How to PACK for LONG TERM TRAVEL in 2024 (with only carry-ons) + FREE PACKING LIST

How to pack for long-term travel in 2024 - only carry-on luggage! Packing to fit into a carry-on is not easy! We frequently get asked how we managed to pack everything for full-time travel in only a carry-on bag each.

In this thorough packing guide, we will show you exactly WHAT we pack, what we wish we did or did not pack, and HOW we pack.

*** DISCLAIMER: Although we left Canada with carry-on only, during our travels we needed to purchase hiking poles so Eric must check his bag now, even though it fits the carry-on size limit. This does allow us to purchase larger liquids and other items that are not appropriate for carry-on as we can put them all in his bag. We wanted to still include all of these items because we believe it is useful information and you can adjust accordingly for your own packing needs.

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/// ABOUT US ///
Hi! We are Eric and Sarah, a couple of Canadians currently travelling around Peru. We’ve been married since 2017 but have known each other since we were only 6 years old! During our last year of university, we spent 4 months in Honduras on a semester abroad and fell in love with Latin America. Since then, we began planning and saving to do an extensive Latin America tour. 2020 delayed those plans by half a year but during this time stuck in BC, we explored a new hobby (like everyone in the pandemic) of videography and photography. We are now using our new skills to document our adventures around South America. Our desire through these videos is to provide helpful and inspiring content for other travelers while also showing people around the world how beautiful South America truly is!

CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
0:53 - WHAT WE PACKED: Clothing Tips
3:08 - WHAT WE PACKED: Eric's Clothes
4:00 - WHAT WE PACKED: Sarah's Clothes
9:09 - WHAT WE PACKED: Health & Hygiene
13:09 - WHAT WE PACKED: Electronics
15:48 - WHAT WE PACKED: Misc.
20:22 - PACKING REGRETS
25:30 - HOW WE PACK: Best travel backpacks
27:32 - HOW WE PACK: These are BETTER than packing cubes
29:23 - HOW WE PACK: Packing our bags
31:26 - Any Questions??
32:20 - Best Bloops Ever

FILMED NOVEMBER 2021
#packing #longtermtravel #howtopack #minimalistpacking #carryon #southamerica

*** Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where we earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you

[EricandSarah]

If there's anything else we missed or if you have any questions, let us know below! :)

[junkabella]

I have autism, to me the packing cubes are essential. They lessen anxiety, because every item and type of gear has it’s own place :)

[robertwilliamson]

I used to travel with all those things. Carried it all in an 45 litre M.E.I. Voyageur convertible backpack. They made me check my Voyageur.... was not allowed to carry it on. (Cathay Pacific, Bangkok Airways, Dragon Air) Then I went smaller and bought a 35 litre Minaal 2.0 Carry On convertible backpack. Finally allowed to carry it on all my flights.
Then I bought my present bag.... the 21 litre Minaal Daily. I carry that... plus an Osprey cross body sling bag. Carry on only. Minimalist traveler now. No matter how long I go for... (months at a time.) But.. like yourselves...I'm from Canada and I go only to tropical destinations. So only one pair of socks.... (for the plane), two pairs of men's Teva Holliway sandals. Wear one pair, pack the second pair. (Barefoot in my sandals in the tropics ...never socks except on flights) (they have proper arch suport and heal strap, and hiking sole. Can get them soaking wet no problem) Three men's summer weight material zip off cargo pants... wear one... pack two. Three Columbia PFG men's shirts.... summer weight material with roll up sleeves. Shirts and pants one size too large, for air ventilation in the hot tropics. Three pair of underwear... I wash my clothes in the sink or shower as I go... or give my laundry to a local laundromat. Tiny roll up clothes line like yours. Ventilated floppy bucket hat. Small waterproof first aid kit. Small packable am/fm/sw radio. (Eton E100) 
I no longer pack my Macbook Air. I now pack only my iPad Mini 256 GB tablet in a protective case. and a smaller iPhone, and a military spec tough waterproof unlocked Sonim XP3 flip phone with lots a lots of frequencies and a 128 GB Sandkisk micro SD card for photos and music. (not an old flip phone... newer design flip phone.) My book collection is on my iPad MIni and iPhone.... so no packing books.
I Ranger roll all my clothing. (Youtube....Ranger Roll clothes) and use compression packing cubes with double zip.
Remember keep all your vaccinations up-to-date.... and get vaccinated for Tropical diseases.... (I even got the three dose pre-exposure Rabies shots) And if you start out from Canada.... take your two doses of Dukoral oral vaccine for Cholera and E.Coli traveler's diarrhea. It gives you about two years protection from Cholera, and three months or more of protection from the most common cause of traveler's diarrhea... E. Coli. (other things can also cause traveler's diarrhea)
I have never had traveler's diarrhea even going for many months in isolated regions of north Thailand and living in poverty stricken villages in tropical Cambodia, sometimes not sure what it was I was eating.... and seeing food prepared with not the best Canadian type hygiene... with the two poor families I help support.
Check out Dukoral.
For your important documents.... take high definition photos of the important pages of course... but don't just store the photos on your phone or tablet... Get a couple of Cloud Storage accounts ... and store them there also. That way... if you lose your phone or get robbed and lose all your all you need is to get to a computer connected to the internet... and you can get all your documents back.... so much easier replacing your documents when you have high quality photos of your important documents.... I use Google Drive.. OneDrive, and DropBox. The different Cloud services.... They offer enough free storage for a basic account... costs me nothing to store copies in the cloud. Anywhere in the world, I can access my documents even if I lose everything.
I'm 70 now.... traveling ever since I retired.... and I learned to take a lot less stuff... and go minimalist..carry on) As long as I can carry my bag... (no wheelie bag...not yet) I'll be traveling... The oldest backapcker traveling the world is apparently 95 years old.... ( he might have died recently) so I guess maybe I have a few years left if I am lucky.
I leave the big heavy binoculars at home... and pack a tiny monocular that fits in it's little case and takes up almost no room at all and weighs next to nothing. But they are hard to find. Try eBay.  
Take thank you for the videos... .

