world island travel gear

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World Travel Gear – Complete Packing List with Weight of Each Item

*My friends, I’ve come a long way since I wrote this back in 2017. I no longer travel this light due to kids, my girlfriends, and all the camera gear I’ve accumulated while running my YouTube channel. However, if you’re traveling solo or island hopping, traveling light with one backpack is the way to go.

My World Travel Gear 2017

I’m constantly upgrading my world travel gear in the never-ending search for the perfect setup.

The gear you travel with can either make or break a trip. My philosophy is to always travel fast and light. You may have to break this principle to accomplish your objectives but it should be what you aim for. I’m currently carrying a total of 14.175 kilos / 31.250 pounds of gear. My goal is to get the total weight down to 10 kilos.

These three tables help me stay minimal and organized. I update the tables before and after any adventure so I can use this page as a packing list. Hopefully it will give you some ideas about your pack plan.

What’s in my Satchel?

What’s in my backpack, what do i wear while traveling.

I weighed each of the items on a digital scale so I could get an accurate number. I realized that the weight listed on a manufacturer’s website is never spot on. With the true weight on these tables I can now see how the grams add up to extra pounds.

To be honest, I’m not sure why I’m carrying this much weight. I’m already eyeing two of my favorite pieces of gear for the chopping block. The Indiana Gear Bag and my Manfrotto Compact Light Tripod add 2.245 kilos / 4.949 pounds to the total. That’s significant. The problem is that they’re the two pieces of gear I’m not prepared to part ways with. It’s a dilemma.

Hey Mark –

You have some expensive and high quality gear for someone living on the cheap but impressive items! Thanks for sharing! No EDC knife?

I don’t carry a knife, my friend. If I’m traveling light with just a backpack as a carry on, I can’t have a knife, anyway. I do carry an old Leatherman tool if I’m checking bags.

Comments are closed.

My Travel Gear

Sometimes I get questions from people asking what type of camera, drone, or other gear I use, so I’ve put together this list of my travel essentials to help you get started.

These aren’t all of the items I use while traveling, but they’re some of my must haves. I’m a big fan of all of these items, and I’ve had lots of experience with them over the years, but if I upgrade to something new then I’ll try to update the list as well.

This is almost everything you need to travel the world and take lots of photos and videos while doing it! If you have any questions about any of this gear, feel free to ask me!  

My Travel Camera

• fujifilm x-t5 mirrorless digital camera.

This is my current go-to camera for most of the photography I do in my travels. You can see some photo samples in my Gallery or Photo Essays , although most of the pictures on my site were taken with the older X-T2 model.

I’m now using the newer and better X-T5 version, but I still have a lot to learn before I master this thing. I love to take pictures with the Fuji X-series cameras and the prices are quite a bit lower than what you’d normally pay for a kitted out DLSR.

• Manfrotto MB MA-H-S Advanced Holster

This camera bag is small and handy, so it’s easy to use on the go. I usually keep it in my backpack for an extra layer of protection, and it fits in there perfectly! It also has some spare pockets for extra batteries or SD cards.

Memory Cards

• sandisk extreme pro sdxc memory card.

These memory cards come in all different sizes, from 64GB to 1TB. The 128GB card holds up to 1,500 raw photos from my camera, or more than 5,000 JPEG photos at a time.

• DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone Quadcopter

Drone Batteries

• dji mavic 2 intelligent flight battery.

Drone batteries typically only last about 30 minutes per charge, so it’s a good idea to bring at least one or two spares. I always keep at least 3 spares with me for when I may be doing lots of filming.

Drone Memory Cards

• sandisk extreme pro microsdxc memory card.

It’s a good idea to bring a couple of microSD memory cards for the drone. One 128GB card is good for about 3 hours of filming at 4K resolution, but you’ll want to keep a spare handy in case you forget your main card.

Underwater Camera

• gopro hero7 black — waterproof digital action camera.

GoPro is nice for underwater filming and such. I’m not a big fan of GoPro for other situations, but they are great for easy underwater photography, and prices are coming down lately.

• Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag

I love this dry bag and I will probably never use another brand. The 30 liter Earth Pak bag has kept my electronics safe from water in some of the most bizarre and extreme situations while island hopping in Indonesia and the Philippines.

• Winner Outfitters Portable Double Camping Hammock

This hammock folds down into a small package, making it super portable for hiking. I’ve used it with great success on some epic backpacking trips like the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii.

• Napier Backroadz Truck Camping Tent

I love this tent and it’s the perfect way to travel the United States on a budget. One time I slept in my Napier truck tent for 6 months and drove 20,000 miles in 8 states, hiking and filming scenic places all over the US. This tent kept me safe and dry through lots of bad storms and temperatures as low as 20 F (-6 C) in the mountains. Plus it just looks awesome!

Photo Editing

• adobe lightroom – pc/mac photo editing software.

Lightroom is the perfect program for editing and organizing your pictures. This will give your travel photos a huge boost!

Video Editing

• adobe premiere pro – pc/mac video editing software.

I do all of my drone video editing with Adobe Premiere. It handles 4K video files like a charm.

External Hard Drive

• seagate expansion 4tb portable external hard drive.

Extra storage is important if you plan to be taking lots of photos or videos. This USB 3.0 drive is super portable (barely bigger than a smartphone) and has tons of storage.

Travel Adapter

• worldwide all in one universal travel adapter / wall charger.

This travel adapter works in 150+ countries. So far, I haven’t found a country where it doesn’t work! It also has 2 handy side ports for USB charging.

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• DESTINATIONS

Ultimate Travel Gear Guide

40 ultimate travel gear guide.

I frequently travel on an extreme budget, so my gear can be expensive. I want it to be comfortable, high durable, and multi-purpose. I avoid replacing worn-out equipment every few months while abroad – focus on travel gear as lightweight as possible! 

I understand everyone has different tastes & requirements while on the road. The following  gear list  is just what suits   my “adventure” travel style the best!

TRAVEL GEAR

I currently travel with three different bags. Osprey is my main bag,a backpack for adventure travel. The other Peak Design bags are mainly for a digital nomad, a film work, and short-term travel.

My current favorite travel bag with plenty of room, super durable, and lightwear. A carry-on bag, an expandable bag for extra room if needed.

This lightweight, super comfortable travel work includes full front-zipper access to all my gear. The design is built for both work and travel gears.

My amazing carry-on camera & laptop backpack. I use this backpack everywhere, yet it has room for things like snacks, water, tripod, etc. An ideal backpack for digital nomad. 

BASIC TRAVEL GEAR

This is my standard travel gear that goes with me on every trip. From items that helps me stay organized while traveling and working.

BACKPACKING & CAMPING GEAR

As an adventure addict, I do a lot of camping and trekking when I travel. So I only chose high-end products, super lightweight, and durable.

TRAVEL CLOTHING & APPAREL

You don’t need countless things in the bag to travel. Here’s some of the clothing I pack when traveling around the world. I like to buy stuff that is lightweight and quick dry.

TECH GADGETS FOR TRAVELERS

Tech gadgets are essential to my nomad lifestyle. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to produce a travel blog or video on social media platform.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR

For the photographers out there, those camera gears I use for adventure travel photography around the world . I mostly make a living off shoot images and produce videos.

>> Extended List of 35 Best Travel Resources!

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• Travel Gear

The Islands 2021 Travel Gear Guide

From backpacks and sunglasses to outdoor cooking and fitness equipment, here are the products we’re taking on vacations and giving as gifts this year..

For those about to travel safely, we salute you. For those who still want to take your time getting back out there, we certainly understand you. And for anyone in between, or maybe just waiting on the right travel deals, we don't blame you. Where you stand, though, one thing is for certain: you can probably use some new travel gear. Even if you think you don't, come on, you know you've had your eye on something special for the last year or so, and if you haven't, maybe we can inspire you.

We've been looking around for a variety of products, gadgets, and doodads for months, and while we normally like to focus on the little things that can fit into our bags and make traveling easier, we're still taking a page from last year's gear guide and keeping a focus on enhancing the experience both home and away.

So, if you want to start simple and grab a new pair of sunglasses for your big boat trip or perhaps a Father's Day present, or you're more concerned with getting your beach bod back, we have some ideas. Whatever your perspective, there's gear for you.

Breeo X Series 30 Smokeless Fire Pit

It seemed impossible that Breeo could ever top the X24 smokeless fire pit , but then someone in a meeting suggested, "Let's make it even bigger" and I assume the entire room burst into applause. Bigger isn't always better, but let's not fool ourselves—adding more room to this fire pit is a flat-out brilliant idea.

Just as with the X24, the 30 comes in standard or the searplate version, and if you're the type of chillaxxer who likes to spontaneously cook meat and/or veggies over a fire, you'll want the searplate and the Outpost . That way, when friends or family visit and you want to blow their minds, you can simply slap a steak on the rim and bask in the admiration you'll receive.

Coleman RoadTrip Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill

There's little doubt that road trips will soon be on the rise, if they're not already, and we're always fond of a family camping trip or finding a nice Airbnb rental in a secluded area, possibly near the beach or the lake, so everyone can relax without stepping over each other. Whatever the scenario, a portable grill is a great investment in the event that the property doesn't offer one, or you simply like to manage your own cookout with your gear.

The Coleman RoadTrip Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill is a convenient, compact solution for grillmasters on the go, as it folds up to slide right into the trunk while featuring a grill surface large enough to handle food for bigger families or groups. Just remember the grill spray or else you'll have to bribe the kids to clean it.

KC Cattle Company Wagyu Sliders

Well, if you're going to show off your searplate or portable grill chops then you might as well spoil yourself. And if you can do that while buying from a company that does great things, then it's a double win. Also, factor in the potential health benefits from wagyu beef—at the very least it's packed with protein—and it's a triple win. But let's just focus on the fact that the KC Cattle Company's wagyu burger and slider patties are delicious and affordable, because those are the aspects we keep at the top of the list.

Founder and military veteran Patrick Montgomery raises his cattle with no hormones or antibiotics on his farm in Weston, Missouri, and his company only employs veterans while giving back in a variety of other ways. That's certainly something we can all feel great about while eating our own weight in wagyu beef chorizo . (There I go sharing my dreams again.)

Tipsy Scoop x Blue Chair Bay

Time for dessert. Even if you're just spending the afternoon next to your own pool, why not bring a cooler outside so you can make a little dish of fruity goodness with the latest offering from the mad scientists at Tipsy Scoop ? This time they've teamed up with the equally creative crew at Kenny Chesney's Blue Chair Bay Rum for the perfect summer collection of boozy ice cream.

Dirty Banana is sure to become a crowd favorite, but the other flavors (Piña Colada and Spiked Key Lime Pie, for example) will also have parents invoking Jim Gaffigan to keep the kids away. Want a pro tip? Pour yourself a delicious mango daiquiri and then add a scoop of the Mango Daiquiri ice cream as a floater. Sure, you'll probably get brain freeze, but at least you'll be distracted by the insanely tasty concoction.

Fluid Running

Chances are you've spent a lot of the last 15 months thinking about fitness and exercise, maybe a little more so than usual—especially if you've been diving into the Tipsy Scoop. And I'm only talking from personal experience, but sometimes all that thinking doesn't necessarily translate into action. So, you've likely looked into or pulled the trigger on one of those fancy exercise bikes or that wall screen that lets trainers yell at you in the comfort of your own home. But summer means it's time to get outside and really burn those quarantine calories, so why not do it in the pool?

Fluid Running boasts a bunch of things that we're always looking for in a fitness device: light and compact, portable, digital, simple, and wet. Best of all, it doesn't need to be used in front of other people. How simple is simple ? Put on the headphones, pull up the app on your phone (which is tucked away in your bag), slip into the deep end, press play on your headphones, and let creator and trainer Jennifer Conroyd's voice lead you to results.

Rad Power Bikes’ RadMission 1

For many of us, the work from home lifestyle is here to stay, and that's a double-edged sword. On one hand, it means more freedom with work attire, but on the other hand it means more self-discipline and responsibility for laying off the snacks and factoring in rest and fitness. "Get up from your desk and take a walk or bike ride," my doctor tells me every time I try to claim the Doritos forced themselves into my mouth.

An electric bicycle like the RadMIssion 1 from Rad Power Bikes is a wise investment because, first and foremost, everyone needs a good bike. But maybe your office is slowly bringing everyone back in, so you can implement a new change in your daily routine by riding to work. Or, if you're staying home for good, take a few laps around the neighborhood every few hours and especially treat it as your chariot for your morning trips to Starbucks. Either way, your body will appreciate it.

