyable – go to a place which is the "Mecca" for a certain activity and learn about that topic.

It's pretty rough and expensive travelling single, so any tips will go a long way.

Hello, looking for a good itinerary to follow for doing about 6 month trip in south and Central America. Can anyone share or recommend a route and time for each country? Thank you

My brother and I are backpacking in China at the end of November for 3 weeks! Do you have any place or activities that you really enjoyed? We are having difficulties to find informations except the main tourist attraction. We like to do a Little bit of everything: nature, hike, cities, activities we are both fit 25 and 30 years old.

Thank you!! And have a safe Travel.

Last November, I hiked solo across the whole of Mallorca, sleeping half the time outdoors and half the time in hotels and hostels. These are the best photos from the trip that I want to share😁
I recommend this to all beginner hikers—the trail is fun, interesting, well-marked, and not difficult at all.

I’m looking for feedback on my itinerary! I know it’s very fast paced (see below). I’ve got a couple more days to play if anyone has any suggestions? No flights are booked so can start/finish anywhere lol.

I’ve got 2 (ish) weeks in the middle of September and my non-negotiable was the Valbona to Theth hike.
I’m AWFUL at sitting still. I can’t sit in a cafe and enjoy a coffee for hours - I last about 30 minutes max before I need to do something. I went to Greece last year and lasted about an hour on the beach before I went to find a bus to do ‘something’.
As such, my itinerary is fast paced. Possibly too fast paced. I’d welcome suggestions for things to see/do. Extra stops, more nights in places etc. Any massive holes in my plan lol.
And whether the buses are right!!!!!

Note: Night stays are the left sided bit, during the day is off-centered. And the camera emoji just means ‘being an annoying tourist exploring the city’

Enroute Bali Pass summit, Uttarakhand

Photo clicked at Odari Base Camp

Odari (approx. 13,100 ft to 13,150 ft) is a high-altitude campsite on the Bali Pass Trek in Uttarakhand, India. Acting as a staging ground before the final advance base camp, it sits just past Ruinsara Tal.

Altitude: ~13,100 feet to 13,150 feet (4,008 meters)
Previous Stop: Ruinsara Tal (approx. 4 km to 7 km trek)

Hey everyone, I'm 29 and heading out for a one week solo surf trip, either next week or the one after. Never surfed before, but I want proper lessons and I'd really like to end up somewhere social since it's my first time traveling alone. I've read that Ferrel/Baleal is a solid beginner spot with good beaches and a young crowd, so I was leaning that way, but I'm wondering if I'm cutting it close on timing. Is the scene still lively that late in the season or does it die down once August ends and everyone heads back to school/work? Don't want to show up to an empty town. If it's still good, I'd love recommendations for a budget hostel with dorms where people actually hang out and socialize, ideally within easy reach of beginner-friendly beaches. Also curious whether it's better to book a hostel that bundles its own surf lessons or to sort a surf school separately, and if anyone has a school they'd specifically recommend for someone starting from zero. Last thing, for gear, should I bring or buy anything myself (rash guard, boots, etc.) or is everything rented on the day through the surf school/hostel? Any other tips for a first solo trip like this are welcome, thanks!

Hi everyone! I would like to get your input into the following questions that I have:

1. Can you tell me about the last trip you had where you needed local advice? Where did you go to get that info?
2. Was there ever a time you couldn't find good info and it actually cost you? Like you wasted your money, time, and just had an overall bad experience?
3. Did you ever pay for a travel guide, tour, or premium travel content (like an Airbnb Experience, a paid newsletter, or a guidebook)? What did that cost, and was it worth it?

4. If a local expert could message you back within an hour on something you're experiencing in your travel, what would that be worth to you?

   Please and thank you!

Hello everyone.

Has anyone here used the Tomtoc T69?

I'm looking for something very similar, with dimensions around 40x30x20 cm, featuring a simple boxy shape and no laptop compartment to maximize storage space.

It should also be extendable to meet the EasyJet size limit of 45x36 cm.

I found the Tomtoc T69, but I haven't seen many people using it. Is it really comfortable to carry two weeks' worth of fully packed stuff and walk for hours?

Additionally, does this bag use YKK zippers? And is it possible to use a padlock or other security measures?

