Looking for a packing checklist for travel vlogging? I got this.

Traveling as a female solo travel vlogger and freelance camera operator, it is my job to chase and film story assignments in exotic and first time destinations. This post shares an essential packing list for travel vloggers.

This post contains affiliate links. I highly recommend trip insurance on your adventures. Use this trip insurance finder tool to find an plan based on your budget! Check out affordable U.S. trip insurance.

The Essential Packing List for Travel Vloggers: A Survival Guide

As a solo female travel vlogger, packing for a film trip is more than just tossing a few cameras and lenses into a bag to film my selfies. It’s a strategic operation that considers my physical limitations, safety concerns, and budgetary constraints.

Traveling solo while simultaneously filming for YouTube requires a different approach. Not only am I responsible for navigating a new destination and capturing compelling footage, but I’m also the cameraman, sound engineer, and location scout – all while managing my own safety and well-being. This often involves carrying heavy equipment, navigating unfamiliar terrain, and ensuring I have the resources to capture high-quality footage, even in unexpected situations.

Furthermore, budget constraints can significantly impact my gear choices and travel style. While sponsored trips and campaigns offer certain luxuries -if I budgeted correctly-, for my YouTube channel to grow, I often travel independently, relying on my own resources and budget. This necessitates careful planning and strategic packing to ensure I have the necessary equipment without overpacking or exceeding my budget.

This guide will outline the essential gear I pack for my solo travel filmmaking adventures, focusing on practicality, versatility, and safety – all crucial considerations for any aspiring travel vlogger.

Read tips on How to film a safari

Packing List for Travel Vloggers & Adventure Filmmakers

Here are 25 essentials to pack for a film shoot abroad.

1. Essential travel documents

Passport, visa, immunization shots, medical records and Covid vaccination shot card. If you are a travel vlogger or travel videographer, this needs to have its own Go bag. I like to keep mine in a money belt.

Pro-Tip: Many travel vloggers do not require this, but if you’re on a professional shoot assignment with a film crew, then you might want to have a carnet. It’s a list of all your gear, its cost, serial numbers, etc.. It’s something you may be requested at immigration as you’ll be entering with a lot of big expensive equipment. This is how to prepare a carnet for your film production.

2. Equipment Insurance

What are the odds something could happen to your camera equipment gear when you’re on the road?  Many travel vloggers, bloggers and freelance videographers I know carry insurance for their gear, whether at home or abroad. Homeowner’s Insurance is a popular one.

I purchase adventure travel insurance that covers various types of adventures -including motorbike accidents- and theft, lost, or damaged gear.  If you’re looking for insurance to match your budget, check out this free trip insurance finder tool.

Read Why you need to be on YouTube as a creator

3. A good camera bag

A good solo travel camera bag can be your production assistant in the field. Buy a bag based on your equipment and your travel shooting style.

Cinematic travel filmmakers take time with their shoots and like bags they can rest and unzip to see its organized contents.

Travel vloggers might have a more vlogging or journalistic approach and like to keep fluid, capturing the Keroac essence of motion. They require bags with quick access to equipment.

Find a bag that works for you and don’t be disheartened if you’ve not nailed it on the first try. I’ve gone through a handful of bags to find my perfect fit. See my travel camera bag reviews.

Recommended: Manfrotto NX CSC Backpack, Manfrotto NX CSC Backpack

4. Compact convertible carry-on luggage

If you’ve book a rental car and a nice hotel to plunker down in for your entire stay, whipping out your behemoth rolling suitcase may work.  But for adventure travel filmmakers who will be using public transportation and filming in remote locations, you want your luggage to fit in small spaces like crowded country buses. You also want it to be in eye-shot of you, so you want to be a minimalist packer that can fit into more local spaces without standing out. I use convertible wheeled backpacks like Hynes Eagle Rolling Backpack Carry-On, Eagle Creek Expanse 21″ and Load Warrior 22. Here’s a list of

 See my solo travel vlogging gear listIt can be transformed from wheeled carry-on luggage to a backpack when you really need it and best of all, it’s under $100 (read my convertible carry-on review)

 See my solo travel vlogging gear list

Watch my Wheeled Convertible Backpack review

In this video, I review my Hynes Eagle Convertible Wheeled Backpack Carryon

5. Convertible Pants with pockets

Convertible cargo pants are smart travel clothing. It converts quickly into shorts, knickers and pants and is great for rugged activity, such as treks and overnight bus trips of which you’ll find many! I love my North Face Paramount convertible pants because they convert into many types of bottoms and conform to my activities. They are getting progressively harder to find. My favorite feature are the zip off legs that allow me to transform them from pants to shorts!