GoPro Hero 9 Black

If I'm going to be a broken record about anything, it's that any serious traveler who loves sharing adventures with friends, family, and followers galore should own and pack an action camera. Of course, it goes without saying, the GoPro Hero 9 Black is the Rolls Royce of action cameras, except it would be more like a Rolls Royce merged with one of those smart cars that can drive itself, parallel park, and then post about the entire experience on Facebook and Instagram.

Why stop at just the camera, though? You're going to need the best accessories and that starts with the right bag for your action camera.

GoPro Weekender Backpack

Did you know GoPro makes a weekender backpack ? You do now, and if you already own a Hero 9, 8, 7, or other model, then you know that your case and accessories can take up a lot of space in a typical carryon bag. So, presumably, the wizards at GoPro asked the dynamic question: "What if we just made a bag that includes the case for the camera and gear?" and now I'm the one giving a standing ovation.

This backpack (and the equally stylish and functional daytripper ) was designed to not only keep the camera within arm's reach—you obviously need to get the perfect inbound plane window photo—but it also has a mount built into it, certifying this backpack as essential for explorers and adventurers. Still, it's also great for traveling professionals, as it has a TSA-friendly laptop slot, plenty of space for multiple sets of clothes, a separate shoe pouch, and convenient pockets for phones, wallets, and passports.

Oh, and don't forget your sunglasses... wait, did you know GoPro makes those now, too?

GoPro Mezcal Sunglasses

This must be a mind-blowing day for some people, but don't worry, I had the same reaction. The timing was perfect, too, because on a recent trip to Cancun, I almost said adios to my favorite pair of sunglasses during a snorkeling excursion. That was the first time I thought to myself, "I need to invest in a pair of floaters." (For anyone who has never watched a nice pair of sunglasses sink in the ocean, floating sunglasses basically spare you that moment of anxiety or a deep plunge.)

Aside from a mouth-watering name, GoPro's Mezcal sunglasses offer three-in-one performance by including a trio of lens sets, all of which fit right into the case. So, if you're just going about your daily routine, go with gray. Enjoying a nice beachside evening? Switch to the blue. Out on the boat for a day or longer? Don't forget to switch to the amber. And swapping is as simple as snapping them in and out.

Dragon Alliance Opus LL H2O Non Polar

When you're a traveler who likes to keep things simple and pack as little as possible, even a pair of sunglasses needs to be versatile enough to work in multiple situations. Think about anything you're going to do on your next trip to the Caribbean, Hawaii, or even Florida, and ask yourself if your sunglasses can go from the airport to the resort to the pool to the beach to the boat to the paddleboard to the parasail to the restaurant again. Chances are your favorite pair can't do that.

So, find the pair that does it all, like the Dragon Alliance Opus style , which was built with both fashion and durability in mind. Going back to the need for floaters, the Opus LL H2O Non Polar , with its rose gold lens color, is particularly great when your getaway involves a lot of time spent on the water.

Rheos x Southern Tide Eyewear Collection

Arguably the most important thing to understand about choosing a pair of floaters is that function doesn't come at the expense of style. Just because these sunglasses were built to bob along in the water while you turn the boat around because your face suddenly feels empty, it doesn't mean that they can't look like they were designed for wearing with formalwear, as if you just rode a jet ski from a diving excursion so you could make it back to the beach in time for your cousin's wedding.

Rheos Nautical Eyewear has long been an authority on floaters that look as good as they perform (the Wyecreeks style belongs in every weekender bag), but the company's recent collaboration with Southern Tide adds new looks with dependable features like saltwater resistance, 100 percent UV protection, and lightweight frames, among others. So, when you need one pair to rule them all, a style like the Seabrooks will be your go-to for a long, long time.

Able Carry Max Backpack

Let's keep on the theme of simplicity in packing and talk about a backpack that checks one of the most important boxes we have for luggage: durability. Buying new bags is a lot like buying a car. It's exciting but stressful, and we know (or at least hope) that whatever we choose will be with us for years to come. That decision isn't even easier when we're talking about one bag that does it all, because there are so many bags to choose from and so many pretenders that need to be replaced.

In creating the Max Backpack , Able Carry did the unthinkable: it created a product that the company hopes you won't buy again. That's because this 30-liter bag is made with durable, sustainable materials that will keep this one on an adventurer's shoulders for decades. That's not to say it cuts corners in other ways, most notably with comfort and functionality. The backpack boasts closed-cell foam shoulder support (read: very comfy straps) and ventilated pads which, as almost any regular traveler knows, keeps your back cooler when you're constantly running from gate to gate. We still need to be able to retrieve our laptops with ease, and we want to visit the resort spa to be pampered, not because our shoulders are in pain from cheap straps.

Guy Harvey Performance Hoodies

When you spend a lot of time on a boat, you know how important it can be to protect your skin, not just from the sun but also the wind. And when it cools off at night, you'll never feel smarter than when you break out the hoodie. Guy Harvey's performance hoodies are an "all of the above style" designed to provide comfort in the hot sun or when you're relaxing on the deck during brisk evenings.

Available in both men's and women's styles , they feature the unmistakable artwork that makes this brand so popular among boaters and fishermen, but more importantly they're nice and stylish enough to wear on the water, in the restaurant, and even for the flight home. You know, so long as it doesn't smell like snapper.

Voormi High-E Hoodie

Let's keep the theme on protection and comfort but switch locations. If a land adventure is what you're craving, then Voormi's High-E Hoodie (available in men's and women's styles) will fit the bill. While this is certainly great for your favorite Caribbean and Costa Rican jungle trails, keeping your arms and face safe in the wetter areas or those less-beaten paths, it is especially beneficial in colder regions, as the hood zips up into a balaclava-like face covering.

Whether camping in a rainforest or just making random stops during your big family road trip, you should be prepared for all types of weather and bring the appropriate gear to handle any circumstances. If space, time, and manpower are limited, however, it's going to be tough to bring a tent and pop-up canopy, unless that canopy boasts a unique design that allows it to attach right to your SUV.

That canopy is the MoonShade from Moon , and it's one of our favorite items this year purely because of the ease of use and its convenience in almost any situation. Camping, playing at the lake, tailgating, catching a little league game, hosting a lemonade stand in your driveway—it will help accomplish so much, yet takes so little to set up.

The Athena Portable Energy System

We always preach responsibility when it comes to packing portable battery chargers for any types of trips. In my weekender bag, on any given getaway, you'll find at least two of them, and lord knows I'd pack more if I didn't think TSA would chuck my entire bag in one of those glass cases for the crazy things people try to bring on airplanes. Anyway, this time we're going with the Mother of All Portable Chargers, The Athena Portable Energy System from Uncharted Supply Co.

If you're going on any kind of road trip—to the next city or another country—this is the power source you'll want to have in your trunk in case the worst happens. It can jump start up to a 6.0L gas or diesel engine in a matter of seconds, and it packs enough juice to do that up to 15 times. You can also use it to power your entire arsenal of digital devices, for when the Great Outdoors is your preferred office. And there's even a built-in flashlight because the kitchen sink would be too obvious.

Treblab HD77 Bluetooth Speaker

You're going to need music, obviously, so we're going with an old favorite. Treblab's HD77 Bluetooth Speaker is a must-have accessory for camping, hanging out on your favorite beach, exploring the best isolated trails, (with respect to your surroundings, of course) or simply lounging by your pool.

And the thing we love the most about this permanent fixture in our weekender bag is that a duo makes the party that much better since you can pair two HD77 speakers for bigger sound that will last all day.

Don’t Forget the Spirits

For the home bar, cocktails by the pool, or whenever the Yeti cooler is full of ice, you'll want to bring whatever you need to make and responsibly enjoy your favorite cocktails. Seeing as we spent the last year enthusiastically trying to recreate our favorite resorts' cocktails, we have asked some experts to share their top bottles with us, and it didn't take long for them to become our favorites.

Hopefully you'll love these, too.

Mutiny Island Vodka: Chef Todd Manley is making magic in St. Croix, using breadfruit to produce this clean, remarkably smooth vodka. Even better, he's using locally sourced ingredients to make infused (not flavored—that's a crucial distinction) variants that make some absolutely killer cocktails. Mutiny Island Vodka is a tough one to get your hands on, but it's coming to the U.S. slowly but surely—grab some at Applebee's or in the American Airlines lounge—and it's going to generate a lot of buzz when it does.

Copalli Rum: Made in Belize, this rum will make you feel great for drinking it—not because it's delicious or strong (it's both) but because of how it's made. The distillery was conceived to have zero impact on the environment, as the sugar cane is harvested by hand and juiced within two hours. The leftover dried stalks then go into the boiler to heat the stills, and then the ash is used to fertilize the fields. If that's not enough, the brand is even voluntarily conducting a greenhouse gas audit.

Madre Mezcal: There's more mezcal than ever to choose from, which is a good thing for us aspiring mezcaliers, but it's not always as simple as it sounds. Choosing the right bottle is as tricky and challenging as selecting bourbon, but it's almost always rewarding, and that's sort of how we wound up falling in love with Madre Mezcal . It has the advantage of strong eye appeal, but any connoisseur knows that can often lead to regret. Fortunately, from label to lips, this is as near perfect as it gets.

Breckenridge Whiskey PX Cask Finish: I may never stop singing the praises of this magnificent bottle from Colorado's most innovative distillery. Bourbons aged in wine casks are growing in popularity because, well, they're delicious (most of them) and they're a lot easier to find than the popular bottles that cost three-, four-, and sometimes 10-times as much in the secondary markets. Breckenridge Whiskey PX Cask Finish was made using retired Pedro Ximenez (PX) grape barrels, and the fruitiness that is blended into the bourbon makes this a sweet, truly delightful sip. Just don't share it too much, or else it'll be gone in one sitting.

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Roaming Around the World

Travel Guides, Tips, and Tales

The Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist and Packing Tips

October 22, 2020 By John Widmer 75 Comments

It's not always easy to know what's the best travel gear to pack, whether packing for a short vacation or for long-term world travel. Yet after traveling around the world for 6 years to 100 countries, we've developed what we've found to be the best travel packing checklist for value and versatility.

Even though our travels span from luxury cruises across the world's oceans to rugged backpacking trips across South America, our carefully curated packing list remains much the same in order to be prepared for multiple situations and climates around the world. It's taken much trial and error over the years, but we've finally managed to get our travel packing checklist down to a science.

It's our hope that you can use this travel packing checklist, gear recommendations, packing tips, and travel product reviews while preparing for your next trip.

This version of our Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist was last updated in October 2020, reflecting what we packed throughout our last worldly travels through Ecuador ,   Mexico , cruise travel and a round-the-world-trip spanning 21 countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa! But we've recently added to that, given new travel items that's now necessary to pack in 2020, given pandemic conditions.

Yet during any time, a critical component to packing for world travel is versatility . You'll find versatility constant theme throughout this travel packing list.

But this list of travel gear recommendations also focuses greatly on  value . Many of the carefully selected items throughout this travel packing checklist have been chosen because of the value they bring in combination with the practicality they deliver.

We don't like to pick out most expensive travel gear available . If you're looking for the best travel gear at high prices, you won't find it on here. Instead, this travel packing list for 2020 suggests items that provide the best usage for the money spent. This is a travel packing list for those who appreciate excellent value!

This travel packing checklist contains all of the items we roam around the world with and recommend. We personally own every one of these items unless it's otherwise stated that we have a similar item. Most of this travel gear can be easily purchased on Amazon, an affiliate of ours, and is where we do most of our travel gear shopping. Whenever we're back home in the US, we always stock up using the free two-day shipping that's included with Amazon Prime.

You can use this link to get a 30-Day Free Trial to Amazon Prime . If you have no intentions to continue using it, just be sure to cancel before 30 days. It's a nice way to get Prime (and 2-day shipping) for a month completely for free! That will give you an entire month to gear up for travel without having to pay the $12.99 monthly membership fee. So try Prime for free today .

We hope you find this travel pack list and packing tips helpful, whether gearing up for a trip around the world or a quick weekend jaunt!

Outdoor & Adventure Travel Gear to Pack

Although we're constantly adventuring around the world, it's not practical to pack a lot of outdoor adventure gear. We leave behind all the bulky items, as we find that you can typically rent them in most destinations around the world.

Unless you're planning to camp for the majority of a trip, it makes more sense to rent gear such as tents, camp stoves, and climbing harnesses along the way. We've had no problems renting camping gear throughout Africa, New Zealand, South America and more. For us, it's proved to be worth the expense in order not to lug such heavy equipment around the world.

