Your packing list
- Abseiling
Documents 0/7
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Your health insurance card, which in the EU usually includes the EHIC on the back. Outside the EU you also need travel health insurance.
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EU citizens can use their ID card within Schengen; everyone else, and anyone travelling beyond it, needs a passport. Check it is valid for six months after your return.
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Required for driving and for renting a car. Check that it is valid and whether you also need an international permit.
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Phone numbers of family, accommodation, embassy and your bank's card blocking line, also on paper in case your phone fails.
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Your flight booking or e-ticket. Keep it on your phone and as a printout or screenshot.
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Travel insurance for cancellation, health abroad or luggage. Keep the policy number and emergency phone number with you.
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Enough to travel within the Schengen area for EU citizens. Check the expiry date before you leave.
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Money 0/3
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Some cash for the first hours, small purchases and places that do not take cards.
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Take two different cards in case one is blocked or lost, keep them separately and check the expiry dates.
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A slim wallet for the cards and cash you need on the go. Leave the rest safely in the accommodation.
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Clothing 0/5
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Shirts or T-shirts for every day. Count roughly one per day, or fewer if you can wash on the way.
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Comfortable clothes for sleeping, also handy in shared rooms and on night trains.
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Wool socks are recommended for hiking
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Long trousers for evenings, cooler weather and places with a dress code. One light and one sturdier pair cover most trips.
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Underwear for every day plus a spare. Quick-drying fabrics can be washed on the way.
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Toiletries 0/2
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Protects your skin from sunburn. Choose a high SPF and water resistance for the beach, and reapply after swimming.
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Daily dental care. A travel case keeps the brush clean, and a small tube is enough for a week.
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Beauty & care 0/0
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Health & first aid 0/3
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Plasters, disinfectant, pain relief, diarrhoea remedy and your personal medicines. In the evening or abroad a pharmacy is not always close.
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Your regular medicines for the whole trip plus a few days' reserve, in hand luggage, with a prescription or doctor's note if needed.
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Protects against bites and the diseases mosquitoes can carry. Choose a repellent that works against tropical mosquitoes.
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Electronics 0/2
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Your phone holds tickets, maps and contacts. Do not forget the charger and cable.
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For copies of tickets and documents, or to print at a hotel or copy shop.
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Travel accessories 0/1
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Your house keys, and car keys if you leave the car at the station or airport. Leave a spare with someone you trust.
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Equipment 0/10
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Boots or other sturdy footwear with good grips may be worn, especially climbing shoes. [Wikipedia]
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A climbing harness is often used around the waist to secure the descender. A comfortable climbing harness is important for descents that may take many hours.[Wikipedia]
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A descender or rappel device is a friction device or friction hitch that allows rope to be payed out in a controlled fashion, under load, with a minimal effort by the person controlling it. The speed at which the abseiler descends is controlled by applying greater or lesser force on the rope below the device or altering the angle at which the rope exits the device. Descenders can be task-designed or improvised from other equipment. Mechanical descenders include braking bars, the figure eight, the abseil rack, the "bobbin" (and its self-locking variant the "stop"), the gold tail, and the "sky genie" used by some window-washers and wildfire firefighters. Some improvised descenders include the Munter hitch, a carabiner wrap, the basic crossed-carabiner brake and the piton bar brake (sometimes called the carabiner and piton). There is an older, more uncomfortable, method of wrapping the rope around one's body for friction instead of using a descender, as in the Dulfersitz or Geneva methods used by climbers in the 1960s. [Wikipedia]
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Helmets may be worn to protect the head from bumps and falling rocks. A light source may be mounted on the helmet in order to keep the hands free in unlit areas. [Wikipedia]
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Ropes: Climbers often simply use their climbing ropes for abseiling. For many other applications, low-stretch rope (typically ~2% stretch when under the load of a typical bodyweight) called static rope is used to reduce bouncing and to allow easier ascending of the rope. [Wikipedia]
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Anchors for abseiling are sometimes made with trees or boulders, using webbing and cordellete, or also with rock climbing equipment, such as nuts, hexes and spring-loaded camming devices. Some climbing areas have fixed anchors such as bolts or pitons for rappelling off of without having to leave other (more valuable) gear behind. [Wikipedia]
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Gloves protect hands from the rope and from hits with the wall. They are mainly used by recreational abseilers, industrial access practitioners, adventure racers and military as opposed to climbers or mountaineers. In fact, they can increase the risk of accident by becoming caught in the descender in certain situations. [Wikipedia]
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Knee-pads (and sometimes elbow-pads) are popular in some applications for the protection of joints during crawls or hits. Wikipedia]
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Snapgate carabiners for gear and slings. For belaying you need locking ones.
