Top 9 Reasons to go Backpacking at Least Once

Being inexperienced with backpacking can be quite intimidating. Maybe you are really concerned about your personal safety, or maybe you’ve never backpacked before. Perhaps you do want to go on a blissful escape, but you can’t find people to accompany you or an option that suits your finances. All of these concerns are valid – but it should never hold you back from taking the plunge. Apart from the adventurous aspects of it, here’s what backpacking holds for you.

 

1. You’ll Meet Interesting Personalities

No surprise here. You’re going to come across a lot of different individuals during the journey. The best part of it is that everyone has a personal story to share. You’d also come across other backpackers who’re starting their journey (just like you!), as well as those who’ve been backpacking across cities for months (they’d be able to give great advice). Have open-ended conversations with the people you meet, and don’t be afraid to spend more time or accompany those who you can relate with.

2. You’ll Get to Experience Several Different Climates

Speaking of having conversations, here’s something that a lot of travelers speak about – the local weather. If you’re backpacking, there’s a good chance that the weather where you’re going will be different than what you’re experiencing at home. If it’s warm, you’ll get to soak up the sun as well as benefit from Vitamin D; just remember to wear your screen. If you arrive at a place where it’s monsoon season, enjoy the pounding rain, who knows what else you may get to experience weather wise.

3. You’ll Gain Confidence & Knowledge

Backpacking allows you to experience your surroundings and the culture around you in a more upfront manner. At first, you might have issues with navigating the country or you may not be able to speak the local language. You’ll be on the road, so you get to know new food, culture, and differences than what you’ve experienced in your home town. This hands-on experience will give you confidence and knowledge for the future.

4. You’ll Become Flexible

Backpackers live on a daily basis, and their lifestyle doesn’t include a timetable. Let’s assume you want to visit Berlin for a couple of days and for a reason you want to spend the entire week in this city – you just book a hostel for three more days and leave after a week. Your journey isn’t set in stone; you make an itinerary in real-time based on your feeling. That’s a good thing. It ensures you are not missing out on anything by being flexible. This increased flexibility makes every moment easier to enjoy.

5. You’ll Get a Chance to Explore Your Inner Self

What backpacking does to a person is actually quite intriguing. You see, in a city where you don’t have anyone else to rely upon but yourself, you’ll be forced to dig deeper. This is something that many individuals attempt to avoid, whether it is through video gaming, being with family, or watching Netflix. For certain people, the worse thing they can do is be alone. And we admit, it isn’t the most comforting at first. But what you gain in a situation like this is something you were not conscious of. It lets you reflect how you’ve been living, how you want to live in the future, and what you’ll have to do in case of an emergency.

6. You’ll Get Physically Stronger

You’ll be doing a lot (literally a lot) of stuff while wearing your backpack Don’t forget that it weighs quite a bit. Even if you’re not seeking a certain activity filled journey; you’ll be covering a lot of miles on your feet when you’re sightseeing or casually walking from one corner of the city to another. The good news is that you’ll be burning a lot of calories in the process. All that exercise will do a world good for your mood and your health when you get back to your accommodation exhausted after the sun sets. And feeling good about yourself has more benefits such as peace of mind and mental wellbeing.

7. You’ll Make Beautiful Memories

As you get older and look back at your life, what do you see? Do you want to recall the assignments you had to do, or the number of documents you had to sign in your cubicle, or the scarifies you had to make? Or how about that month when you left back everything and went on a trip of a lifetime one winter way back then? When all you were doing was partying, meeting new people, and exploring new places; doing things you haven’t ever done. You won’t be regretting your time as a backpacker. Plus, you’ll have all these amazing experiences to talk about with your children.

8. You’ll Be Able to Read Situations Better

The number of times you’ll be stuck in situations where you say “Oh gosh! How did I end up here?!” is numerous during backpacking journeys, especially if you’re going to go at it without a pre-planned itinerary. While it’s not usually a good thing to get lost in an area where no one speaks the same language as you do, you’ll be learning how to navigate through difficult situations. Try getting lost in places where life is difficult. It will help you make sound decisions and handle hard situations better.

9. You Might Find Love

Of course, you can work on your missing better half (if you’re single) during your backpacking journey. Because you’ll be meeting a lot of different people, don’t be surprised if you build a fondness for someone. In other words, the more you travel and meet new people, the greater is the chance of discovering spontaneous love. Of course, this shouldn’t be your main focus and just enjoy the many benefits backpacking has to offer and see what happens.

We hope these reasons inspire you to go on a backpacking trip. You’ll certainly not regret it, and maybe it turns out to be one of the best choices you’ve made.