Instead, we recommend limiting your adventure travel packing list to only to the items that you will use regularly and are fairly compact. So here is the outdoor gear on our travel packing list that we regularly use.

Quick-Dry Travel Towel

We're always getting wet on adventures, so towels are key. You don't want to pack a towel that's heavy or bulky. So bringing a lightweight travel towel is a must. "Quick-drying" is likewise an important feature, so it's not damp when you repack it. We like this lightweight, quick-dry travel towel .

Monkey Mats Let You Sit Anywhere in the World

Lifestraw to Make Water Drinkable

You never know what situations you may wind up in where you can't drink the water. This is great to have on hand for backcountry trekking to drink out of rivers. But it's not just for use in an emergency in some remote destination. We first used our Lifestraw when arriving to our apartment in Quito in the middle of the night, when all the stores were closed. You can't drink the tap water, but our Lifestraw allowed us to do so. Travel with a Lifestraw and nearly all water around the world then becomes drinkable!

Headlamp for Handsfree Lighting

We couldn't travel without a headlamp. It's not just for caving. This can serve as an everyday flashlight, allow you to read at night when your partner wants the lights out and it gives you the ability to do anything at night hands-free. This was critical for us when we had to cook in the night while touring Africa . Here's a great basic headlamp for under $10 .

Waterproof Your Phone

We rarely go out without our phones. But it often becomes susceptible to rain, the ocean, splashes by the pool, the mist of a raging waterfall, and even water fights during Thailand's Songkran festival. Whenever in one of those situations, we're always armed with a waterproof case to keep it dry. This JOTO Waterproof Cell Phone case not only protects phones from splashes but you can even take it snorkeling down to 100 feet!

We can personally vouch for it but if you don't want to take our word,  check out the 45,000+ glowing reviews on Amazon . We saw similar products being sold out at local outdoor retailers for $35, so we're impressed that Amazon keeps the price point under $10. It's a small yet wise investment to protect a pricey smartphone during your travels.

Compact Travel Umbrella for Sun & Rain

You can't only waterproof your phone. If traveling anywhere with a chance of rain, it's best to pack a compact travel umbrella like this. It takes up little space in luggage, is lightweight (< 1 lb.), fits in a pocket, holds up to wind, and even has a lifetime replacement policy. It's a great everyday umbrella, but it's perfect for travel. Check prices and reviews .

Powerful LED Pocket Flashlight

A small yet powerful travel flashlight is an indispensable piece of gear for any traveler to find your way back on dark streets, search for something under the bed, or to use while camping in the middle of nowhere. We think this LE Adjustable Focus Mini LED Flashlight is the best and most powerful small flashlight you can buy for under $10. We love the strong beam that ours emits.

Mask & Snorkel

We always travel with our masks. Many beaches around the world have reefs right offshore, providing for hours of a free activity ...if you have a mask. Otherwise, you'll constantly have to rent one or miss out altogether. It's not only for reefs though. There are some unique snorkeling opportunities inland too. We've used our masks in Lake Malawi in central Africa, snorkeling in crystal clear lakes in the high Andes mountains of Patagonia, and the underground cenotes found in Mexico's interior. This US Divers Mask & Snorkel is a fantastic mask, particularly so for its low price.

If you're ever traveling over water by ferry or taking day trips on a boat, then you need a dry bag! This will help protect important belongings from getting wet and ruined. Dry bags can also be practical during kayaking trips, rafting, or even a day a the beach. Yet dry bags can also be a nice idea to throw in your backpack if you're roaming around town on a rainy day, to protect your camera or other electronics from rain that may otherwise seep into a backpack.

A 20-liter dry bag is a perfect size for our needs. A dry bag with a strap is essential to carry it on the go. This MarchWay Floating Waterproof Dry Bag ticks all those boxes, has a good price, and a consistent track record of positive reviews.

A Good Multitool & Pocket Knife

These are invaluable on the road. The knife, scissors, saw, corkscrew, and bottle opener always seem to come in handy. Be sure to pack this in your stowed luggage though, as it will be confiscated if you carry it onto flights. A Swiss Army Knife is always a trusted favorite. The non-branded multi-tool we currently use isn't listed online. Yet for a less expensive alternative to Swiss Army, we can suggest this well-reviewed SWITCHEDGE 14-in-1 Pocket Knife .

A Hands-Free Way To Carry Water

This is a must for anyone who takes day hikes. Yet it can also be useful even just for long days touring around a new city. For full-day or half-day hikes, we always bring at least a 1.5-liter bottle of water. That's a pain to hold in your hand for a long trek. Alternatively, you can wear a sweaty backpack to carry your water and other items. But a better solution is to pack a water bottle carrier like this . It keeps your hands free and your back sweat-free! We never trek without it.

Electronics Travel Packing Checklist

There are so many great travel gadgets out there. The following electronics gear is what's in our packs and what we recommend. Note: because we're bloggers and work remotely, we tend to carry way more electronics than the average traveler may need. So we've appropriately split this up into a few sections.

Electronic Travel Gadgets for Everyone to Put on Their Pack List

These travel gadgets should prove useful for most travelers to put on their travel packing list.

Tablets Are Perfect for Travel

Tablets are great for the road to watch movies, play games, read, and stay connected. There's no need to lug around a bunch of heavy books with you. Just load them onto your tablet. Even guidebooks such as Lonely Planet now have electronic versions that can load onto tablets. iPads are nice, but expensive; hence we don't recommend carrying that liability on the road. Kindle Fires are a fraction of the price and they're more durable. The Kindle Fire HD 8 now includes Alexa, has dual cameras, lots more RAM, and a vibrant HD display.  It's absolutely incredible value to have that all in a tablet for under $100! So we just picked up a new one ourselves!  Check the latest Kindle deals on Amazon .

Tablet Protective Case

If you're bringing a tablet, don't forget to protect it during those bumpy rides. This durable case not only keeps your tablet safe but also acts as a stand for your tray table.

A Flash Drive to Transfer Memories

You'd never guess how handy a flash drive has been while traveling. We've used it to swap movies in exchange for electronic guidebooks with other travelers while on a bus in Cuba. In Zimbabwe, it was needed to exchange our white water rafting video for photos that other travelers had snapped. These tiny pieces don't take up much space, so just pack one like this 128 GB SanDisk Flash Drive .

Inexpensive Earbuds You Can Afford to Lose

Having earbuds can be invaluable for listening to music or watching movies during long journeys. Unless you're a real audiophile, we suggest leaving the expensive BEATS headphones at home. They'll just draw attention and become a liability. Plus they're bulky to carry around. Instead, we suggest simply packing earbuds since they're lightweight and functional. But earbuds can also be easily lost and forgotten. That's why we suggest an inexpensive but decent pair of earbuds like these Panasonic earbuds that are durable, comfortable, and produce a crisp & clear sound, yet are still only under $10.

Best Value Smartphones for Travel

We can't imagine not having a smartphone during our travels. It allows us to navigate a new city, translate menus, take photos, discover restaurants, call an Uber, stay connected, and be entertained during long hauls. It's the ultimate travel multi-tool and an absolute must! But which mobile phone is best for travel?

Over the years we've used an iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. Yet for excellent value and great travel functionality, we can highly recommend either a OnePlus 8 ($679) or a Pixel 4a ($349).

The brand new (Fall 2020) Google Pixel 4a is an excellent value choice that we just purchased ourselves. It's so nice to have a great phone camera to quickly capture all those special travel moments. And the Pixel's camera is often touted to be the best in the biz, particularly so for its HDR+, Night Sight, and Portrait Mode. Google has squeezed all these fantastic photo features into a more budget-friendly rendition of their popular Pixel smartphone. It's a smart value pick to take traveling with you.

Meanwhile, we're also roaming with our OnePlus phone. This smartphone is a bit more expensive but also presents great value. Many of the OnePlus's specs are comparable to the latest iPhone. Yet the OnePlus is almost half the cost! The latest OnePlus 8 phone includes an Ultra Clear Triple Camera to capture crisp images. In side-by-side comparisons, the OnePlus camera holds up to both the Pixel and iPhone. Yet the OnePlus boasts more features! A particularly useful travel function that's fairly unique to OnePlus is its dual sim card slots . This is useful for anyone constantly swapping out sim cards when moving from one country to the next.

Protect Your SmartPhone

Whatever phone you have, you must protect it from drops, bumps, and dust while on the road. We swear by using an OtterBox as it's kept our phones alive after numerous drops that would have otherwise proven fatal. They're available for nearly all phone models.

Important Cables & Plugs to Pack with Your Travel Gear

These may not be the most fun travel gear items, but they're essential on a travel packing list.

A Must for Couple Travelers: Headphone Splitter

This is a necessary cord for couples traveling together. On those long flights and bus rides, this simple little   headphone splitter gives two people the ability to watch & listen to the same movie from a single laptop or tablet. Just bring two pairs of headphones to go along with this splitter. At just  a few dollars a headphone splitter is such a well-worthy investment for any couple of travelers.

An Extra Long 10-Foot USB Cable

It seems that electrical outlets are always in the most inconvenient places in hotels. When you turn in at night, of course, you want your phone charging at the bedside. But there rarely seems to be an outlet there. This 10-foot-long USB Cable gives you the ability to plug it in way across your room and still use your mobile phone from the comfort of your hotel bed. This was a long-overdue purchase for us and we now can't imagine not traveling with it. We'll never go back to only traveling with a short, standard-length charging cable again.

Universal Adapter

There's no need to carry a different travel adapter for each country. This universal travel adapter with USB ports will cover you in over 150 countries. Those extra USB ports are important too, giving the ability to charge three devices (e.g., a phone, a camera, and a computer) all from the same single plug. We've found that many hotels, hostels, and even cruise ship cabins only have one single outlet per room. Yet this will give you the ability to charge multiple devices at once while also converting the foreign. It's essential for any international traveler .

Extra USB Cables to Use & Lose

USB cords charge your tablets, phones, cameras, and so many more electronics. But like socks and underwear, USB cables always seem to disappear. Not only that, but they regularly wear down. If you're traveling long-term, we recommend bringing an entire pack of USB cables to replace those that will inevitably go missing and get worn. The type of charging cable you need will depend on the devices you're traveling with. We use Micro USBs that work for our GoPro, our Kindle, our Sony camera, and more.

We like this six-pack of USB cables because you get six cables that come in varying lengths, for different needs.

Portable Power Bank Keeps Travel Gadgets Charged

Phones and camera batteries drain at the most inopportune times. While traveling, you'll likely be making increased use of GPS/maps, cameras, and video. Unfortunately, those are the functions that tend to consume mobile phone batteries the most. That's why phone battery drain occurs much quicker on the road compared to everyday use back at home. A solution to this problem is carrying a portable power bank like this to ensure our phones and cameras stay charged.

We recommend an external battery with at least 10,000 mAh. Such strength provides the ability to recharge your devices many times over. You'll also want something lightweight that fits in your pocket. This compact Anker PowerCore Backup Battery   is the smallest and lightest backup battery that still has 10,000 mAh power, that we could find. So it's exactly what we use and recommend, as we've been extremely happy with ours. And it's super well-priced too! Check prices and recent reviews on Amazon.

Multi-Outlet Travel Surge Protector

There are never enough outlets. This Belkin 3-Outlet SurgePlus Charger  turns one outlet into three, plus includes two additional USB ports, allowing for the potential of five items to charge at the same time. It's great. Note: this model is only for North America (and parts of South America).

Electronics to Pack for Long-Term World Travel or Digital Nomads Only

These items may only be appropriate for those who may be working while traveling.

The Decision to Bring a Laptop or Not?

Unless you absolutely need it for work while traveling, we advocate leaving the laptop at home . It just becomes a liability and something else to lug around. You can now do just about everything from a smartphone or tablet. Obviously, we need our laptops. I love my lightweight and durable MacBook Air 13" . It's super lightweight, hence the name "air", so it's the perfect laptop for travel. And for a Mac laptop around$1,000, it's pretty good value.

If you're not a Mac person, then find a Windows/PC laptop that works well for you. (Heather uses an HP we found on sale during a Black Friday promotion.)