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A prusik, Klemheist knot, or autoblock knot may be used as safety back-up, commonly referred to as an 'autoblock,' and is used as a back-up in the case of the abseiler losing control of the abseil. One of these friction hitches is wrapped around the rope below the rappel device, using a short loop of smaller diameter cord or webbing, often called a 'prusik loop'. The prusik loop is then attached to the belay loop or leg loop of the harness. [Wikipedia]
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Books & games 0/0
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Food & drink 0/0
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More ideas (160)
Documents
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Address list of friends/relatives the send postcards from travel destination
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Check room quality at the beginning of the entrance.
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Every child needs their own ID card or passport. If a child travels with only one parent, take a consent letter from the other.
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How to get from the airport or station to your accommodation. Download offline maps in case you have no data.
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The full address of your accommodation, for the taxi, the entry form and anyone who needs to reach you.
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Keys or the access code for your holiday home. Note how check-in works if you arrive late.
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Names of your medicines and doses, ideally in English. Helps doctors abroad and at customs.
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Photocopies of important documents
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Rent a car with insurance in destination.
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Proof of your vaccinations. Some countries ask for it at entry, for example for yellow fever.
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Contact the embassy of the countries, apply several months in advance for visas, if needed.
Money
Clothing
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Only if your trousers need one. One belt usually goes with everything.
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Light blouses for warm days and evenings out.
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Comfortable bras for every day, plus a sports or quick-drying one for swimming and activities.
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A cap shades your eyes from the sun. Your neck needs extra protection.
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A dress for warm days or evenings out. Crease-resistant fabrics travel best.
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Keep your hands warm in cold weather. Touchscreen-friendly gloves let you use your phone.
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A hat against sun or rain, depending on your destination.
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Keep your ears warm in wind and cold, and are lighter than a hat.
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A jacket suited to the weather at your destination: light for spring, warm and windproof for winter.
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Hard-wearing trousers for cooler days and evenings. They are heavy and slow to dry, so one pair is usually enough.
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Take only what you wear and leave valuable pieces at home.
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A warm layer for cool evenings, air-conditioned rooms and flights.
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Leggings are comfortable and take little space; tights go with skirts and dresses on cooler days.
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Long sleeves protect from sun and mosquitoes and keep you warm in the evening.
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Protect your neck and face from cold wind. A neck gaiter can also be worn as a hat.
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A light bathrobe for spa hotels, pools and cool mornings. Many hotels provide one.
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For the beach, pool and warm evenings. They also protect your feet in shared showers.
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Comfortable shoes for every day, for town and short walks. Wear new ones in before the trip.
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Light and quick to pack for warm days. Check the dress code for churches and restaurants.
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Light and comfortable in the heat. A longer skirt is also suitable for churches and temples.
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Warm, light shoes for indoors. Useful in holiday flats with cold tiled floors.
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Shade your face and neck in the sun. A brim all round protects better than a cap.
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Keeps you warm under ski or hiking clothes. Merino or synthetic fabrics dry faster than cotton.
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Light tops for warm days that can be combined with everything.
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Comfortable shoes for sightseeing, sport and long walking days.
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A thin base layer that keeps you warm under shirts or absorbs sweat in the heat.
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A simple watch helps with timings when your phone is packed away.
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Waterproof jacket and trousers for rainy days. Light, packable versions fit in any bag.
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A warm hat for cold days: much of your body heat escapes through your head.
Toiletries
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Cools and soothes your skin after a day in the sun.
