Category Archives: Backpacker

Best Hiking Trails For Backpackers – What makes for a great backpacking trip? Top-shelf landscapes are certainly mandatory. In my opinion, an element of adventure enhances a walk. While there’s certainly something inspiring about a big walk in the wild, some of the most beautiful hikes in the country can be done in a few days and half of the hikes on this list are less than 50 miles. Another factor that really matters is a wilderness experience: all ten are in national parks or wilderness areas.

I’ve probably thought about this more than any mentally stable person should, having completed many of America’s (and the world’s) most beautiful multi-day hikes during over thirty years (and counting) of wearing a backpack, including my 10 years as a field editor for Backpacker magazine and even longer responsible for this blog. Ultimately, however, the criterion that matters most is simpler and more … Read the rest

Solo Backpacking: How To Travel Alone And Love It – With 75% of our travelers traveling alone, we know a thing or two about solo travelers’ concerns. By the end of this guide, you’ll be ready to travel alone and prepared enough to satisfy your wanderlust without waiting for your friends to stop being so busy!

Yes! As I said above, 75% of our tourists come alone and we are a group tour company. I’ve also spent countless nights in hostels around the world connecting with other travelers who were there alone. It’s perfectly normal not to have friends who want to travel, have the time, money, or maybe just don’t want to go to the places you want to see. The great thing about solo travel is that with the right mindset, you can easily meet other travelers on your trip who are eager to connect.

Solo Backpacking: How

Roaming The Earth: Backpacker Wonders – “A journey can be a blessing or a curse, a journey to new discoveries or an escape from an overwhelming reality, a reward or an achievement. All”. – Select Search

We stopped for yet another break, sitting under a few shady places in sight, and listening to each other’s conversations. Each one of us was covered in sweat and grime.

Roaming The Earth: Backpacker Wonders

It is stories like these that motivate me to travel the most. No matter how small you think your travels are compared to others, every mile and every stone you turn will bring you a new perspective. That is true if you allow it.

Travel In Focus: Our 2024 Destination Hotlist

I think there is a special kind of people in this world. Those who live their curiosity in their chest. Those who feel like caged birds begin their … Read the rest

Backpacking Through History: Top Historical Routes – Each National Science and Historic Trail has a curved triangle logo used to indicate its route and landmarks.

The National Trail System is a series of trails in the United States designated “to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and the enjoyment and appreciation of the nation’s opera, outdoor areas, and historic resources.”

Backpacking Through History: Top Historical Routes

There are four types of trails: national trails, national historic trails, national recreation trails, and connecting or secondary trails. National trails provide opportunities for hiking and historical education, as well as horseback riding, biking, camping, driving, water sports, and other activities. The National Trail System consists of 11 National Trails, 21 National Historic Trails, over 1,300 National Recreational Trails and several connecting and secondary trails, as well as one National Geological Trail, totaling more than 91,000 miles (150,000 km). Science and … Read the rest

Cultural Etiquette Tips For Backpackers – Honest Hostel Etiquette Tips Do you want to wake up next to 10 other people every day? You are shy.

And is it your dream to listen to copying (and other washing) not only one, but maybe 2, 3, 4 or 8 guests?

Cultural Etiquette Tips For Backpackers

Do you also love the prospect of having good, kind company, when you want it, and only when you want it?

Trail Etiquette: Play Nice

For all the hardships, frustrations and disappointments that hostel life can bring, we have happily stayed in the same hostel for a month now, and now it has turned into a home.

Some people hate every minute of not having their own space or being surrounded by people coming and going all the time, but after four months in a lonely house in Noosa, we’re definitely not in the hostel hating … Read the rest

Backpacking Bliss – After hiking more than 1,800 miles, we discovered a strange phenomenon. In online forums and on hikes, middle-aged backpackers often apologize for spending money on hikes, as if spending money is “cheating.” It’s as if thru-hiking is a young man’s sport and everyone does it differently than the typical 23-year-old – the old man “does it wrong.” Some things we heard:

“I spent a lot of money eating out at a nice restaurant but didn’t eat the cheap pasta there because my body needed more vegetables.”

Backpacking Bliss

“I know everyone has an issue with planning ahead, but I have a technical question about this part of the route.”

Unavoidable Tech Bliss For The New Hikers

Wow! There are many stories and scripts on how to backpack and thru-hike. Sounds a lot like the “stories and scripts” we hear in our personal finances, careers, and relationships.

Darren … Read the rest