When deciding on a laptop to bring traveling, just make sure to weigh out these critical components:

• Battery life - important for long hauls, in between charges
• Size & weight - obviously compact and lightweight is ideal
• Storage - if you're saving lots of photos & videos
• Value - an expensive laptop can become a liability when traveling

Portable External Hard Drive

We travel with a bunch of external hard drives to back up important work, video, and photos that simply won't all fit onto our computers. Sure, cloud storage can be a good solution too, but while traveling, a solid wifi connection can prevent access to cloud storage. So an external hard drive becomes the best solution for backups. Be careful with these though, as they as they are susceptible to damage. We dropped one of ours once which rendered it useless. Now, we instead recommend this shockproof hard drive that's more durable and perfect for travel.

A Headset for Clear Calls

We need a headset for conference calls and Skyping. This Logitech Clearchat Comfort headset is inexpensive and does the job.

Travel Photography Gear Pack List

We're travelers, not professional photographers. But we still want to take professional pictures! So we've shopped carefully for photography gear that is easy-to-use, has superior auto-functions, and is good value.

Obviously, as bloggers, we travel with a bit more photography gear than most. Phone cameras are getting really good, so your smartphone alone may suffice, particularly for close-up shots and landscapes. But if you need to zoom, you'll want something more powerful. You may also want to consider an underwater camera or perhaps even a travel drone to capture aerial footage.

Here's all the travel photography gear we use and recommend.

Our Travel Camera Recommendation

When we started traveling, we carefully researched and chose to travel with a Sony Nex-6 and have been quite happy with it. The current equivalent of this camera is now the Sony Alpha a6000 . It's a mirrorless camera that many travel photographers are gravitating to over true-dSLR cameras, due to it being more compact yet offering an equivalent (arguably better) level of photo of dSLRs at similar price points. We love its auto features, as we're not experts with aperture and shutter speed. Yet expert photographers rate this camera similarly high. We think it's one of the best cameras for any amateur photographer who wants to up their photography game. We use ours with its original lens plus a zoom lens for faraway shots.

Action Cam - Less Expensive Alternative to GoPro

If you want to document any sort of adventure activities while traveling, you need an action cam like a GoPro. These shoot great wide angle videos and are perfect for kayaking, surfing, skiing, snorkeling, Scuba diving, mountain biking, and more. We loved our GoPro Hero 3 that we used for the first three years of travel. But it finally broke while snorkeling in South Africa. We debated getting another, but GoPros are so expensive now. Instead of spending $400+ on the latest GoPro Hero, we bought off-brand action cam on Amazon for a fraction of the price - less than $50! And it's 4K video quality!

A nice perk is that it includes two batteries and extra accessories that are extra costs when buying a regular GoPro! We were very skeptical, given the price, but we now like it even better than the old GoPro we were using. And at these low prices, the value simply cannot be beaten. C heck prices and the latest reviews of this great value Akaso 4K Waterproof Action Cam .

GoPro  Attachments

We've learned the hard way that GoPros and action cams don't float. If you're taking your GoPro (or another action cam) in the water, you need to have a floating attachment. We use this GoPole Floating Hand Grip to ensure our action cam floats to the surface if dropped in the water. It also comes with a carabiner that I keep attached to a belt loop or harness during extreme sports. We also travel with a head strap attachment for hands-free use when we're doing activities like mountain biking and whitewater rafting, in which we need to use our hands.

A Drone: DJI Spark Is a Great Value Intro Travel Drone

We usually travel with a drone to capture aerial shots of some of the amazing places we travel to. Of course, we look for quality + value and we found that in the DJI Phantom 3 Standard when we bought ours way back in 2016. Yet a major drawback to the Phantom series is its bulkiness. The weight and size make it impractical for travel. A separate piece of luggage is needed to schlep the drone around the world. During our last trip around the world, we even made the decision to leave it behind.

Thankfully, DJI now makes several compact drones that are much for portable and practical for travel! We're now planning to buy the DJI Mini Mavic to capture our aerial shots. It only weighs about a half pound and fits in the palm of your hand! And at a mere $399, it's a great value intro drone! Check Mini Mavic prices .

If Taking Lots of Phone Video - You Need a Gimbal

We've taken lots of video during our travel over the years using our phone. But it always comes out looking shaky and amateurish. Those days are over now that DJI has released a high-quality gimbal/stabilizer for phones that is also affordable! In the past, such gimbals were several hundred dollars. But the new DJI Osmo Mobile 3 retails for only $129. ( Check current price on Amazon .) Whether walking around town, navigating stairs, in a car, or on a horse, this simple device smooths out your shots to give it that cinematic effect. It's lightweight and portable too, so it lends well for travel.

For an example of the video recorded with our phone, in combination with this gimbal, see our video from the Ruta Puuc .

A Travel Tripod

If you want to capture that perfect steady shot, you need a tripod. The downside is they can be clunky to travel with. But this lightweight  Travel Tripod  has extendable legs that fold up nicely to make it very compact to travel with.

A Camera Cleaning Kit

A camera is bound to get dirty while traveling across dusty roads, sailing across salty ocean breezes, and hiking over rugged terrain. We constantly get smudges and dirt in our lenses that we wouldn't be able to remove without a simple camera cleaning kit like this .

A Selfie Stick?

We're very hesitant to recommend this because we're growing to hate seeing these things everywhere while traveling around the world. But this is the age we live in and if you want to get that perfect selfie shot and have no one else to take your picture, you gotta have a selfie stick . It can also be practical to take pictures above a crowd. We rarely use ours but there have been a few times when we've been glad we've had it.

Adjustable Phone Tripod is Better than a Selfie Stick

If you're taking lots of pictures using your smartphone, like we are, then it's convenient to have a compact tripod to get that perfect shot. This flexible and adjustable mini tripod even allows us to wrap it around a tree branch and use the Bluetooth remote to get a perfect still shot. Even in the middle of nowhere, it can be wrapped around a tree to snap the perfect selfie. It's very versatile and useful! Better than a selfie-stick.

Extra SD Cards

On a long trip, you may be snapping away and your SD Cards may be full before you can back it up to a hard drive or the cloud. They're tiny and relatively inexpensive, so bring extra. I always keep an extra in my wallet just in case we leave an SD Card behind or if one fills up before we realized it.

A Camera Strap That Doesn't Weigh You Down

Of course you need a camera strap to go around your neck. But if you have a big, bulky camera it's annoying as it pulls on your neck during a full day of sightseeing. This leather camera-lift strap connects to your backpack, which puts the weight on it instead of your neck. We actually happened to meet the inventor of this great product when we were in a jam, as he gave us a ride from Croatia to Slovenia, as the borders were closed to public transportation. He later sent us a sample of his product and we've been loving it ever since. So we're now very happy to recommend this novel invention as a great way to relieve pressure from your neck during a full day of touring. Check it out here!

Travel Luggage Recommendations

Everyone has their own preferences and needs when it comes to luggage. Travel backpacks can be great for backpackers , while roller suitcases are far more practical for others. We do both!

Choosing the Right Travel Backpack

I use a travel backpack as my main bag because I find it easy to travel with, in many different situations. I don't mind carrying the weight on my back to keep my hands free. It really comes in use when we do overnight trekking trips.

I've been using this bag for more than 5 years now and it's held up great. It's an Osprey backpack which is the most common brand we see travelers using around the world. Osprey bags tend to be lightweight, very durable, and comfortable. When choosing a backpack, my biggest recommendation is to find one that completely zips open around the bag . Some backpacks open solely from the top which is a total pain-in-the-butt to get things in and out of. As for size, get a pack that's right for the amount of gear you travel with. For most people, this will fall somewhere between a 40-70 liter backpack.

A Rain Cover for Your Pack

Sometimes travel can occur during downpours. A rain cover is an essential item to keep all your belongings dry whether you're trekking across town or through the jungle. When traveling around the world, sometimes bags are placed atop buses or get splashed on the side of a ferry. I use this Deuter rain cover for my travel backpack. I also put this rain cover on whenever I check my bag to keep all the straps from getting caught in the airport luggage handling conveyor belts.

A Personal Item with Convenient Travel Features

We both also carry smaller-sized backpacks that we use as a carryon item. Important aspects to look for in a day pack are anti-theft features, water resistance, durability, and comfort. We're now using (and loving) this awesome travel laptop backpack , which excels in all of those functionalities, is stylish, and even has a USB port to charge your phone.

Here's Why You Need to Pack an Empty Backpack

We strongly advocate traveling with an empty  backpack . We quickly learned a hard lesson during our first year of traveling. Every time we would go on a day excursion, we would have to empty one of our carry-on backpacks and repack it with bottled water, cameras, snacks, and whatever else we needed for the day. This hassle can be completely avoided by bringing a small, collapsible, lightweight backpack. We use this High Sierra Sport Backpack   that compresses small enough to fit inside a water bottle but expands into an 18-liter backpack that's perfect for day trips! Having a compact empty backpack also comes in handy towards the end of a journey, as it gives room for souvenirs you may have picked up during a trip.

A Reusable Shopping Bag

All around the world from Europe to Asia to Africa and the Americas, stores are forgoing single-use plastic bags as an environmentally-friendly move to reduce the world's plastic problem. It's wonderful to see this practice being so widely implemented across the world in the past year. Yet this lack of disposable shopping bags is becoming a problem for unsuspecting travelers who buy several items and have nothing to carry their purchases. That's why it's essential to now travel with a reusable shopping bag . Even if plastic shopping bags are still being used in the destination you're traveling too, it can still be a responsible effort to bring your own reusable shopping bag.

Roller Bags Are a Practical Luggage Choice

Roller bags just make sense when it comes to travel. It relieves the necessity to carry much weight on your back. Wheeling a roller bag across an airport or across town comes with ease. Sure, you'll encounter some uneven sidewalks every once in a while. But roller bags are otherwise a breeze to travel with.

In the past year, we made the switch to a large hardside 30-inch suitcase with spinner wheels . It's proved to be a great move for us. It's been a breeze to roll around and we're never running out of packing space. And the hardshell can take a beating while keeping all our belongings safe.

If you're undecided between a travel backpack and a roller bag, they also make roller bags with backpack straps. That's what Heather used before making the switch to a suitcase. She admittedly never used the backpack straps but still liked having that option. Heather has an Eagle Creek rolling bag that she found on sale and she's been happy with it. This versatile piece of luggage is big enough to hold all her belongings but small enough to fit in the overhead bins, so it can be a carry-on.

Packing Cubes to Keep Organized & Save Luggage Space

When traveling around the world with so many different clothes and items, packing cubes become critical to not only keep you organized but also to help compress the many items you're bringing along. Packing your bags can be a giant game of Tetris, but these packing cubes are your travel hack to beat that game. These also really come in handy for couples on shorter trips. With travel cubes, we can check one bag, but still separate each of our clothing. Then once we get settled into a hotel or Airbnb, we can quickly and effortlessly transfer each cube to appropriate drawers and closet space.

Mesh Laundry Bag to Separate Dirty Clothes

This is a simple yet essential piece of luggage that's often forgotten. But you do need something to separate all your dirty laundry during your trip. A mesh laundry bag is that solution.

A Must for Ladies: Anti-Theft Travel Bag/Purse

Heather uses one of these Travelon Anti-Thef t Bags and has fallen in love with it. These bags have unrivaled security features and many different stylish options. The straps and body of the bag are completely slash-resistant. The compartments and zippers have locking clips to thwart any would-be pickpockets. The bags have RFID-blocking technology in slots for both credit cards and passports to protect from any thieves with handheld scanners who are trying to skim information.

Travelon's Cross-Body Bucket Bag is among their most popular and comes in over 30 different colors. It's a fairly sizable bag, capable of being able to fit a bulky DSLR camera, tablet, umbrella, and then some. This mini shoulder bag is a nice option, for a more petite bag that sports all the same security features. The exact bag that Heather has and loves is this Quilted Slim bag , which is not too big and not too small, and still stylish to use as her go-to purse simply when going out for a night on the town.

Travel Accessories Packing Checklist

These are a few random items to add to your travel packing list for comfort, security, and just for fun while traveling.

An RFID Blocking Wallet to Avoid Electronic Theft

Chip technology on most modern credit cards is great and now widely used around the world. But it is susceptible to theft as people have scanning devices can pick up your card information by simply walking by your pocket. It may have happened to us, as our ATM card was compromised in Argentina during our 2015 travels and someone was able to steal over $1,000 from our bank account by somehow cloning our card! Thankfully the bank reimbursed us for the fraudulent activity, but we now use this RFID Blocking Wallet to ensure it doesn't happen again. It's another travel must!

Attach a Bag atop Your Rolling Luggage

We recently added this welcomed accessory to our gear. A Demi Hugger  allows you to securely attach your carry-on (or virtually anything) to the top of your roller bag, to give you free hands and no weight on your back when you're on the move. Love it!