[divemate]

As a solo female traveller I always have a kinda wood triangle to stick below my room door. Hotel staff has a dobble of your key or if there is no proper lock and twice in cheap places, I got unwanted visits at night. With that "triangle" stuck below your door even if someone has the key, it is no way to open the door. Have fun you all traveling the world 🌍

[rvdareyet]

As a retired paramedic, I’d suggest you carry some Benadryl (generic is diphenhydramine). It’s very handy for unexpected allergic reactions to food or insect stings.

[leapintothewild]

TIP: carry quick-dry, moisture-wicking underwear from Smart Wool or Ex Officio! You can wash them in the sink, squeeze in a towel and they dry in just a few hours. And they’ll last for years! As a hiker, I’m used to packing very little and already have a lot of this gear, but still picked up some great ideas from this vid — thanks for sharing with so many specifics!!

[kathrynstemler]

I would recommend a plain sarong. Works as extra towel or blanket/sheet, beach cover up or privacy curtain. I never travel without one.

[nursekja]

Helpful. I've found the same things useful. I'd also add. Sleep wear. Triple antibiotic ointment. Multiplug. Silk sleep sack. Day bag. Small clear dry bag with neck strap for phone that you can use it through when in water. Jacket with internal pockets and zipper pockets to prevent loss/theft. Zip lock baggies for liquids and creams to prevent spilling.

[jac]

Clicked to figure out why I shouldn’t use packing cubes, only to stay and watch the whole thing because you both are entertaining and realistic about traveling. I thoroughly enjoyed this video and I’m very impressed by how much you both were able to pack into those back packs. Thanks for sharing!

[Seoulsearch]

I appreciate that you included packing regrets - I haven't seen that included in a travel video before and after every trip I'm always trying to tweak my packing list. 👍

[SerenityChaos]

We have been travelling with only carry on for many years, it’s the only way to go. I have even gone to the point of weighing clothes and pick the lightest items! Good rain jackets are so under rated for travel, it means that you can still go out and see the sights and stay comfortable when the weather is bad. Good tips

[lorenzorolando]

"Just need to pack until the next time you do laundry" Literally the best phrase I've ever heard in my life about packing. For real, that is so so true and at the same time so dismissed.

Great video, great photography and audio editing, great content and chemistry. No waste watching you guys, thumbs up and subscribed

[KenWadland]

Thanks! There are too many "How to Pack" videos that are nearly useless. Yours had some really good tips!!

[katiegleaves]

This is one of the best, most realistic and helpful videos I've seen on this topic: clear, useful, informative. I especially appreciate the inclusion of the first aid kit, explaining that certain things may be hard to get or are very expensive at your destination (sunscreen, allergy medicine) and the "regrets." Ps, you guys are adorable 🥰

[anne]

Great tip on the compression sacks. Old fart here who still travels with backpacks. Losing cubic inches to wheels and handles frustrates me. I like the Kelty Redwing, and also have an Osprey which, though heavier, offers more protection. My under seat bag is an ultra light pack. Easy to carry both, one on back, one on front. I feel pretty safe because my hands are free...there's nothing a thief can easily grab out of this old Grannie's hands.

[jimdreger]

One more addition to your packing list: a short extension cord and a 1 to 3 outlet adapter. I filed the male prongs down to fit into a non-polarized outlet and made sure the females are polarized. I carry this because quite often outlets are at a premium in airports and someone usually already is plugged in. If you have the extension cord with three outlets they will normally allow you to unplug their charger momentarily to plug in your extension cord and then both you and they can use the outlet.

[tammyjohnson]

Best packing video I've seen! Spent 8 years backpacking across Asia on my own before returning to Canada to raise my daughter. She's 11 now & we just sold our house and are heading back abroad long term at the beginning of March. Was definitely trying to figure out how to pack now with the 2 of us vs before when I was on my own & then I came across your video. Thank you so much! I'm feeling inspired & am off to do some online shopping with your links! Happy New Year!

[dmsasser]

A few years ago someone turned me on to linen towels. They’re maybe slightly heavier than microfiber but pack smaller, dry faster, and work just as well.

[debbiepollock]

You guys are amazing. I am embarrassed about how big my suitcase was in 2008 for a 2 week trip to Greece. But in my defense there were no YouTube videos then.

[CliffordAttwood-pb]

KKUWAN The canvas tote actually reminds me of the Hermes Garden Party too. Thanks for making this video to suggest more budget friendly alternatives. love it! 😊