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Cleans your hands when there is no water, for example before eating on the go.
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Keeps your beard in shape. Pack the charger or spare batteries.
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Small, handy for make-up, ear care and small wounds.
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Dental floss for daily care. It is small and light.
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Easy to buy almost anywhere. Take a small size or a solid stick if you only travel with hand luggage.
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Your electric toothbrush with charger or spare batteries. A travel case protects the head.
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Pads, tampons or a menstrual cup. Your usual products are not available everywhere.
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A small bottle of mouthwash for fresh breath. Check the liquid rules for hand luggage.
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Hotels often provide some, but bring your own if you need a particular kind. Fill a small travel bottle.
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Razor, blades and shaving foam or gel in travel sizes.
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Keeps your hair dry in the shower. Many hotels provide one.
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A bar of soap or a small shower gel. Solid soap does not count as a liquid in hand luggage.
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Small everyday supplies you might run out of on the way, such as plasters, tissues or detergent.
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For colds, spills and public toilets. A few packs are enough.
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A wash bag keeps toiletries together. One with a hook can hang in small bathrooms.
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A washcloth for showering. Many hotels abroad do not provide them.
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For sticky hands, quick clean-ups and nappy changes. Biodegradable ones are better for the environment.
Beauty & care
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Only if it is part of your routine. A small travel size saves space and weight.
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Keeps your skin soft after sun, sea and air conditioning. A small bottle is enough.
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A brush or comb for your hair, ideally foldable.
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For removing make-up and applying toner.
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For curls on the go. Let it cool down before you pack it.
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Your usual face cleanser in a travel size.
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For a tan without sun. Apply it a day or two before you leave and test it beforehand.
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Clips, slides and bands for your hairstyle.
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Your styling products in travel sizes. Check the liquid rules for hand luggage.
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For straight hair on the go. Check the voltage; a travel model works with several.
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Keeps long hair out of your face when swimming, hiking or in the heat. Pack a few spares.
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Many hotels have one, so check first. Check the voltage if you travel outside Europe.
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For dry hands in cold weather, on flights and after a lot of washing.
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Prevents dry or cracked lips in sun, wind and cold. Choose one with sun protection.
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A small bag keeps make-up together and protects your other things from stains.
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Your everyday make-up and brushes. A few multi-use products save space; liquids go into the clear bag for hand luggage.
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Make-up remover or wipes for the evening.
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A small mirror for shaving, make-up or contact lenses.
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Sun, wind and air conditioning dry out the skin. A small tube is enough.
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Clippers, file and scissors for nails on longer trips.
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For touch-ups on longer trips. Remover pads are easier to pack than a bottle.
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A small bottle of perfume. (Max 100ml if you fly)
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For splinters, ticks and eyebrows. Useful in any first aid kit.
Health & first aid
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Plasters in different sizes for small cuts and blisters.
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Enough lenses and solution for the whole trip, plus your glasses as a backup.
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Your usual contraception for the whole trip. Time zones can affect when you take the pill.
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Unfamiliar food and water upset many stomachs, especially in warm countries. Add oral rehydration salts.
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Your hearing aid with spare batteries or charger, and a small case for the night.
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For headaches, fever or toothache. For children, pack doses suited to their age.
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If you need them for reading: take a spare pair, they are cheap and small.
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Spare glasses or your old pair in case the main ones break or get lost.
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Help prevent swollen legs and thrombosis on long flights and drives.
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Helps against nausea on winding roads, boats and in planes. Some make you drowsy.
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Only if you take them regularly. Pack them in a small daily box.
Electronics
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Charging cables for all your devices. A short multi-plug cable saves space.
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For filming your trip. Most phones can do this today, so only take it if you need better quality.
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For better photos than with the phone. Pack the charger and a spare battery.
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Helps with menus, signs and simple conversations. A translation app with offline languages does the same.
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Spare batteries for torch, camera or other devices that do not charge via USB.
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Film for analogue cameras. Ask for a hand check at airport security to protect it from X-rays.
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For music, films and calls on the way. Noise-cancelling headphones help on long flights.
