Before we left I wanted answers. I needed a packing list for longterm travel.
What on EARTH do we need for longterm travel? HOW will we carry it? Is two pairs of socks enough? And do we need a towel?
The whole notion of planning ahead, figuring out how we would best carry our clothing (suitcases or backpacks?) and then beginning to think of a packing list for such longterm travel definitely caused me to panic created stress before we left. How does anyone know what you actually need for longterm travel?!
Well now we do know. And as much as I cringed at the warning to relax and make sure we at least had our passports and money. It is kind of true. As long as you don’t forget those two major things and you have some way of communicating (when you find wifi) you are going to be ok. You can purchase clothes or shoes that you might need as you go. And some things can be sent home/given to visiting parents (thank you!) when you work out that you don’t need it.
Everyone packs differently and carries/wheels different kinds of bags.
But here are the unedited lists and unpacking of what is actually in each of our bags and what we will do differently next time…
Here is our packing list for longterm travel.
Pack #1: Gavin (Dad) and Harry
On top of carrying his and Harry’s clothes, Gavin takes the lion’s share of weighty items (thanks Gav!). He carries all of our shoes, the two cases of electronics, our bulky rain jackets and less-often used cold weather clothes. Plus the boys Budding Builders Lego pouches (on travel days) and the dirty laundry bag…
- Pack: 75L Macpac Genesis Aztec
- Weight: 12-13kg checked in
- Clothes: Gavin and Harry’s clothes (2x small eBags; 2x medium eBag packing cells)
Gavin’s packing list for longterm travel
Tops
3x2x Cotton T-Shirts- 2x Macpac Merino T-Shirts
- Macpac Long Sleeve Merino Travel Shirt
- 1x Macpac Ultra-Lite Long Sleeve Shirt
Bottoms
- 2x Macpac Fast Track Travel Shorts
- 1x Swimming Board Shorts
- 1x Kathmandu ‘Flight’ Long Trousers
Outerwear
Underwear
- 7x underwear
- 2x socks
Dad-specific toiletries
- Toothbrush
Disposable razorsupgraded to reusable razor for Gap Year II- Electric Razor
Miscellaneous other stuff
Nike sneakersHiking shoes- Birkenstock sandals
- Haviana jandals (flip-flops)
- BUFF Original Neckwear
- Macpac Waterproof Hat
- 1x Macpac Travel Towel Medium
Pack #1: Harry’s (6) packing list for longterm travel
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Tui Fleece Jacket
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Rockover Convertible Pants
- 1x swimming vest and shorts
- 2x tank singlets (1 not needed)
- 5x t-shirts
- 1x long sleeve top
- 4x shorts
- 7x underwear
- 2x socks
- 1x light, summer pyjamas
- 1x sneakers
- 1x jandals (flip-flops)
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Pack-It Jacket
Pack #2: Sarah (Mum) and Oscar
In my big pack I have the medical kit and washbag; laundry powder and Scrubba washing bag; tea/coffee and any non-perishable foods that we have at the time. (And shhh! My packing list is definitely not quite as refined as Gavin’s!).
- Pack: 75L Macpac
- Weight: 10-12kg checked in
- Clothes: Sarah and Oscar’s clothes (2x small eBags; 2x medium eBag packing cells)
And remember, we were planning for travel in warmer weather. (The light singlet came in handy on an overnight train in Uzbekistan; and carrying a long-sleeved top paid off whilst staying in a yurt at alpine temperatures in Kyrgyzstan although it wasn’t quite enough!).
Pack #2: Sarah’s packing list for longterm travel
Tops
- 2x Cotton T-Shirts
- 1x Macpac Women’s Merino T-Shirt
- 1x Macpac Long Sleeve Button-Up Shirt
- 1x Icebreaker Ultra-Fine Tank Singlet
- 1x Smitten Merino dress
- 1x Smitten Merino tank top
Bottoms
- 2x Lululemon Trousers
- 1x Ultra-Light Travel Skirt
- 1x Kathmandu Travel Shorts
Outerwear
- 1x Light Cardigan
- 1x Macpac Pack-It Jacket
- BUFF Original Neckwear
- Macpac Hiker Cap
Note I did purchase a heavy second-hand sweatshirt and jacket at a roadside clothing stall in Kyrgyzstan after experiencing freezing (literally) temperatures staying in a yurt at Song Kol Lake. Until then the light cardigan had been suffice!
Underwear
- 7x underwear
3x2x bras- 2x light ankle socks
- 1x light sports bra
Mum-specific toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Diva cup/hygiene items
- Small facial moisturiser
- Mascara
- Small concealer foundation
- Hair ties
- Hair pins
Miscellaneous other stuff
- 1x scarf for travel days (ok so this turned into 3x scarves by time we got to India!)
- Sarong/lava-lava
- 1x Macpac Travel Towel Medium
- Swimming togs (swimsuit)
- KeepCup reuseable coffee cup
- Reusable shopping bag
- 1x Nike sneakers
- 1x Birkenstock sandals (since upgraded to waterproof for Asia!)
- 1x Haviana jandals (flip-flops)
- Scrubba portable laundry wash bag
- Small container of laundry powder
- 4x chopsticks (2 adult and 2 kids versions)
- Medical kit (read about that here)
Clothes packing list: Oscar (4)
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Tui Fleece Jacket
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Rockover Convertible Pants
- 5x t-shirts
- 1x long sleeve top
- 4x shorts
- 1x long sleeve swimming top and shorts
- 1x light, summer pyjamas
- 7x underwear
- 2x socks
- 1x sneakers
- 1x Crocs sandals
- 1x Macpac Kids’ Pack-It Jacket
So there you have it – the official list of what we set out with initially with a few changes made along the way and refined further for Family Gap Year II!
Overall though not too much did change packing-wise over the first year of our travels. We did end up buying some warmer clothes for alpine temperatures in Kyrgyzstan… But those were actually purchased second hand from a roadside shop and we left those with the family who ran the hostel we stayed in at Almaty, Kazakhstan.
We did replace a few things along the way (t-shirts for adults and the boys too) – though we tried to stick to the general rule of adding something new to a pack meant that we had to get rid of something else!
Check out our other packing posts to see what else you need to pack for long-term family travel. (And hint – it’s more than just clothes!)…
Talking about travel-planning…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