Secondly, comfortable pants with many pockets is something I wear for film crew jobs. Often you’re going from location to locations, deep pockets allow you to hold batteries, power bars and anything set life throws at you. Additionally, I’ve been loving yoga pants with side pockets where I can quickly stash my keys and mobile phone.

6. Light-weight rain windbreaker

Light-weight packable windbreakers are ideal to store in your day pack. You never know what an environment brings in weather conditions or when you stay outdoors for hours, into the evening. The jacket will keep from having to run back to your hotel before going to dinner.

 See my female solo travel gear packing list

7. Power banks and backup batteries

Essential to any packing list for travel vloggers are batteries and power banks. Traveling to different shoot locations, often leaves little downtime to charge your devices, especially outside your hotel.

I learned this the hard way during my trip to Nepal. While staying with the Gurung community in the Pokhara hills, I experienced a power outage that lasted for two days. Even though they had electricity, it wasn’t always reliable. I’d already spent the day filming and was relying on charging my gear in the evening. My battery packs were drained, and I was down to my last camera battery. I ended up filming with my iPhone for a while, but it wasn’t ideal.

Bring power banks and backup batteries to ensure you’re prepared.

Recommended: Anker 10,000 mAh for a day’s charge. A 5,000 mAh lipstick charger holds one full mobile charge.

Watch the remote homestays I’ve documented

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Incredible Pokhara Homestay: Remote GURUNG Village Life in Nepal, Hemjakot Homestay 1/3

48 Hours Living in a GURUNG VILLAGE, Nepal 2/3

I Survived Gurung Remote Village Life in Pokhara, Nepal | Homestay Hemjakot- 3/3

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8. Extra memory cards

Memory cards are not something to scrimp on when you’re a serious travel filmmaker. The last thing you want to happen is to find yourself in the midst of crucial filming when your card hits Full. Memory cards are inexpensive to buy and you will always find a use for them. If you are not offloading footage to an external SSD drive while traveling, but are waiting to do this when you get home, taking a card per day is sufficient.

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9. A SSD Storage Drive

Backing up memory cards onto a SSD storage is a godsend. SSD’s are a bit pricier, but the benefits are tenfold. SSD storage drives are lightweight, compact and ultra rugged. Read more about why SSD storage is better than external harddrive storage.They are a literal godsend if you’re porting around your gear like a sherpa. My recommendation: I take two 2T SanDisk Portable Extreme SSD with me. One is my main SSD that I work from; the other is where I backup my footage from the first SSD, in the case one drive gets lost or stolen.

Tip: I always keep this in my carry-on luggage. You cannot pack this in checked luggage. Not only is this drive and your trip footage the most valuable thing you’ll bring back from your film trip, but hard drives of any type are prohibited in checked luggage for most airlines.

10. Charging Cables

Bringing the charging cables of your most essential gear – mobile phone, laptop, camera batteries, etc..- sounds like a straight-forward thing to pack but of all the items here, it can be one of the most crucial. You cannot always rely on buying replacement cables at your destination, especially the specific ones like Mac laptop batteries or anything for your higher end products. When USB C cables first came out they were not in many countries and I used it to power my SSD.

Pro-Tip: Have a cable charging kit that you take everywhere. Also, retractable cables are a handy device with multiple types of charging ports. You want to have at least one in your travel kit.

11. Universal Travel Adapter with USB Ports

An Universal multi-plug adapter will allow you to charge your devices without worrying about compatibility, while also being a hub for multiple plugs.

Check your device’s label to confirm its voltage compatibility. Most electronics for cameras, phones and laptops take 110v if you’re in the U.S. But abroad, some countries output 220v. This is okay. Your electronics may vibrate a bit or overheat.  You can take a heavy voltage converter if your equipment is really sensitive, but know that many of just use the 220v.