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Spare memory cards for camera or drone, so you do not have to delete photos on the go.
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Music without draining your phone battery. Load your playlists before you leave.
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Only if you need it for work or longer trips. Back up your data and keep it in your hand luggage.
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A local SIM or eSIM is usually cheaper than roaming outside the EU.
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Charge several devices from one socket. Hotel rooms often have few.
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Keeps your phone charged on long days out. Power banks belong in hand luggage, not in checked bags.
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A small radio for news and music where there is no mobile network.
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For group photos and wide views. Some museums and sights do not allow them.
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Shows the time, messages and steps. Do not forget the charger.
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Lets you plug your chargers into foreign sockets. Check the plug type of your destination before you go.
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Wakes you for early flights, even when your phone battery is empty.
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A small tripod for sharp photos at night, group shots and time-lapses.
Travel accessories
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A daypack for excursions, beach and city. It can double as hand luggage.
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A light blanket for cold flights, night trains and cool evenings outside.
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Block out snoring, traffic noise and engine hum. Take a few pairs.
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Helps you sleep on night flights and in bright rooms.
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Small enough for any bag, handy for shopping and souvenirs.
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A handbag for evenings and city days. A zip closure protects against pickpockets.
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Keeps worn clothes apart from clean ones in your suitcase.
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A small lockable box or bag for passport, cash and cards when there is no safe in the room.
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Sort clothes by type or person and find everything quickly.
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Locks your luggage or a hostel locker; a cable lock ties your bag to something fixed. US security can open TSA locks without damage.
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Kitchen roll for cooking, wiping and spills at the campsite or holiday flat.
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Protect your eyes from glare at the beach, on water and on snow. Look for UV protection.
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Blade, opener and small tools in one. Pack it in checked luggage: knives are not allowed in hand luggage.
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For power cuts, dark paths and searching in your bag at night. A head torch keeps your hands free.
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A Quick-Drying Travel Towel is very important for travellers. Travel towels are smaller than general towels.
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For business trips or formal events. Many hotels lend irons, so ask first.
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For tea, coffee or baby food in rooms without a kettle. Check the voltage of your destination.
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A small pillow for the journey and for hard hotel pillows. Inflatable ones pack flat.
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For washing clothes in the sink on longer trips, so you can pack less.
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A collapsible small travel umbrella could be very useful.
Books & games
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Dictionary book or app for your destination.
Food & drink
Before departure
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Get a little local cash for taxis and tips on arrival. Withdrawing at a local ATM is often cheaper than exchanging at home.
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A quick clean before you leave means you come home to a pleasant flat.
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Weather Security Health Traffic
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Note the address/contact details of the nearest embassy or consulate of your country in the destination area.
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Use up or give away perishable food so nothing goes off while you are away.
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Take out the rubbish and organic waste before you leave so nothing smells or attracts pests.
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Get a guidebook about your destination and make a list of places you want to visit . Make sure you know about important local laws, customs and traditions.
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Give keys to friends or relatives
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Suspend or forward delivery You can ask a neighbor to collect it for you. Do not forget to setup the auto-responder.
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Pay bills before traveling to avoid unpleasant surprises.
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Arrange care for pets that stay at home: a pet sitter, neighbours or a boarding kennel. Book early in the holiday season.
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Ask someone to water your plants, or use self-watering pots for shorter trips.
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Charge your phone, power bank, camera and other devices the evening before you leave.
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Keep valuables in a safe place. Burglars come without warning!
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Lower the heating while you are away to save energy, but keep it high enough to prevent frost damage in winter.
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Wasserleitung / Wasser abstellen
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Unplug idle electronic devices: Power strips, chargers, toaster, microwaves, coffee maker, computer, hair dryer, Entertainment system, cable box, modem...
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Check which vaccinations are required or recommended for your destination. Some need several weeks or more than one dose.
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Check whether you need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation, and apply in good time.
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See your doctor or dentist in good time if you need prescriptions, a check-up or travel advice.
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Wash your clothes a few days before departure so everything you want to take is clean and dry.