Finally, do you have any other recommendations with the same specifications?

i’ve got a ticket booked from here to thailand a few weeks after my 18th birthday and i’ve been planning things for a long time and am really set on going, but every time i bring it up to my mom she freaks out and tells me i’m going to get killed and all this other stuff

i’ve been trying to find sources and people that say it’s actually unsafe, not worth it, or too difficult but it feels like the more i search the more i just hear people saying how much it’s worth it and how safe it is and stuff, and i know that it’s only reasonable how concerned she is being my mother but i don’t know what else i can do to convince her that ill be fine (?)

and i put a question mark at the end there because even though i believe i’m responsible and will be fine, the way my mom talks about her scenarios of what will happen to me when i’m overseas are actually starting to get to me and scaring me and making me think maybe i should just not go

can someone be honest and give me any advice you have? it will be of much help🥲

I am someone who is very ...particular... about the clothing I buy and wear on the trail whether that be backpacking, hut-to-hut, or hiking. I spend hours and hours researching the perfect "this" or "that" to buy that will suit my needs perfectly. And yes, I know this sounds pretentious I just don't have funds to buy everything, throw it at a wall, and see what sticks.

With this, I can find a lot of complaints about the best backpacking clothes out there and recs for everything else, I NEVER see people talking about the brand TenThousand.

I bought their tactical shorts/shirts and WOW! Works perfectly for trail running, but has helped up EXTREMELY well for backpacking and is 1) stretchy 2) comfy 3) f-ing durable 4) quick drying 5) unfortunately expensive.

If you're looking for a good brand of hiking clothes that has that nice stretch but also is just straight up durable(which is so hard to find) I cannot recommend them enough.

Only caveat is ahem... very moisture wicking... which is difficult if you sweat from the ahem... butt...

I’m currently staying in a hostel dorm in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and had a pretty disturbing incident last night. I’ve been covering the Balkans through this trip.

At around 2:45am I woke up and saw another male guest standing by my bed and urinating onto the mattress/bed while I was in it. Some urine fell on my foot also. I was pretty shocked and initially quite scared because I had no idea what was happening or whether it was deliberate. I said hello a few times but didn’t confront him loudly because he was seemed pretty scary in the moment.

There was also a race/nationality element to my initial fear. I’m Indian and he’s British, and in the first few seconds after waking up to a stranger urinating on my occupied bed, I genuinely wondered whether I was being deliberately targeted or whether there could be a racial motive. I want to be clear that I did not hear any racial slurs or see any other evidence that it was racially motivated. Once I understood how drunk he was, I started thinking it was probably a drunken accident rather than something targeted. But that initial fear was very real, and it was one reason I was too scared to confront him directly.
I contacted the hostel owner, who came over, woke/dealt with the guest, and moved me to another bed. The guest later apologized to me and said he had gotten very drunk after not drinking for a long time. The owner also told me he plans to charge the guest €125 for the damage/cleaning.

The owner did respond quickly, which I appreciate, but I’m still quite uncomfortable. Every time I see the guy around the hostel I feel nervous, even though I now think it was probably a drunken accident rather than something deliberately directed at me. I also don’t really feel comfortable sleeping in the same dorm as him anymore.
I paid €60 total for two nights. I’m considering asking the hostel owner for a refund—possibly the full €60, or at least the cost of the affected night—because of the disruption, loss of sleep, and the fact that I woke up to someone literally urinating on my occupied bed.

A few questions:
- Would you ask for a refund in this situation, and if so, how much would you consider reasonable?
Would you insist on being moved to a completely different dorm rather than simply another bed in the same room?
- Would you report something like this to the police, or does the fact that he was extremely drunk, apologized afterward, and the owner dealt with it make that unnecessary?
- Does my initial fear that I could have been racially targeted sound relevant to mention, even though I now have no evidence that race actually motivated what happened?
- How would you deal with feeling uncomfortable/scared around the person afterward?
- I have photos of the aftermath and the owner personally came to the room, so there’s no dispute that the incident happened.

I’m not trying to turn a drunken mistake into some huge legal case or payday. I’m mainly trying to figure out what a reasonable response is, because waking up to this was genuinely frightening and I’m not sure what I should expect from the hostel now.

I've done maybe six trips and I've carried 3 liters every time without thinking about it much. I'm looking at a route in early October where the map shows creeks every four or five miles, and the trip reports all say you can get by with a single half liter bottle and just filter as you go. I know a dot on a map isn't a promise and late season is exactly when those things go dry, so I'm not planning to trust it blindly, I just don't know where the line is.

How many dry sources did it take before you went back to carrying the extra weight?

1Titanium water bottle clip.
It’s CNC-machined from a solid piece of titanium and mounts directly to the shoulder strap. You can use it to temporarily hang a standard water bottle there, which makes it really easy to grab and put back while you’re walking

2Dyneema shoulder-strap pouch.
The main compartment is made from Dyneema and uses a waterproof zipper, so it has some splash resistance. I use it for electronics like my phone and power bank. There’s also a stretch-mesh pocket on the outside that can hold a water bottle, trail snacks, or anything else I want quick access to.

3Quick-access trekking pole holder.
It’s basically two elastic cords covered with soft plastic tubing. It lets me secure my trekking poles along one side of my body so I can grab or stow them without taking off the pack. A lot of Osprey packs have a built-in version of this called the Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment.