Eye Mask to Sleep in Transit

Eye masks have proved critical on long journeys and in accommodations that don't have the best blinds. We're currently carrying around some eye masks that were given to us on one of our last flights. But you can try this comfy Jersey Slumber Light-Blocking Silk Sleep Mask  which is a best seller on Amazon and has great reviews. Check latest reviews and price .

Reusable Earplugs for Noisy Nights

This is another essential item for sleep whether on a long-haul flight or on staying on an exterior low floor of a busy city. Just on recent travels we've been so glad to have earplugs. It helped us to sleep in as the roosters did their thing in Key West and during early morning rush hour on the busy streets of Guayaquil, Ecuador . Rather than carrying a big container of 50 disposable ear plugs, we prefer these reusable silicone ear plugs . Two pairs come in a handy travel case.

Waterproof Playing Cards

We always travel with a deck of cards. It's a great way to pass time and make friends. We don't personally own this exact deck (yet) but this pack of Hoyle waterproof playing cards is perfect to take to the beach, camping, boating, or for any trip! And they're an excellent price too. It's the perfect deck of cards for traveling! Check on Amazon .

Inflatable Neck Pillow for Long Journeys

This is an important item to have to get sleep on long bus, train, or plane journeys. But it also serves a dual purpose for us to act as a pillow during camping trips. Foam neck pillows are great, but we recommend an inflatable neck pillow since it doesn't take up much space in your pack when not in use. This inflatable pillow receives high marks on Amazon, is inexpensive, and comes with an eye mask and ear plugs.

TSA-Approved Travel Locks

Luggage locks help to keep your belongings safe while in transit. But just be sure to use a TSA-approved lock like this or else your locked may be clipped while in flight. Yet bags aren't the only use to carry around a few locks with you. There are often situations when we need to store our bags. Thankfully lots of accommodation around the world will have lockers for you to do so. But you'll need your own lock . And sometimes when we leave valuables in our hotel room without a safe, we like to have the peace of mind of having our valuables secured with a lock in one of our zippers. We've never had anything stolen from us yet, and taking this extra precaution has likely helped.

Luggage Scale

A luggage scale is a great little item to pack so you know how to adjust your luggage accordingly to comply with airline weight limits. This is particularly so important when utilizing budget airlines, as they're very strict in charging by exact weight-limit categories. We also use it to estimate laundry costs for places that charge by the kilo.

Bottle Openers

Beer bottles in most countries around the world are not twist-off . So beer drinkers must come prepared with a small bottle opener .

Pen & Pad of Paper

You never want to be that person on the flight that doesn't have a pen to complete the customs form, so be sure to bring one. And you wouldn't believe how hard it is in some countries to find something as simple as a pen and a pad of paper. There's always something to write down. So we recommend packing a small pad of paper and a few pens. It's one of those things that's easily forgotten when packing.

Travel Gear & Clothing Packing Checklist

When putting together a world travel packing list, we're often packing for multiple climates and multiple occasions . We constantly shift from warm sunny beaches to snowy mountain peaks. We also must pack for many different scenes. We need to have outfits for formal dinners on luxury cruises in addition to activewear for rugged camping trips . The key to this is versatile clothing that can be used for many occasions. You'll find that versatility to be a theme in our travel wardrobe recommendations.

How much clothing you add to your own packing list will be based on your travel style, the destinations you're visiting, and your personal preference. While it may seem that we pack a bit more than is needed, we do find it necessary since our travel style is so multifaceted. Our recommendation is to pack as little as you can get away with . Except for underwear - pack lots!

Men's Clothing Travel Packing List

This is everything I recommend for guys to consider for their travel packing checklist.

For the Legs

Jeans or no jeans.

It's a contentious debate among travelers, but we strongly advocate bringing jeans . Sure, they are heavy and can weigh down your pack, but jeans also have a big upside. They can be very versatile as you can dress them up for a night out on the town or wear them hiking across mountains. Yet perhaps the greatest benefit to jeans is that they can sustain many usages without the need to be washed. And jeans tend to hold up extremely well while traveling and can be downright comfy. We recommend dark washes that tend to hold up better against dirt.

A Good Pair of Travel Slacks

2 Pairs Shorts

Be sure to pack a pair or two of shorts, depending on where you're traveling. I recommend a pair with deep pockets to help thwart pickpocketing and prevent your belongings from falling out.

1 Bathing Suit / Hybrid Shorts

If you're gonna get wet, you need some sort of bathing suit or board shorts. To keep up with the versatility that's so important to a smart travel pack list, we suggest hybrid shorts that fuse classic chino pant design with the functionality of a surf trunks. These Volcom Men's Hybrid Shorts accomplishes that. They can function as a bathing suit at the pool or the beach, but can also act as an attractive pair of shorts for simply walking around town.

Breathable Dry-Wicking Underwear: Pack Extra!

Underwear is the one item I recommend bringing more of than necessary. You may be able to get away with wearing shirts, shorts, and pants multiple times between laundry days - but not underwear. Bring extra. They don't take up much space. I strongly recommend dry wicking underwear for any long travel day. I absolutely love these quick-dry, odor-preventing  ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go Boxers and have converted many of my friends. They can be pricey but are so worth it. They're super comfy and even after some lengthy usage, they never smell!

This is another item that we err on bringing a bit more of since you don't want to wear stinky socks. I travel with about a half-dozen regular white ankle socks and two pairs of wool socks which are great for hiking and/or just keeping your feet warm in colder climates.

I picked up a pair of rain pants while in New Zealand before trekking through some downpours. These have proved invaluable ever since and I've used them to keep dry in many rainy locations. The pair I have are similar to these rain pants .

Make sure your pants don't fall. I find that a brown leather belt is the most practical and versatile.

Sun Protection: Hat & Sunglasses

This is essential travel gear for most guys and helpful to protect you from the sun. I'm currently using a nice big wide-brimmed sombrero I bought on the side of the road in Mexico. Yet this foldable, moisture wicking hat with UV protection makes a very practical choice for travelers. Bring a baseball cap or whatever suits you best. And don't forget the shades either! 😎

1 Dry-Wick Long Sleeve Collared Shirt

This is a great versatile piece to the travel wardrobe. It's lightweight, breathable, and non-iron. It can be worn during outdoor adventures to protect from sun and mosquitos. Yet you can most definitely dress up a shirt like this to wear out at night. I've been traveling around with a Van Heusen Traveler Shirt since Day-1 and it's still with me now 6 years later!

1 Nice Long Sleeve Dress Shirt

Forget the dry-wicking and functionality for a minute and just pack at least one nice dress shirt that you look good in. This will be your go-to for any nicer dinners or special occasions. A non-iron shirt is highly recommended.

1 Flannel Shirt

This is another versatile piece for the traveler that can help to keep you warm & cozy but can also double as a casual shirt for night out. I travel with a flannel shirt similar to this one . Find a flannel to fit your style.

2 Dry-Wicking Short Sleeved Collared Shirts

These can be great to wear out at night to keep cool in open-air restaurants or during the day while touring a new city. I use this Columbia Super Tamiami Short Sleeved Shirt that boasts sun protection, odor protection, and advanced evaporation. These collared, buttoned shirts are important because in many places around the world, men do NOT wear t-shirts. So pack a few lightweight collared shirts instead, so you don't stand out while still keeping cool.

Your Home Team Sports Shirt (controversial!)

Some travelers suggest leaving this at home, as it makes you stand out and look like a tourist. We only partially agree. In our opinion, wearing something like a giant football jersey will certainly help you to stand out while traveling abroad. So consider leaving it at home. But DO bring something subtle to represent your hometown, whether it's a sports team or otherwise. I always travel with a polo shirt that has a small Miami Dolphins logo on it. Wearing this has led me to connect with fellow travelers from my home area in the most surprising of places. But unlike a giant jersey, the small logo is subtle and understated enough that you don't stand out and look like a tourist.

A Few Dry-Wick T-Shirts

These are essential for traveling through warmer climates. I have been happy with my Nike Dri-Fit Shirt and this Under Armour T-Shirt , both of which keep me cool.

2 Long Sleeve T-Shirts

Great to wear around cool climates or as an under-layer for even colder climates.

1 Fleece, Sweatshirt, or Hoodie

Bring something to keep you warm in colder climates. I'm currently using this North Face fleece .

A Waterproof Jacket

This is an important piece of travel gear that serves the double purpose of acting as an outer layer in cold climates but can also be used as a rain jacket to keep you dry. The jacket I use now is similar to this Columbia Men's Pouration Jacket which is waterproof yet breathable.

A Few Undershirts

I advocate bringing a few pairs of undershirts to allow them to get stinky during a single use while protecting your outer layer to allow you to potentially wear a second time in between laundry stops.

Women's Travel Gear Packing Checklist

Here are all the clothes ladies may need during her travels, with suggestions now directly from Heather.

Tops for Women to Pack

A 3-in-1 jacket.

If traveling in cooler climates, a 3-in-1 jacket is a must. You can use just the outer shell as a breathable rain jacket, or just the inner layer for chilly days. Combine the two layers to keep warm during really frigid weather. I love my North Face 3-in-1 jacket that has kept me warm for the past four years. This North Face Thermoball Triclimate Jacket is the successor of my jacket that's currently on the market.

Compressible Vest

5 Tank Tops: 2 Regular + 2 Quick-Dry + 1 Dressy Tank

2 T-Shirts + 2 Dry-Wicking T-Shirts

2 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirts

2 Long Sleeve Collared Shirts

A Must : This may be one of the most practical and adaptable clothing pieces I travel with. It can be used as a scarf or to cover shoulders while entering a historic church. A pashmina like this has been invaluable to help blend in when traveling through Islamic countries and also great to use as a light blanket during long flights.

1 Bathing Suit

1 Bathing Suit Cover-Up

Bottoms for Women to Pack

Jeans: 1 or 2.

I travel with 2 pairs of jeans. How many you pack is up to you. Most people would prefer to travel with one pair or none at all. But for me, I live in jeans. They can be fashionable yet also durable enough for adventure activities. I travel with one denim and one black pair. I don't recommend designer jeans. Rather, consider an older pair of jeans that you don't mind if they get destroyed or lost. I've been traveling with some Gap jeans and find them to hold up well.

2 pairs of Athletic Leggings

Leggings are perfect for just about any time you're being active. I use a pair I picked up from Old Navy and also  these Nike leggings .

2 Pairs of Athletic Shorts

1 pair of jean shorts.

Jean shorts are durable and perfect for a hot day. Just be careful as they may not be appropriate in all cultures. Again I'm traveling with an old pair that I've had for over four years!

1 Maxi Skirt

Lots of underwear.

Bring more than you need. You can always toss a pair or two along the way. The funny thing is a few pairs always seem to go missing before you even get a chance to toss them. It's essential to have clean underwear when laundry days grow far apart, so just bring a few extra. If you're an active traveler like us, I highly recommend packing a few  ExOfficio Give-N-Go Bikini Briefs . They're breathable, lightweight, and quick-drying which makes them perfect for travel!

Clothing Accessories for Ladies

This is a staple for your travel packing list if you're always cold like me. Instead of a hat to keep my ears warm, I prefer this fleece headband because I can put my hair up in a ponytail and keep my ears warm for chilly outdoor activities.

Buffs aren't just for Survivor  contestants. I recommend packing a buff for your travels. I use mine for many occasions, from traveling on dusty roads to blocking sand out of my face to protect my neck and head on chilly days.

1 Wide Brim Hat

A wide-brim hat is an essential item to pack if you spend time under the sun. This Roll-up Wide Brimmed Hat  is particularly great for travel because it's foldable and crushable. The durability is great, it's fashionable, and it's UPF50+.

You need sunglasses. I love my Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses . They have held up remarkably well and I've had them for over four years.

Shoes & Footwear for Travel

Shoes can be a bulky yet necessary travel item to pack. Wear your biggest shoes during travel days and pack the other two. Some people are able to get by traveling with one or two pairs, which is great, but we recommend bringing three pairs: trainers, something that can be dressed up, and sandals.

Shoes for Him

Trail running shoes.

Although we do lots of hiking, we do NOT travel with proper hiking boots due to the space constraints within luggage. Instead, we use trail running shoes. They provide excellent grip, are lightweight, and very comfortable. They can be worn while walking around a city all day or tackling a challenging hike.

The biggest downside for trekking is the lack of ankle support, but that's never been a problem for us. Hiking shoes like these Merrell and these Salomon trail runners are oft-recommended. But they're usually priced well over $100. While they are indeed great shoes, we usually find trail running shoes closer to the $50 price point that are comfortable and hold up well.