My fave travel adapter is the Travel Inspira Universal Travel Adapter (pictured below). I can charge five devices at once as it has four USB-A adapters spaced apart, a plug adapter and a Smart IC device, which gauges your battery so it doesn’t over-charge.

UPDATED: The Tessan Universal Travel Adapter can charge six devices at once. It is good for travelers with more USB-C devices, as it has 3 USB-C and two USB-A ports.

Pro-Tip: Pack a multi-port plug adapter. It houses many USB ports in one adapter.

12. Travel Power Strip 

Travel Power Strips allow you to charge many devices at once from one room outlet. If you’re in a hostel dorm, it’s an absolute must.  Either way, it’s a god send. I used to bring a 6 plug power strip that you’d get from a hardware store but these days, there’s more compact and travel friendly ones!

Travel Essentials BEVA Travel Power Strip is a 8.46 ounce mini power strip is a non-surge protector that comes with a four foot travel extension cord. It includes two plug outlets, three USB-A ports, one USB C port. Easy to store in your suitcase and carry-on!

13. Headlamp

You never know where your travels will take you or the travel resources available when you arrive. Headlamps are always handy. You can use them for outdoor activities like caving, camping or night safaris, but they have their practical moments for adventurous situations like staying in villages where your toilet is located in an outhouse.

Tip: This comes in handy if you do not pack a small portable light to light dark scenes with!

14.  Bring your adventure medical kit

It’s important to keep your health up when you film your travels. Solo vlogging and documentary trips are rigorous and take a lot of energy and if I’m not eating healthy, catch a stomach virus from bad food or I experience climate changes with weather, it makes me vulnerable to exhaustion and catching a cold.

Pharmacies are common, but language barriers make translation tricky.

• Bring Your Emergency Medical Kit   Bring extra medication and pack it in a Holii travel pill organizer. Include essentials like bandaids, sanitizing swabs for cuts, mini sewing kit, Tylenol and Pepto Bismal. 
• Motion Sickness Tablets  Plan to take ferries to smaller islands or long bus rides? Korean bus drivers’ fast-paced driving style can affect sensitive travelers. There is Dramamine (pills), motion sickness patches and natural alternatives like ginger chews ( I use these!)
• Charcoal tablets are a natural replacement to stronger stomach medications when you contract a stomach bug from bad food. It helps to extract toxins. It will also make you #2 more so you can alleviate your stomach of toxins.
• Immodium D tablets are something I always pack in case of a stomach bug. I don’t want my trip to be trapped in the bathroom.
• Emergen-C Multi-vitamin packets  Weather can fluctuate by season. These dissolvable vitamin C packets are a pick-me-up when you’re tired and it can prevent colds.  It also flavors your water.
• Rehydration packets

15. Instant meals and power snacks.

For a great pick-me-up snack or food substitute power bars are the best. As a vegetarian, I often either have to bring my own food or pack an instant pick-me-up meal options in the case I can’t find things to eat or have to chow on the run. Protein/power bars, granola, dried fruits and nuts are the quick-n-easy health snack on the run (I take them when I’m hiking, as well).

Also, many hotels offer a standard coffee maker in your room to boil hot water. I pack a couple of packets of Instant Quaker Oats Oatmeal (Costco offers it in a big variety box) or dehydrated soups ( like instant miso soup) where you just add hot water!

Check out the Solo Travel Vlogging & Blogging Gear I take with me

16. Comfortable Walking Shoes

 Comfortable shoes are a must for travel vlogging and film crew work. A good pair of shoes will support long days of walking diverse terrains and weather. Hoka Shoes are a popular brand on film sets, because we’re on our feet for long hours, pushing and transporting heavy equipment to location. So I use them for my travel vlogging too. I like the Arahi series because it’s comfortable but firm, which is good arch support.  Read my recommended post on Comfortable Walking Shoes for Travel where I list it.

Slippers are my second most packable footwear other than the running shoes I’m wearing when I board a plane. They are a must if you’re planning anything from temple-hopping to staying in hostels and they are an ideal foot vacation, after a long day of filming in your shoes. If you have bad feet and need recovery slippers, my favorite are  Oofos Ooriginal Slipper . It’s not a pretty slipper but it’s podiatrist approved and many film crew will also tell you that they’re a godsend. They’ll feel awkward at first, but I promise your feet will feel better!

