RTW Packing List

Jump to:

• The Best Bags for an RTW trip
• Women’s Packing List for an RTW trip
•  Men’s Packing List for an RTW trip
• Outerwear
• Toiletries for an RTW Trip
• Misc items for RTW Trip
•  What Electronics to Pack for an RTW Trip

We get asked all the time, “How do you pack for an RTW trip?” That is a great question!

We thought we knew, we read RTW packing lists from every blogger out there.  We had a reason for everything we were packing, or so we thought…This is a good list for those looking to take a 2+ month trip around the world or just several countries.

UPDATE: These were items we originally left with for on our 2-year trip. We now travel with 2 checked bags and 2 carry-on bags. Our travel style has changed, we like having more clothing options and we have really upgraded our camera equipment since leaving home (click here to see our photography gear).

The Best Bags for an RTW trip

Hannah’s Backpack: North Face Router 40

Hannah sent her 65 Liter Osprey backpack home as we had too much stuff and now is carrying this on her back.  The North Face Router has 3 lockable zippers.  As opposed to our other backpacks that can’t lock.  Much happier with this backpack than our old arrangement. Both of our computers, all external hard drives, chargers & cables, camera tripod, and an emergency set of clothes are carried in this pack. See below to see what is all in Hannah’s electronics backpack.

On Adam’s Back/Hands: Osprey Sojourn 80 Liter Wheeled Backpack

We got ourselves down to just one checked bag and just under the requirements for airlines, it’s on the heavy side but the bag has very good weight distribution and if needed it can convert to a backpack. We are yet to find ourselves using the backpack straps.

Carry on Camera bag: Ruggard Outrigger 45 

We also carry on all of our camera equipment, check out what is all in Adam’s camera bag here. For our day trips, Adam carries a Lowepro Event Messenger 100 camera bag which he swears by, check out here what he carries in and why he loves it.

Women’s Packing List for an RTW trip

Bottoms

• 1 pair of prAna jeans, I wear these often! Sometimes cuff them, or leave them long. They wash well, keep their color, comfortable, and dry quickly.
• 1 pair of denim shorts
• 1 denim jean skirt
• 1 pair of “elephant pants” comfortable pants bought in Thailand for $4 wear them as pajamas, and all day in Africa during long drive days.

Active Clothing

• 2 pairs of workout capris- They not only fun looking but super comfortable & soft and they breathe! My black NorthFace capris go with everything, dry quick, and also super comfortable.
• 1 pairs of workout shorts, rarely wear as my prAna capris are much more comfortable.
• 1 sports bra, black goes with everything!
• 1 workout top with built in bra
• 1 active dress, has built in bra, super comfortable, breaths on those hot travel days, and dry’s super fast 80% polyester.

Tops

• 4 Victoria Secret Pink brand t-shirts super light and dry fast (pink, orange, purple, and green) my FAVORITE top in my pack 60% cotton 40% polyester
• Long sleeve t-shirt, keeps me warm with blasting AC
• 1 – 3/4 length shirt, 1 works when need to be a little dressy, and the pink one is lightweight GAP one that I just love
• 2 tank tops,100% polyester really light and dry quick, more dressy than cotton tanks
• 3 tank tops, cheap $3 ones from Thailand
• 1 white cami to go under shirts
• 1 zip up sweatshirt, wear this DAILY.  Airplanes/airports/hotels blast the AC and I pop this on.  Also 60% cotton 40% polyester

Other Clothes

• 2 bras, love my Victoria Secret Nakeds one you don’t even know you are wearing anything, keeps me really cool & comfortable 72% nylon
• 1 sports bra
• 4 pairs of socks
• 8 pairs of underwear, favorites are Victoria Secret Lacie’s (100% nylon) and No Show they dry super fast and are cute too
• Leopard silk robe, staying in hostels with shared baths this comes in handy- Sent back as we didn’t have shared bathrooms enough to justify it.

• 4 bikini’s, do I need to explain?!?!?

Shoes

• 1 pair athletic shoes
• 2 pairs of sandals

Accessories

• 2 bracelets
• 2 Sunglasses
• Jawbone UP to track how much we walk
• belt
• Hairdryer, travel edition so it works worldwide – not pictured
• Mini hair straightener – not pictured
• Small makeup kit ( foundation, concealer bronzer, 2 eye shadows, mascara, 1 nail polish colors) – not pictured

 Men’s Packing List for an RTW trip

Bottoms

• 1 pair active shorts
• 1 pairs shorts gray, with pickpocket proof pockets added in Nicaragua
• 2 swim shorts
• 1 pair pick-pocket proof pants

Tops 

• 1 dry-fit long sleeve, necessary for surfing & cold weather
• 1 Helly Hensen long sleeve 1/2 zip, 57% Merino wool/43% polyester
• 2 dry-fit short sleeve shirts
• 1 dressy dry fit polo (for those fancy hotels & boarder crossings)
• 3 tank tops, rotate new ones in as they are $3 here in Thailand
• 5 t-shirts

Other Clothes

• 5 pairs of  ExOfficio boxers- quick drying, comfortable, and long lasting
• 5 pairs of socks
• hat
• Electric razor – not pictured
• belt

Shoes

• 1 pair sandals
• 1 pair tennis shoes, his feet are huge he only gets one pair

Outerwear

• Adam’s Cabela’s brand rain jacket
• Hannah’s Outdoor Research rain jacket
• Hannah’s Colombia Fleece

We started the trip with a fleece for Adam as well but since we are chasing summer, for the most part, we sent it home. We plan to buy a replacement as we need one since it was used so infrequently and took up a lot of space. We may do the same for Hannah’s fleece too.

Toiletries for an RTW Trip

• Medicine Pack (thermometer, Tylenol, Band-Aids, Neosporin, malaria pills, laxatives, TD pills, ibuprofen, cold medicine, allergy medicine, a few others too, oh and a pair of rubber gloves in case it gets messy)
• Bathroom Supplies (shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair de-tangler, Moroccan oil, toothpaste, floss, ear swabs, razors) – not pictured
• Bug spray – not pictured
• Face sunscreen 30spf – not pictured
• Body sunscreen 15spf – not pictured

Misc items for RTW Trip

• Clothes line & drain plug
• Multi tool knife
• Pepper spray
• tweezer, nail file, nail clippers
• 2 quick dry towels- XL
• 2 quick dry hand towels
• flask (have to be prepared)
• laundry sack
• Packing cubes, which are the best thing ever to keep things organized
• Reusable Shopping Tote

 What Electronics to Pack for an RTW Trip

 *Note the bag pictured above is our old technology backpack not the North Face bag we currently have*

• 2 Macbook Pro’s we upgraded our computers to Apple in September 2014 for Adam and Hannah got her Mac in January 2015. I love the battery life and power our new computers have.
• Hannah’s iPhone 6 plus unlocked, lets us buy SIM cards & data packages worldwide to keep up to date with the blog
• Adam’s Ipod 5th generation
• 5 cameras (Sony point & shoot, 2 GoPro’s  under water with every accessory known to man, and 2 DSLR  Nikon D5300 & D5100 with Tokina 11-16, Tamron 18-270, Sigma 150-500, 50mm Nikon lenses)
• Lowepro Event 100 camera bag, check out everything inside Adam’s favorite bag.
• DJI Phanom 3 Professional to capture some epic aerial footage

• GoPro
• Spare batteries for all the above, and chargers
• 5 external hard drives total of 8 TB
• Power strip, power cord, adapters for some countries

Have you taken an RTW trip? Have any items to add to our RTW Packing List? We will continue to update our RTW Packing List as we continue our travels.

This post may contain affiliate links, see our disclosure