Right now I'm roaming around in these Asics Gel Venture Running Shoes that were designed to tackle rugged terrain. They're a great everyday sneaker to walk around in, yet the extra tread holds up well on the high Andes trails that we're currently hiking.

Fashion Sneakers Are Casual Shoes that Can Dress Up

It's great to have a versatile shoe that you can dress up or wear to walk around town. Boat shoes are nice since the soles usually provide good traction. But I've recently converted to a pair of fashion sneakers which I love. I'm currently walking around in these boat-shoe inspired Clarks that can be worn in so many occasions.

Sturdy Sandals that Can Hold Up

A pair of flip flops are essential for the beach, short jaunts around town, and questionable showers around the world. I live in my flip-flops, so I take it a step further (pun intended) and even occasionally go on short hikes in my flip-flops (not recommended for most). That's why I now travel with (and am in love with) these  Columbia flip-flops . Reef-brand sandals seem to be the most popular around the world and I've had a few pair. But I find that Reefs tend to blow very easily for people like me who frequently use and abuse their sandals. (I once blew three pairs of Reefs in the same year). I'm now a huge fan of these Columbia sandals because they're super durable, have soft cushioning, great grip for rocky terrain, and these sandals last!

Shoes For Her

A versatile pair of sneakers is needed for walking around the city as well as more intense treks. I also advocate for trail running shoes instead of boots for the same reasons (see left). I've tried a few different pairs over the years but right now I'm really digging these Nike Zooms that I've been using to hike across the Andes. These kicks are lightweight, have great grip and help give me a little pep in my step.

Slip-on Mules

A pair of mules is another versatile shoe that works for many occasions. I had used to travel with ballet flats, which can be really hard on your feet walking around town. I now love my Dr. Scholl's Gia Slides . It's what I wear when going out to dinner or short walks during a night out. They are super comfy too! But perhaps the best asset is their adaptability. I can use them to dress up an outfit but they're still practical with plenty of cushioning. They are sporty yet chic.

You gotta have a pair of flip flops. I'm not as crazy about flip flops as John and would never go hiking in them. But a pair of sandals are still certainly a necessity for your travel pack list. I have these Reef flip flops which are great for the beach.

Don't Forget the Insoles!

There is so much walking involved during every day of travel and it all really wears on your feet by the end of each day. These Dr. Scholl's Athletic Sport Insoles that are absolute lifesavers. They really provide such a strong upgrade to sneakers, as they literally massage your feet while walking. We both added this to our travel pack list on Year 2 and we now both can't imagine roaming around the world without these slipped into our shoes. Highly recommend!

What Toiletries to Pack for Travel

There are lots of toiletries to remember to bring with you on your trip. Some items you may be able to find wherever you're traveling. Yet we've found many travel destinations where even the most common toiletries can be difficult to come by. Pack your favorites in advance and use this section of the travel packing checklist to ensure you haven't forgotten any of the essentials!

• Sunscreen - For sunny destinations, don't forget to pack the sunscreen. For some reason, this tends to be really expensive around the world ($30+), so bring it from home. Anything above 30 SPF is usually good. We like this Banana Boat Sport which is sweat and waterproof.
• Extra-Strong Mosquito Repellent with DEET  - When traveling in areas with Zika, Malaria, or Dengue, your first line of defense is to ensure you don't get bit by mosquitos. Repellent with DEET seems to prove most effective.
• Natural Mosquito Repellent - While DEET repellent works great, it can also be very harmful to the environment. It not only kills mosquitos but also kills fish if you're going in the water with it applied. Instead, consider a natural mosquito repellent like this if going in the water.
• Deodorant - We can never find our preferred style of deodorant around the world. Asia only has liquid roll-ons while Africa tends to only use spray deodorant. So be sure to pack your preferred brand and maybe a few extra.
• Dental Floss or Flosser Picks
• Hand sanitizer - We've already mentioned hand-sanitizer, but it's worth repeating in this toiletries packing list section.
• Chapstick or Lip Balm - Protect your lips with lip balm that contains SPF .
• Ziplock bags - Bring a few. You'll find a use for them.
• Small sewing kit - This has been invaluable for minor repairs on the road. This Embroidex Travel Sewing Kit is a best seller on Amazon.
• Compact travel hair brush or comb
• Nail clippers
• Travel scissors -  to trim bangs and many other uses.
• A toiletry bag - to keep all this stuff in.
• Travel shampoo, conditioner, & body wash -  We usually hoard the ones from hotels. For longer stays, we buy these items on the ground which have always been easy to find decent brands except for shampoo/conditioner in Africa.
• Hair gel (for him)
• Make-up (for her)
• Cold medicine
• Pain reliever - we use ibuprofen
• Sea sickness medicine - We find Bonine to be the most effective and least drowsy. We also use ginger pills as a natural remedy.
• Anti-acid - very necessary when trying new local foods
• Multi vitamin - Food in some regions may not provide the essentials, so we like to take a daily multi-vitamin.
• Pepto-Bismo tablets  - This liquid can be an absolute lifesaver but can also be a pink nightmare if it explodes in your bag. Pack Pepto-Bismol tablets instead.
• Roll of toilet paper or tissues - In some parts of the world not all restrooms have toilet paper. Depending on where you're traveling, it may be a good idea to pack a roll.
• Baby wipes - These always seem to come in handy weather to freshen up after a long flight or to clean up an unexpected mess. Pack a small tub of baby wipes .

Things Not to Pack

Water bottles - While useful, water bottles are space hogs. Instead we just buy a single bottled water when we land and use it over and over again in places where we can drink the water.

Wedding rings or expensive  jewelry  - Heather never travels with her engagement ring. Instead, we both wear simple wedding bands. This helps not draw attention to ourselves and prevents what could be a heartbreaking theft. Additionally, when traveling to countries where haggling is the norm, it helps your cause to not have flashy jewelry.

Hiking Boots - Although we're avid hikers, we find hiking boots to be too heavy and bulky to lug around the world. Trail running shoes work well for us instead.

Heels (women)  - Unless you're taking a luxury trip with many formal occasions, leave the heels at home. They're impractical, take up too much space, and hell to walk in over all those uneven sidewalks around the world.

Passport Covers - I say no to passport covers. Heather says yes. The problem with passport covers is that you almost always have to remove them when going through customs and immigration, so it's just a small yet added unnecessary hassle. But they look nice and do serve an actual purpose. My passport is bruised and beaten, while Heather's still looks new since she keeps a cover on hers. So, you decide!

Best Travel Gear to Pack for a Trip?

These are all the things we pack and travel with and recommend. But we always come across people who have their own unique travel gear and preferences. What's yours? What do you pack for a trip? We're always changing around our travel pack list.

Also, we'd love to hear if you've used any of our gear recommendations . Be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Be sure to bookmark this page or pin it to your travel Pinterest boards so you can review and use as a checklist before your next trip.

Happy travels!

February 6, 2020 at 1:20 PM

Hi there! I just read through your ‘womens travel clothing’ section and have a question – how often do you do laundry when you travel? I LOVE the idea of a minimalist approach to packing, but we’re pretty active so if I only had 2 pairs of leggings/shorts, I’d have to do laundry every 2 days. Is there a ‘pro tip’ I’m missing? Thx!

February 10, 2020 at 3:48 PM

We do laundry, as needed, usually every about every 7-10 days or so. It really depends on the climate, how active we’ve been, etc. As for the 2 pairs of athletic leggings, we’re typically not in situations that she is wearing those every single day. Other bottoms such as jeans, skirts, and other shorts help to supplement in between laundry days. If you find your travels would involve wearing leggings every single day, it sounds like it would certainly prove worthwhile to bring more to tailor to that. 🙂

July 26, 2019 at 2:38 PM

Wow, very nice information. Learned a lot, Nice information

July 10, 2019 at 6:38 AM

Usually, I keep a reusable bag with me so I don’t need to buy any plastic bag while traveling. This checklist is gonna be my favorite because it has everything mentioned which I need while traveling. Thanks for such a nice post!

June 24, 2019 at 9:19 AM

Thanks for sharing this informative article.

June 15, 2019 at 1:39 PM

Useful travel tips.I have more then 4/5 years traveling experience. I learned so much from your article. Thanks for sharing 🙂

May 7, 2019 at 2:03 AM

Awesome post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work

May 6, 2019 at 10:19 AM

I have made some packing, but after reading this I wondered that I haven’t done anything so many many things to get packed 😀 Thanks for sharing this post <3

March 26, 2019 at 1:42 AM

I was glad to see that you included earplugs on your list! I can’t even begin to tell you how many times they have saved my sanity while traveling around the country, not to mention, helping me get a good night’s sleep in hotel rooms.

March 20, 2019 at 7:42 AM

Hey John! This is indeed the best, complete travel packing list! I’m the kind that always forgets something, so this would definitely help me a lot whenever I travel. Thank you for putting this together.

March 7, 2019 at 4:42 AM

Hey, thanks for this informative post! I’m a travel lover so this guide is very useful for me. A month ago, I’ve gone for an outdoor trip but I forgot to pack water filter it was horrible to drink contaminated water. Next time I’ll recheck my packed gears with this amazing guide. Definitely, I’ll pack all the pieces of stuff perfectly for my upcoming adventurous trips!

February 27, 2019 at 7:50 AM

Fantastic ideas ….. Seriously I never pack the right things . Thanks for sharing these good ideas … For my next trip I will definitely follow your ideas. Keep Sharing.

February 26, 2019 at 5:13 AM

These are really helpful tips for long flight travel and I hope people will follow them and get benefits. Thanks

February 22, 2019 at 4:05 AM

Thanks for sharing this post I saw the monkey mats on Shark Tank and totally forgot about them. After reading this article I’ve gone and ordered some for myself. I do a lot of travelling with the company I work for, GSE Solutions. Thanks! Luke

February 20, 2019 at 11:56 AM

Thanks for the great list! I ordered the adjustable phone tripod and am looking forward to trying it out. Happy travels!

– Dana Pittsburgh, PA http://www.SureFootedTravel.com

February 14, 2019 at 5:43 AM

That’s a great list, I’ve bookmarked the page for future reference. The lifestraw is excellent. I used it while canoe camping for 3 days around the boundary waters in Minnesota and it worked great. An essential piece of kit to take with you if your doing something like that. Many thanks for sharing.

February 4, 2019 at 5:36 PM

Thanks for sharing your packing expertise! I won’t leave home without my dry bag again! A couple of items we’ve added over the years are: a couple of caribiners attached to our day packs (mulptiple uses including clipping our waterproof camera and it’s floating strap to my bathing suit), a flat travel plug (we also take a line and a few clothes pegs – I wash & hang undies etc most evenings & they’re dry by morning), a rubber door stopper (keeps the door secure in a sketchy hotel), and a light weight shopping bag. I also pack a couple of quick dry ‘ skorts ‘ rather than shorts. They can be a bit more modest and I’ve been allowed in to sites that don’t allow shorts. They are comfortable for most activities in a warm climate. Thanks again and safe travels!

February 6, 2019 at 12:12 PM

Oh yes, that dry bag has become so essential for us on so many occasions. We had actually gone without one for a bit more than the first year of our travels. With all the water activities we pursue, the need was dire yet we didn’t realize until we got one. Thanks so much for the other suggestions! May need to add a few of those onto our next iteration of this post. 🙂 We also do carry a lightweight shopping bag and neglected to include here. I can only imagine how handy careeners can be and now you’ve got me thinking that we should pick some up. And that’s a great idea for a door stopper …just in case! 🙂

January 5, 2019 at 1:42 PM

While you made your trek around the world, what did you do about the logistics of leaving your home, i.e: getting mail, paying all bills, filing tax returns, etc. Do you have any information about that? Your trip sounds wonderful, but how do you take care of everything you left in the States?

January 5, 2019 at 2:07 PM

Great question! And it’s a good reminder to us that we really need to write a complete post to detail some of those complicated logistics. But I’ll try to give a short answer here. Mail is sent to a family member. There’s not much since we’ve tried to cancel all mail to do as much as possible electronically. We usually visit the US once per year in which we’ll open a few Christmas cards and trash whatever junk has collected. As for bills, we don’t really have many regular bills since we don’t have a home, cars, etc. We buy prepaid phone plans wherever we travel. We irregularly buy travel insurance. And we have a few reoccurring business expenses to run this blog. That’s about it. All of those bills are paid electrically. Tax returns are also filed through online tax software. We can access most of our needed tax forms electronically too. There are a few forms that are sent snail mail. Those have been collected for us and read over the phone. It’s pretty simple really and we’re fortunate to have a family member to help us out with the mail. There are services that do this too and can even scan and upload every piece of mail into the cloud, but we don’t bother. It’s mostly junk really. 🙂

December 23, 2018 at 6:56 AM

Hey, I think this is a complete packing list before goes any trip. I am so glad I found you at the right time. Next week we are going on a long trip with my family. I must remember your packing list ideas when I am going for this.

