Planning a backpacking trip takes practice and thought to know that you are planning a trip that will really be successful. It’s really far more challenging than you might think to plan a backpacking trip. You have multiple items you really need and they all have to fit in that backpack.
On top of that, you have to plan your journey ahead of time and consider anything that could possibly go wrong while you’re traveling. Whether you’re traveling for a month or a couple of nights, you need to carefully plan your trip and we have some great tips to help you through the process!
In this guide, we will walk you through planning your perfect backpacking trip and share with you everything you could possibly need to know to plan your next trip!
6 Steps to the Perfect Backpacking Trip
-
Choose Where You’re Going
First things first, you need to plan where you will be tripping to! This is an important part of the process because where you are going and how long you are staying will make a difference when it comes to what you are packing. Don’t know where to start? Head over to theexpertcamper.co.uk/blog/places-to-visit/best-campsites-in-cornwall for the best places to visit. Or check this blog post out.
For example, if you are backpacking for several days, you will need a backpacking sleeping bag to keep you warm during the night. The type of sleeping bag that you need is something that can also vary if you are going to be backpacking in extreme cold conditions.
All of these factors and elements are important and choosing your location is the first step to packing appropriately for your upcoming trip.
-
Do a Bit of Research
Alright, you chose a location or a path for your backpacking trip, what’s next? You need to take some time and do some research. Look for things like weather patterns. The goal here is that you will want to assess conditions that you could face on your trip.
This research will directly impact your gear that you need for the trip. You may need to be prepared for specific weather or you may need to be prepared for foraging for food and water. This is very important. You don’t want to haphazardly pack things you don’t need and then potentially miss things that you will need on your trip.
-
Time to Choose Your Gear
Now that you’ve planned your trip and done your research, it’s time to get out your backpacking gear and prepare for packing. Choose gear based specifically on your research. Consider survival needs, clothing needs, and sleeping needs.
Remember that a backpack can only hold so much. It is important to be selective and keep your packing strictly to the things you need for survival based upon your research. If you haven’t done this before, we strongly recommend that you find a hiker’s checklist or work with an experienced person to help you through the process.
What you need in your gear should relate specifically back to where you are going and the research that you did for the area. Space is limited so you need to become a minimalist here but also still get everything you could possibly need in that pack.
It’s a challenge. You don’t want to pack things that aren’t needed and you don’t want to end up out in the wild without a resource that could save your life. This is why we recommend research and checklists so make sure everything is covered.
-
Food and Water
Part of your gear preparation will be planning meals like food and water. Again, you will have limited space to designate to this and we recommend working with an experienced backpacker or checking into some intuitive guides to give you tips for this part of the process.
You will need a high amount of calories to sustain you for your walking, hiking, and backpacking trip. You will be exerting a lot of effort and you will need to sustain that. You want items that will be good but that also gives you some variety. You may have the opportunity to forage for food but you should be prepared in case that isn’t a viable option.
-
Navigation Tools
In this day and age, we rely heavily on things like cell phones. What further navigation tools could we possibly need? The reality is when you’re out there in the wild, you may have no phone reception for that navigational tool.
Before you step out into the wild, be prepared for navigating on your own. We recommend studying maps and guides before-hand to be as prepared as possible. You should have maps, a reliable compass, and other navigational tools and you should know how to use them appropriately as well.
Getting lost in the wilderness could cost a life and it is simply not worth the risk. Backpacking can be challenging and it’s very easy to get turned around when nearly everything around you looks the same.
Keep it safe, pack the proper navigational tools, and study your route and maps before you set out.
-
Final Preparations
You’ve chosen your location, planned your route, packed all of your gear with food and navigational tools, now it’s time to make your final preparations. This is the perfect time to do a double and triple-check of your gear and supplies and make certain that you are truly not missing anything.
Check and re-check the weather for your travel location. Do you have all of the gear for the anticipated weather and location? Next, try out your backpack and gear and make sure the weight is right for you.
Finally, share your plans with people close to you that you can trust. Give them as many details as possible so that they can look for check-ins or your return. This is a good double check in case something were to happen while you are gone.
Conclusion
You’re all set! It’s time to get out there and enjoy the trip that you’ve worked so hard to plan. You’ve gone through every little detail. The final step is to get out there and enjoy!