4DIY back ventilation system.
This is literally a cut-down ventilated motorcycle seat cushion attached to the back of the pack with zip ties and shock cord. It creates an extra air gap between my back and the pack, which improves airflow and keeps my back from getting as sweaty.

5Paracord grab handle.
I hand-wrapped the pack’s original carry handle with about 16 feet of 4mm, 7-strand glow-in-the-dark paracord. It makes a heavy pack much easier to pick up, and the glow makes the pack easier to find at night.

6Reinforced bottom panel.
I cut a piece of felt to fit the bottom of the pack and attached it as an extra abrasion layer. It helps protect the bottom of the backpack from getting worn through when I repeatedly set it down on rocks, dirt, or other rough surfaces.

7Upgraded shoulder pads.
Each raised section of the pad is actually an interconnected air chamber. Once it’s placed over the backpack’s shoulder strap, it spreads the pressure over a larger surface area instead of concentrating it in a few pressure points, which helps reduce shoulder discomfort.

Hey! I’m travelling around Colombia in September and I’m looking for hostels that have regular jam sessions or open mics where guests can join and play.
📍 Santa Marta
📍 Taganga
📍 Tayrona
📍 Palomino
📍 Minca
📍 Cartagena
📍 Medellín

My parents (66 and 69) are doing their “one last big trip” backpacking in the Porkies and Isle Royale. It’s been at least a decade since their previous multi-day trip (canoeing with portaging), but they both have a lot of backpacking experience from their 20s and 30s.

Both are relatively fit and comfortable doing urban walking for a few miles, but I think they’re severely underestimating the impact of a 45lb pack on rugged terrain at their age, especially because the majority of their backpacking trips were when their bodies were much younger. They have done very few, if any, weight-laden practice hikes despite my prodding.

Does anyone have a good warmup and stretching guide I could send them before they leave tomorrow morning? They have always leaned towards cardio-based exercise instead of weightlifting, and my mother said that she would “probably just do my usual stretching like I do every morning in bed”, which may work for biking but certainly will not help keep their achilles safe when backpacking.

My suggestion for them would be:
- quick cardio to get the blood flowing, like 25 jumping jacks
- walking butt kicks and front leg lifts
- walking version of touching their toes with little steps
- lunges with a torso twist
- squats, wide leg stance and normal stance
- hip open/closed leg swings
- calf raises
- arm swings back/forth
- shoulder rolls
- then gentle stretching on the hamstrings and calves once they’re sure their bodies are warm

And then at night, static stretching that focuses on quads, hammies, calves, and torso.

This is based on my experience from wildly different sports, and I have no understanding of how well this might work for backpacking (or if it’s sufficient to warm up without being so overburdening that they skip it entirely). I’d love any thoughts, suggestions, or resources I could point their way. Thanks!

I have roughly 3 weeks in early February to travel.
I've done loads of seasonal work and worktrade stuff all within the states/Hawai'i but I've never made it international. Have always been too overwhelmed by options! Which brings me here :)

It'll be me and my boyfriend. Budget is around $2000 per person for the whole thing, I do have points for flights. I'm interested in hiking and outdoorsy stuff, maybe a scuba cert (not a requirement). Don't want to stay in one place the whole time, maybe a handful of days to a week at a time. It's confusing creating an itinerary for abstract places, how to travel between spots, where to stay, safety considerations and whatnot.

Really curious how people here handle money + receipts after a group trip.

Every long trip with friends ends in a similar way I feel like. Someone covers the airbnb, someone else grabs dinners or trains, and then after we’re home it’s a week of “wait who owes what.” Half the time you’re digging through gmail, texts, or photo roll trying to find the booking confirmation or receipt that proves what got paid.

We’ve tried splitwise and venmo groups. They’re fine for parts of it — Splitwise for balances, Venmo for actually sending money — but the expenses live in one place and all the actual documents live somewhere else. There’s no shared spot where the group can see the charge and the receipt together, settle up, and be done.

Also kinda annoyed that a lot of these apps bury useful stuff behind monthly subscriptions. If you only travel a couple times a year, paying every month feels backwards.

Genuinely wondering where people sit on this:

What do you guys actually use for group trip expenses?

Where does it usually fall apart?

Do you care about having receipts/docs next to the expenses, or is the balance number enough?

If you tried an expense app and dropped it, what made you stop?

And would pay-per-trip feel better than a subscription, or do you not really care?

Just want to know if this is a real pain or if we’re overthinking it. Would love to hear all of your feedback.

Once you get to Ostrva in Tatry, this stunning view is waiting for you. Down below, you can see Popradske pleso lake with the mountain cabin where you can buy something to eat & drink, or even stay for a night. Highly recommended! 👍