November 10, 2018 at 1:56 AM

Traveling is something that makes you feel worthy but packing is like a daunting task. The above points really give some idea for an individual what things are necessary when planning to go out for vacation. Thank You

October 23, 2018 at 4:46 PM

Amazing list. I always carry a backup when it comes to chargers, equipment, storage etc. And I never go on a trip without a good pair of hiking boots and a raincoat. 😀

October 22, 2018 at 5:51 PM

Anozther travel essential is a small tin of zinc oxide (baby diaper cream). Applied to any cut or abrasion, it creates a barrier which prevents infection – I learned this from a former emergency physician (after struggling with a staph infection I caught in the tropics from a small sore on my foot). I never leave home without it!

October 23, 2018 at 8:29 PM

That is such a great idea! During our first year of travel, I got a skin infection on my leg from an open sore while in depths of Guatemala. Sounds like the zinc oxide could have prevented it. We update this post regularly and may need to add that to the list! 🙂 Thanks for the great recommendation!

August 4, 2018 at 7:38 PM

I read THS Tieks ballerina flats were great shoes for traveling. They also fold up.

July 22, 2018 at 10:28 AM

This is an excellent post. Your travelling cheak list is awesome. All in one. Many people will benefit from the blog. Everything has told about the tour.

July 18, 2018 at 9:38 AM

Nice and Perfect looking outfit..

June 25, 2018 at 2:33 AM

Nice tips John Widmer!! When anyone go to travel they should check this list at least once so that they can ensure their easy going journey.

June 9, 2018 at 5:35 PM

I’ve been on the road for the last 23+ years. I carry a small roll of duct tape (wrapped around a popsicle stick to save room). It’s come in handy many times.

May 21, 2018 at 9:01 AM

Thanks for providing the detailed packaging list. I will keep this list on my mind for my next trip.

Keep sharing.

May 17, 2018 at 6:48 AM

This is a complete and perfect packing list. I am delighted with getting your packing list. Next weeks I go on a trip I think this list is beneficial to me. I will share this list my all social activity and my friends. Lovely sharing.

May 25, 2018 at 1:06 PM

Thanks so much. We’re so glad you found it helpful! 🙂

March 21, 2018 at 2:14 AM

A very comprehensive and informed packing list. Will do a checklist to make sure I miss nothing. Printing it out now.

Great work.

Cheers Sharon…

October 15, 2017 at 2:40 PM

Quite a list of things to pack that you have compiled here. I love the part about electronics because, really! No matter how much I would love to get away from the din, I am certainly not ready to do away with my electronics. I would definitely recommend this list to a beginner traveler.

October 24, 2017 at 11:13 PM

Thanks! Yes, we agree 100%. They’re almost a necessary evil for us. Yet some of our gadgets help so much to make traveling a breeze! 🙂

June 28, 2017 at 2:03 AM

Very helpful list. Thank you. Always new things to learn. One comment on my part: I noticed that all the women’s shoes, save the runners, have thin soles. Having traveled alot, both in urban and in more rugged locales, I really experienced the need for thicker soled shoes: not necessarily dumpy. I have found some very hip, light weight and flexible shoes from Germany, Italy, etc. But with bendable cushioned soles to make it thru long days and assorted surfaces. The ballerina shoes really don’t cut it and result in sore, achy, and perhaps damaged feet.

Hope you enjoy your Canada segment. Linda

July 20, 2017 at 2:48 PM

Hi Linda, thanks for the comment! When planning long days of being on my feet, I almost always wear my trainers. I agree with you that most ballet flats wouldn’t work if you’re trying to avoid achy feet. I will say that I’m a big fan of my Puma ballet flats. I find that they have a decent cushion insole and an outer grip and flexibility to navigate uneven streets. I like wearing them when trying to dress up a bit when in cities and such, but admit that I couldn’t wear them if on my feet all day. What travel shoes do you prefer? I’d love to hear your recommendations 🙂

June 20, 2017 at 4:19 PM

Thanks for this very comprehensive and detailed packing list. I am actually going through it to make sure I have several of this items with me on my next trip.

June 21, 2017 at 10:28 AM

Perfect, I hope it helps! We had actually initially drafted this list when we were packing for Ecuador.

April 23, 2017 at 7:56 AM

Hi, we are cruising the Baltic with Oceania and would like to know how dressed up you have to be for the dinners? We are in our 60’s? We have never been on a big cruise ship. Thank you Denyse

April 29, 2017 at 4:41 PM

Hi Denyse, Thanks for the comment. We dress “smart casual” when in the formal dining rooms on cruise ships. I would wear either a light dress or a nice blouse with jeans. John always wears a collared shirt with travel slacks. We don’t travel with suits or formal wear. We’ve never cruised with Oceania Cruises, but they recommend “Country Club Casual” where they ask men to wear a sports jacket to be ready for the Grand Dining Room. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!

June 20, 2017 at 4:13 PM

I’ve sailed with Oceania and ladies tend to dress up the “Country Club Casual” so I stick to wearing mostly black clothing. In the Baltic, the cool and the A/C also makes the ship cold, so I wear wraps and light sweaters in the evening. This cruise line does not allow jeans at dinner for men.

April 4, 2017 at 2:10 AM

This is a great help to all travellers. Never seen something this detailed. Will definitely save this. Looking forward to more helpful posts.

April 8, 2017 at 10:43 PM

Hey Laurel, Thanks so much for the kind comment. We’re thrilled to hear that you found our packing list and tips to be helpful 🙂

April 3, 2017 at 11:02 PM

Great & thorough list! I’d add Clorox wipes though, to sanitize surfaces when we first get to our stateroom.

April 8, 2017 at 10:42 PM

Hey Mandi, Thanks for the comment and the great suggestion! The sanitizing wipes are perfect for questionable surfaces likes phones and RV remotes.

February 11, 2017 at 12:11 AM

Great site, articles, tips, photos, etc…

Keep up the good work! Wish there was a site like this when I did my world trip back in 2004-2005! Great resource for travelers.

Looks like your having a blast in the Galápagos.

Cheers, Corey

P.S. Meet you guys hiking up the Quilotoa Crater Lake and day tour, then for a few minutes in Puerto Ayora.

February 11, 2017 at 1:38 PM

Hey Corey, great to hear from ya! Thanks for the kind words. The Galapagos has been incredible. Best to you and your continued travels, perhaps our paths will cross again 🙂

February 9, 2017 at 10:51 AM

Thank you for enlisting this preparation tips for us.I like more when you include storing water bottles on your trip.

February 9, 2017 at 11:29 AM

Thanks for the comment Denise. We’ve found it so much easier to buy a water bottle and reuse it rather than traveling with one that takes up space.

February 6, 2017 at 5:58 PM

Wooo! I NEEDED this list! Super overwhelmed over here, lol. Do the packing cubes add a lot of weight? We are traveling with our 4 kids and will need to be carrying some of their things too. Space will be tight! And also, do you find a need for a sheet or anything for the places you stay? I’ve seen the sleeping bag style flat sheets used often.

February 8, 2017 at 7:08 AM

Glad it helped! 🙂 The packing cubes are very lightweight. It’s just thin plastic, so doesn’t contribute to extra weight at all. If anything, we find that it conserves space, as the cubes tend to compress your things a bit as we stuff ours. This year is actually the first time we’ve used them and we now wonder how we ever traveled without them. It is so helpful to organize each of our different belongings as we bounce from one place to the next. Highly recommend! As for the travel sheet… we had packed one during our first year of travel and never used it. We find most hotels around the world to be very clean (we always vet reviews). Even the hostels we stay have been completely fine. In 3+ years of constant travel, we’ve never had bed bugs (knocks on wood). For long bus/train/plane rides when we’ve wanted a blanket, we just use our big travel towel. Hope that helps! Packing for 4 kids too – wow – that’s awesome! Have a great journey together!

January 31, 2017 at 1:23 PM

This list is amazing! Amazing post with great Research, Love your site. Thank you

February 3, 2017 at 9:12 PM

Thank you! Glad you like and we hope it has given you a few new ideas for things to pack on your next adventure!

January 20, 2017 at 4:39 PM

This is a great list! But you forgot Clorox (or some sort of sanitizing) wipes! Planes and trains are never cleaned enough, if at all. You don’t have to pack the whole package of wipes, just put a few in a plastic Ziplock bag. Nothing worse than getting sick while you’re traveling.

January 23, 2017 at 6:12 PM

Hey Dianne, thanks for the comment. Very good point! We mentioned baby wipes, but you really do need some sort of sanitizing wipes or sanitizing hand gel. Especially for those trays on airplanes! Great tip about just taking a few and putting them in the Ziplock bag. Very true, getting sick is the recipe for ruining a vacation!

January 16, 2017 at 11:00 AM

Wow, what a great tips. It is the most comprehensive packing list I have ever seen. I have most of the items that you carry. I only need to buy a mask and fins for scuba diving

January 17, 2017 at 12:18 PM

Hey Mansoureh, thanks for the comment! Glad to hear we have a similar travel style 😉 Good call on investing in a mask and fins. Once you factor in how expensive it can be to rent the gear, it practically pays for itself. Happy Travels!

January 15, 2017 at 7:04 PM

Wow- this list is amazing! I received a dry bag for my cell phone as a Christmas gift and I see that’s on your list. I went kayaking last year and was afraid to take my phone, due to it getting wet. Anything that has the word “dry” on it- is something I would recommend for the avid traveler.

January 17, 2017 at 12:25 PM

Hi Sara, thanks for the comment. That’s awesome that you received a dry bag for Christmas. You’re going to find so many uses for it, especially the kayaking. It’s so nice doing adventure sports and not have to worry about belongings getting destroyed. Happy travels to you in 2017!

January 15, 2017 at 1:23 PM

Wow. No wonder I never pack the right things. I usually spend my packing time obsessing about the right pairs of shoes! I’ll keep your camera options in mind. I do need an underwater one. And a drone. Thanks for the tips.

January 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM

Hey Carol, thanks for the comment! As a fellow lover of shoes, I can relate to the struggle 🙂 Highly recommend some sort of action camera, you’d be surprised with the amount of usage you’ll get out of it!

January 15, 2017 at 7:27 AM

Wow — You weren’t kidding when you said “ultimate!” I like the baby wipes tip, to leave heels and water bottles at home, and the suggestion to rent certain bulky camping items instead of buying them. And YES to leaving hiking boots at home. The two times I packed them, they made me so angry with their bulk, and I never used them!

June 20, 2017 at 4:16 PM

I wear my hiking boots on the days that I travel that way I do not have to worry about having to pack them and taking up valuable space in my backpack.

January 15, 2017 at 12:00 AM

I loved this article most importantly because I have a lot of the items on your packing list. I definitely want to look into some of the luggage you recommended- I am looking for durability and you have some great options.

January 17, 2017 at 11:16 AM

Hey Steph. That’s awesome that we have a similar travel style 😊 I’ve been very happy with my Eagle Creek and has John with his Osprey. Both bags have been through a lot and I still feel that we will not need to replace either bag anytime soon, giving a testimant to their durability.

January 14, 2017 at 9:25 PM

The ultimate checklist indeed! The Universal Adapter sounds super helpful–much better than my clunky old adapter kit from 2003. Love the shower caps over shoes too–awesome tip.

January 17, 2017 at 11:11 AM

Hey Erin, thanks for the comment. We use the universal adapter all the time and cringe when we think about the number of bulky adapters we used to carry. Isn’t the shower cap idea great? Never thought I’d be so excited to see shower caps included as amenities in hotel rooms.

January 14, 2017 at 2:33 PM

Super insightful! I have to agree packing is a science and it takes a while to master. Over the years I’ve changed a lot the way I pack and what I bring along for a trip. Definitely traveling lighter these days!

Packing cubes are super useful. Can’t live without them. Versatile clothes are also quite important, and durable as well.

Not sure how you can travel with the drone. I can’t cope with any more electronics! Too much camera stuff.

