Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid While Travelling Solo

Solo backpacking is a great way to get out into the wilderness and explore. It's also a great way to get some personal time, and it's easy to get into if you've never done it before. And if you do it once, there is no coming back as the experience is incomparable with anything in this world.

But solo backpacking comes with its own set of challenges, and you should know what mistakes not to make so that you don't end up in trouble.

Here are some Backpacking mistakes to avoid while travelling solo:

1)Don't over-exert yourself:

As you are alone, you have to do everything on your own, but don't forget how much your body needs rest and sleep! It might sound like a no-brainer, but it's easy to get so caught up in the adventure that you forget about your body. If you're feeling tired or stressed out, take a break and regroup for a day or two before continuing with your trip.

2) Packing too much:

Solo backpackers often feel that they should have everything while they are traveling because there is no one to get them those things like extra clothes, extra pairs of footwear, medicines, gadgets, etc, which is true at a certain point but over-packing with the things which are not useful and will be easily available wherever you are traveling is not a smart move. Your luggage might become your burden later. Pack wisely!

3) Lack of research:

It is highly recommended to know in and out of your destination. This you can consider as your first step when in the mood for solo backpacking because research leads to itinerary and itinerary leads to a successful solo trip. Not knowing your destination, is the most common mistake people make thinking they will get to know everything slowly and gradually when they go there. Researching your destination makes you a smart traveller with a successful trip.

4) Going over budget:

We all get excited by the name of "travel" and lost the track of money at times. Solo backpacking needs emergency funds at any cost. Keeping a certain amount of money as emergency funds along with having a planned budget is a must while traveling alone. Make sure to not get trapped in any tourist scams which can be heavy on your pocket.

5) Being over-friendly:

Backpacking indeed means exploring and meeting new people at every step of your trip, but there is a thin line between socializing and being over-friendly with any stranger. The world is full of nice people, but do remember there are toxic people as well in this world. You should avoid trusting strangers blindly on your solo backpacking trip and always take the logical decision to save yourself from any unforeseen circumstances. Remember not to compromise your safety.

6) Not informing or lying about your location:

It's right to have an idea of going away from the usual faces you see in daily life, but it's absolutely wrong to hide all your moves from everyone. You should keep updating at least one person about your whereabouts no matter what. And if someone close to you asks about how and where you are, just make sure you don't lie to them for no reason. Choose a person to whom you can keep updating about your solo adventure.

7) Choosing the wrong accommodation:

Saving on a trip is a trending trick and there are multiple hacks available on the internet to do so. But just to save a little, do not put your privacy and safety at risk. Always stay at properties that have good ratings and have tie up with known companies. It is advisable to always check reviews about the place you are going to stay. A pathetic accommodation can ruin your trip, hence, be smart and check everything including location, ratings, amenities, etc.