The Ultimate Solo Female Travel Packing List (For First-Timers)

Packing List for the First-Time Solo Traveller

This isn’t just another generic packing list. It’s built from real solo travel experience — including travelling as a Type 1 diabetic — so you get the extras and lessons I only learned by getting it wrong first. Keeping things minimal and no-fuss is the whole philosophy here, so you won’t find anything on this list that isn’t earning its space in your bag.

Documents

• Passport (check it has at least 6 months’ validity left before you travel — many countries will refuse entry otherwise, also make sure you have 2 blank pages — some countries can be quite fussy about this)
• Visa or ETA confirmation, printed and also saved digitally
• Travel insurance policy number and emergency contact, printed and also saved digitally
• Photocopy or photo of your passport’s main page — stored separately from the original. I like to leave a digital copy with a loved one at home just in case.
• Accommodation booking confirmations — again, leave a list of your known accommodation with a loved one.
• Emergency contact card in the local language — especially useful if you’re travelling with a medical condition like T1D and can’t explain it yourself in an emergency.

Heads up: some links below are affiliate links — I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I’ve actually used and packed myself

Bags & Organisation

• Trusty backpack (mine’s a 40l Osprey — Susan the snack vault, so named as she always seems to have room for one more emergency snack, you’ll see her regularly throughout my blog. I also have a 24l cabinmax as a second bag/under seat bag for trips under a fortnight (make sure whatever bag you get is 40x 30x 20 — RyanAir do not mess about).
• Cross body day bag with anti-theft clips — to be fair I use a Uniqlo round mini shoulder bag and just add some double ended clips I got from Temu. But I’ve seen many recommendations for the TopEast crossbody.
• Compression packing cubes — genuinely one of the best ways to fit more in and organise your clothing so you know exactly where everything is. Even with the €3 charge you can still pick up a decent set super cheap on Temu.
• Foldable backpack — trust me when I say you don’t want to empty out your main bag just to go on a hike. This one is so teeny when packed you can keep it in your pocket!
• Foldable shopping bag — handy for markets, groceries, or an emergency extra bag on the way home. Any old one will do. I have a Caroline Gardner designed one I picked up from Tesco 11 years ago.

Tech

• Phone and charger
• Universal power adapter — my husband bought me this one and it’s been everywhere with me. I love the fact I can charge so many devices. Just beware if you’re coming from the US, it doesn’t have a built in converter. For that you’d need one of these.
• Slim power bank — compact enough to fit into any day bag and has magsafe charging, because you never know when your phone is just gonna decide to stop charging via the port.
• If you know you’re going to be somewhere without guaranteed electricity (South Africa, any safari, island hopping) then you’ll want a Solar power bank — this is the exact one I have, it’s been with me to Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines and Syria. Just be careful when transiting through China — I was lucky and they had no issue with it, but that’s not always the case.
• Headphones
• Spare charging cable — save yourself the hassle of being charged 3 x the price by unscrupulous stall holders in the souqs.
• Camera and spare batteries
• Action camera — I will never go on another adventure without one. Underwater, skiing, bungee jumping. It handles it all and captures the perfect memories from all angles. It’s a huge investment, but one I’m so glad I made. How else to record yourself swimming with turtles and dolphins??

Health, hygiene & medical

• Small first aid kit — plasters, pain relief, blister plasters, antihistamines, a bandage, safety pins, tape, scissors — beware though some countries (Philippines) will take the teeny scissors off you, even if they’re under the length limit.
• Tweezers — nothing beats tweezerman! I’ve had mine since I was 17!!
• Deodorant — I like the stick ones so it doesn’t count towards liquids.
• Solid soap and shampoo — bonus points if it’s from Lush (love their charitable efforts)
• Face care decanted into mini tubes
• Lipbalm
• Small comb
• Pee cloth — there are some places where you just won’t have access to loo roll. This is when you’ll need this. Especially useful for hiking because WE WILL follow ‘leave no trace’.
• Pack of tissues

Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes:

• Spare pump — Medtronic has a loan programme (more info here)
• Insulin cooling pouch (like a Frio) — no fridge or ice required, ideal for long travel days.
• Doctor’s letter confirming you carry insulin/sharps, for security and customs — not always needed but some border security officers ask.
• CGM chargers
• Sensor applicator
• Sensors
• Cannula sets and reservoirs
• Insulin pens/vials and needles (backups if you’re a pump user)
• Batteries for pump and chargers
• Glucose tabs or glucagon
• A small bottle of pure alcohol or alcohol swab wipes
• Medical ID bracelet
• Sharps disposal container for used lancets/pen needles — check the rules for your destination, since they vary

💡Top tip: When choosing how many supplies to bring, work out the basic you need for the days away, double it and then add an extra 2. These should ALWAYS be kept in your hand luggage. NEVER put any diabetic supplies in hold luggage.

Comfort & Sleep

• Ear plugs — a lifesaver for hostels, night buses, and noisy street-facing rooms
• Eye mask
• Compression socks — especially on long flights, to help circulation. I personally like mine to be as bold and funky as possible, so I really like the Lalapapa designs.
• Uniqlo thermals — light to pack, warm enough for unexpected cold snaps

Security

• Heavy duty padlock (mine cost £3 in B&M — you don’t need to spend much for something solid)
• Bag lock clips, to secure zips on your day bag — remember I said I got them off Temu? With the €3 charge they might now be cheaper on Amazon.

(For a deeper dive into solo female travel essentials, check out my Solo Female Travel Essentials post and my Solo Female Travel Safety guide).

Everyday Practical Bits

• Laundry line — great for hand-washing on the go when there is no dryer. The beads act like pegs and you can fit a full load on it.
• Universal sink plug — perfect for hand-washing clothes when there’s no plug (or a broken one) in the sink
• Gear Aid Hero Clip — essential for hanging bags over doors in grim public toilets. I find the medium the perfect size for my 40l backpack.
• Small carabiners — endlessly useful for clipping things to backpacks, or securing gear on the move. I usually have upwards of 5 on a bag at any given time.
• Pen — always needed for customs or immigration forms, and rarely provided.

And that’s it — you’re basically a packing pro now (or at least you’ll look like one). Truth is, you’ll still overpack the first time no matter what any list tells you, myself included, and that’s just fine. 42 countries in and I still throw in “just in case” items I never touch — the silk pillowcase that made it to 4 countries before I worked out I’m never gonna use it.

Grab what you need from the list above, avoid the temptation to pack the proverbial kitchen sink, and you’ll find your own rhythm after trip one. Ok, maybe trip three, but you’ll be fine! Remember: if you forget anything (sunscreen, toothpaste, knickers (yes that did happen)) you can always buy it there. Except perfume — it’s way to expensive. Take refillable mini bottles of your favourite scents. Whatever you don’t don’t buy the bottom fill ones, they leak. Ask me how I know this.