And I really need to buy my own mask and snorkel. Doing it now… 🙂

January 17, 2017 at 11:04 AM

Hey Hugo, thanks for the comment! We are loving the packing cubes and only wish we we discovered them sooner. Agree that the drone is big and bulky to travel with, so that’s a point to consider. We’re traveling at a relatively slower speed now, so that helps with carrying the drone from place to place. Great idea to pick up a mask, you’ll be so happy you did!

January 14, 2017 at 10:53 AM

I travel with a ton of stuff because I need my photography stuff, laptops, tablets etc and soon everything becomes really unwieldy and heavy. I simply cannot pack light but a dry bag is a great idea as is the torch especially for many destinations in Asia where electricity outages can be a common occurrence.

January 17, 2017 at 11:00 AM

Hey Anne, thanks for the comment. We feel your pain with all the electronics! Glad you found some of the recommendations helpful. I can’t tell you how many times that dry bag has come in handy. And yes, very good point about some countries having frequent power outages and needing a torch even if you’re not planning to do outdoor activities.

January 14, 2017 at 9:10 AM

Wow, the most comprehensive packing list I’ve seen! When I went on my first three month backpacking adventure, I honestly had no idea what to bring – and what to leave behind. This would have been useful. Love the tips – especially the shower caps over the shoes and laundry sheet hack.

January 12, 2017 at 10:41 PM

The whole world in my bag! 🙂 Seriously, makes you wonder whether we would be able to even survive without technology. Impressive compilation, though.

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Home » Europe » Moscow

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

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Best Time To Visit Moscow

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Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring  (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV,  in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral  | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

• Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
• Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees. 
• Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic! 

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

• Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
• Cost: USD $15.00
• Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

• Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
• Cost: Free!
• Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
• Cost: USD $8.00
• Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

• Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
• Cost: Free to enter
• Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

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These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

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Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

• Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
• Cost: USD $5.00
• Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for! 

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture! 

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

• Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
• Cost: Free! 
• Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months.  A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

• Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
• Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov.  The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner! 

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

• Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres. 
• Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics. 

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

• Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
• Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 –  USD $228.00 based on seat location.
• Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

• Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

• Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
• This museum is fun for both adults and children!
• Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

• A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
• Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
• The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

• Television and radio tower in Moscow
• Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
• Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

• The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
• Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
• Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

• Closed on Mondays
• Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
• The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy! 

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Moscow

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided!  Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

Alya and Campbell

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

Featured city guides.

Moscow   Travel Guide

Why Go To Moscow

Moscow's opulence and high culture is a sight to be seen. Forget what you learned about Russia in grade school. This lavish capital of a formerly communist nation has fully embraced the luxuries, excesses and decadence of Western capitalism. Like many former Soviet countries, Mother Russia struggles to successfully confront issues of widespread poverty, alcoholism, failing healthcare, and environmental protection. But Moscow has burgeoned into one of the most expensive, exclusive and largest travel destinations in the world. It comes complete with world-class museums, magnificent palaces, $1,000-a-night hotels, "face-control" nightclubs and internationally-renowned restaurants. Don't think you can afford Moscow? Don't be afraid. You can still find affordable deals if you are vigilant. This metropolis has a big and bold character and grandiose setting that's definitely worth getting to know.

Find Flight and Hotel Deals

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Best of Moscow

Best hotels in moscow.

• # 1 in Hotel Metropol Moscow
• # 2 in Radisson Collection Hotel, Moscow
• # 3 in Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow

Best Things to Do in Moscow

• # 1 in Red Square
• # 2 in Tretyakov Gallery
• # 3 in St. Basil's Cathedral

Moscow Travel Tips

Best months to visit.

The best time to visit Moscow is April and May, when the temperature creeps into the 50s and 60s, the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day, and hotel rates have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges. Of course, the golden period is summer, when the city is warm and bustling. But if you want to (slightly) spare yourself from the perpetually expensive rates, try the shoulder seasons in the spring and early fall. Preferably spring, since fall experiences more rainfall and less sunlight. Winters are brutally cold, but this is when you'll get a true glimpse into the Moscow experience (A frost-bitten walk through Red Square seems to intensify the historical significance of this great capital city).

Weather in Moscow

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

What You Need to Know

A little Russian English is spoken only in major hotels and restaurants, and you'll find mostly Russian speakers in the less tourist-heavy areas. American visitors also struggle with the Cyrillic spellings and pronunciations. Practice some key Russian phrases on the long flight over.

A little tipping Unlike most other European cities, tipping (five to 10 percent) in restaurants is the custom.

A lot of vodka This Russian drink of choice (yes, they usually consume it straight) is found at any bar. But if you wish to taste it and learn about its origins, the Moscow Distillery Cristall is your best bet.

How to Save Money in Moscow

If it seems too good to be true It probably is. Take that proverb to heart in Moscow, and don't expect the Czarist medal you purchased off a street vendor to be worth anything more than a good memory.

If you're oblivious on the subway You'll probably leave several rubles lighter. Pickpockets prey on unsuspecting foreigners in crowded places, particularly metro cars. Beware!

If you're not scared of the dark You may be able to handle Moscow's long nights in fall, winter and spring, when hotels offer the lowest rates. December sees an average of 18 hours of sunlight … in total.

Culture & Customs

English is spoken in major hotels and restaurants, but you'll find mostly Russian speakers in the less tourist-heavy areas, such as at the market or in small inns. Some helpful Russian greetings include the informal hello (pronounced, pri-VET ); the formal hello ( Zdravst-vwee-tye ); the informal goodbye ( pah-KAH ); and the formal goodbye ( Dah svih-DA-nee-ye ). To thank someone, say " Spas-EE-ba ."

What to Eat

Traditional Russian fare focuses on hearty meat dishes and cold soup, a particularly Russian specialty. But don't arrive in Moscow thinking you'll experience only the old cuisine. Russia's new personality has been accompanied by a lavish taste for international cuisine, especially Asian food. Sushi and Asian fusion restaurants are among the most popular in the city, and other dining options include American and Italian cuisine. Eating out, like everything in Moscow, can be very expensive, but you can find cheaper restaurants in shopping centers and areas outside the city center. 

Stay alert for pickpockets when using public transport and when visiting the main tourist sites. Many an unsuspecting traveler has been relieved of some rubles on the Moscow Metro and near Red Square. Also, make sure to exercise extra caution when leaving bars and clubs at night.

There have been cases of corrupt police asking for random fines -- if this occurs, get the officer's number and name and ask to go to the police station with him or her.

Getting Around Moscow

The best way to get around Moscow is the metro. Faster and more efficient than the trolley buses and trams, this extensive system has stations that contain beautiful ornamentation, sculptures and mosaics. You could rent a car, but it's best to use public transportation to avoid the city's perpetually congested roads. Plus, street signs are all in Russian. In fact, English signs are nonexistent in the public transit system as well, so it's best to quickly get familiar with a map. Most travelers arrive through Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), but there are several other airports that serve the metro area. Several buses and a metro line shuttle airport travelers to and from downtown.

Entry & Exit Requirements

Acquiring a visa to travel in Russia is a bit more complicated and expensive than visiting other countries. Every foreign traveler entering Russia must have a Russian-based sponsor (like a hotel, tour company, university or relative). In addition to a valid U.S. passport, you must also obtain a travel visa from a Russian embassy or consulate prior to arriving in Russia. If you plan to stay in Russia for more than seven days, you have to register your visa and migration card (the white paper document given by the border police on first entry to Russia) with the Federal Migration Service. Visas can cost anywhere from $160 to $250 per person, depending on the length of your stay. For more information on entry and exit requirements, visit the U.S. State Department website .

Red Square is one of the most famous squares in the world.

Explore More of Moscow

Things To Do

Best hotels.

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St. Petersburg

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Is It Safe in Moscow?

Stanislav Solntsev / Getty Images

When you visit Moscow , Russia, you’re seeing one of the world’s largest, and most expensive, capital cities . While there is a history of violent crime against foreign journalists and aid personnel in Russia, a trip to Moscow is usually safe for mainstream travelers. Most tourists in Moscow only face potential issues with petty crime, though terrorism is also a concern. Visitors should stick to the principal tourist areas and abide by the local security advice.

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. Department of State urges travelers to avoid travel to Russia because of COVID-19 and to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism, harassment, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws."  
• Anyone exploring more of Russia should avoid "The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping,   and   risk of civil unrest." Also, travelers should stay away from "Crimea due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory   and   abuses by its occupying authorities."  
• Canada states travelers should use a high degree of caution in Russia due to the threat of terrorism and crime.  

Is Moscow Dangerous?

The Moscow city center is typically safe. In general, the closer you are to the Kremlin , the better. Travelers mainly need to be aware of their surroundings and look out for petty crime. Be especially careful in tourist areas such as Arbat Street and crowded places like the Moscow Metro transit system. The suburbs are also generally fine, though it is advised to stay away from Maryino and Perovo districts.

Terrorism has occurred in the Moscow area, leading authorities to increase security measures. Be more careful at tourist and transportation hubs, places of worship, government buildings, schools, airports, crowds, open markets, and additional tourist sites.

Pickpockets and purse snatching happen often in Russia, perpetrated by groups of children and teenagers who distract tourists to get their wallets and credit cards. Beware of people asking you for help, who then trick you into their scheme. Don’t expect a backpack to be a safe bag bet; instead, invest in something that you can clutch close to your body or purchase a money belt . Always diversify, storing some money in a separate location so that if you are pickpocketed, you'll have cash elsewhere. Keep an eye out for thieves in public transportation, underground walkways, tourist spots, restaurants, hotel rooms and homes, restaurants, and markets.

Is Moscow Safe for Solo Travelers?

Large cities like Moscow in Russia are overall fairly safe if you are traveling alone, and the Moscow Metro public transit is a secure and easy way to get around. But it is still a good idea to follow basic precautions as in any destination. Avoid exploring alone at night, especially in bad areas. You may want to learn some basic Russian phrases or bring a dictionary, as many locals don't speak English. However, in case you need any help, there are tourist police that speak English. Also, exploring with other trusted travelers and locals or on professional tours is often a good way to feel safe.

Is Moscow Safe for Female Travelers?

Catcalling and street harassment are infrequent in Moscow and the rest of Russia and females traveling alone don't usually have problems. There are plenty of police officers on the streets as well. Still, it serves to stick to Moscow's well-lit, public areas, avoid solo night walks, and use your instincts. Women frequenting bars may take receive some friendly attention. Females can wear whatever they want, but those entering Orthodox churches will be required to cover up. Though women in Russia are independent, domestic violence and other inequality issues take place regularly.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

Russia is not known as a gay-friendly country. However, Moscow is one of the more welcoming cities with a blooming LGBTQ+ community and many friendly restaurants, bars, clubs, and other venues. Hate crimes in Russia have increased since the 2013 anti-gay propaganda law. Openly LGBTQ+ tourists in this conservative country may experience homophobic remarks, discrimination, or even violence, especially if traveling with a partner. Also, while women hold hands or hug publicly—whether romantically involved or not—men should avoid public displays of affection to prevent being insulted or other issues.

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

Moscow  and other big cities in Russia have sizable populations of various cultures, so discrimination against BIPOC travelers is rarer than in other parts of the country where it can become dangerous. Some people living in Russia who are Black, Asian, Jewish, and from other backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination and violence. Tourists won't usually experience overt racism but may be the recipients of some stares. If anyone should bother you, be polite and resist being taunted into physically defending yourself.

Safety Tips for Travelers

Travelers should consider the following general tips when visiting:

• It's best not to drink the tap water. If you do, boil it before drinking, though showering is safe and the amount used to brush teeth is generally not harmful. Mineral water is widely drunk, especially at restaurants, and if you prefer not to have it carbonated ask for “ voda byez gaz” (water without gas).
• If you need emergency assistance in case of fire, terrorism, medical issues, or more, dial 112 in Russia for bilingual operators.
• Be judicious about taking photographs, especially of police or officials. This can potentially bring unwanted attention to yourself by members of law enforcement who won’t mind asking to see your passport. Also avoid snapping photos of official-looking buildings, such as embassies and government headquarters.
• Carry your passport in as secure a manner as possible. If you get stopped for any reason by the police, they can fine or arrest you if you don't have the document with you. Also, keep photocopies of your passport, the page on which your travel visa appears, and any other documents that relate to your stay in Russia.
• Use official taxis only and steer clear of illegal taxi companies, especially at night. Ask your hotel to call a reputable taxi company.

U.S. Department of State. " Russia Travel Advisory ." August 6, 2020.

Government of Canada. " Official Global Travel Advisories ." November 19, 2020.

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