Check out my super soft GRRRLTRAVELER flip flops and  Ready Set Jet flip flops for the jetsetter in you.

Tip: For days you know you will be on your feel for a long time, bring compression socks. 

17. Hair accessories

Okay, so this is more of a girl or a long-haired guy thing… Cap, bandana, hair ties… If you have long hair, you want to keep your hair back and out of your way.

Travel vlogging is a whole body activity. When days are hot and sweaty, you might be juggling cameras, camera straps, swiveling your backpack around for lens changes, packing/unpacking your tripod or selfie stick and hair can get stuck under straps. It’s a small thing but when you are juggling traveling with finding and filming stories with your gear bag, it’s the small things which can add to frustration.

18. Microfiber cloth and carbon pen

A microfiber cloth should never be far from your camera. It’s important to clean you camera and lenses before and during each shoot. With dust, humidity, fingerprint smudges, the last thing you want to discover in your edit bay is that your precious video footage had schmutz over its lens.

I like to carry a Carbon Cleaning Pen as well. Carbon-tipped pens are a powerful tool which picks up dirt particles, when your microfiber cloth just seems to be pushing the oils around.

19. Dust blower

A dust blower shoots air into your lens to get fine particles of dirt out. Ideal for dry and dusty locations.

20.  Merino Wool Socks

Merino wool socks are handy to have because they are moisture-wicking, require less washes and are antimicrobial. The latter means they don’t stink as badly as regular socks!  I can get away with packing two or three pairs for a two week trip.

I like these lightweight Wander ankle high wool socks. They are 54% merino wool and come in a three pack and are economical. If you’re going to a cold climate and want something a bit more rugged, then SmartWool merino wool socks are the best! They are 56% merino wool and have a little more padding that make it cushiony.

21. Merino Wool Shirts

Merino wool clothing is just plain smart travel clothing . A couple of classy Unbound Merino wool shirts are ideal. They are not cheap but they will save space in your packing and laundry. They are moisture wicking,  antimicrobial, body heat regulating and light-weight merino wool shirts, which require less washes than your average shirt.

22. Reusable Water Bottle

 Staying hydrated and eco-friendly is important. Bring a collapsible refillable water bottle, fill it up at any water fountain and reduce your plastic waste. 

Read Eco-Friendly Tips for Travelers

23. Biodegradable Baby Wipes

Flush-friendly biodegradable baby wipes are great to pack for anytime use- for swampy humid days, when the job gets dirty or when the bathroom is out of toilet paper!

Pro-Tip: Although some baby wipes are flush friendly, some destinations may not have strong plumbing and its best to not flush the wipes as it may cause a backup or damage to the system. Discretely dispose of your waste in a waste bin.

24. Eco-Friendly Sunscreen

You’ll be skirting from site to site during daylight hours and you might not feel it but skin cancer is real.  Eco-friendly sunscreen is a must! But the wrong one can land getting banned in certain countries or can produce negative effects on the beauty we love to film.

Due to the drastic effects of global warming, I request travel vloggers be more eco-aware and helpful by supporting eco-friendly sunscreen. Our choices affect the environments we travel to. Read my Reef Safe Sunscreen guide to see which common types of sunscreen are banned in more and more countries due to the harm they cause.

Tip:  reapply your sunscreen every two hours.

• Kokua Sun Care Hawaiian SPF 50 Natural Zinc Sunscreen – Good quality. Goes on thick but not greasy.
• Raw Love SPF 35 All-natural Mineral Sunscreen (Maui)

• Raw Elements Tinted Facial Moisturizer 

25.  Laundry Essentials

Unless you’re doing a deep dive into filming a city, you’re likely not settling in one place for any more than two to three days. You can inquire at the hotels what the turnaround time is for washing particular garments. Otherwise, bring laundry soap and wash in hotel sinks (or use a scrubba wash bag)

Conclusion: Buying from local shops

Each destination and assignment is different, but a general rule of thumb is that if you forget general toiletries, over-the-counter medical relief, bug spray, etc… it’s likely you’ll be able to find it in a convenience store or local shop and pharmacy! But specific or specialized things will be challenging. Read my tips for responsible and ethical travel

More travel vlogging tips:

Travel Vlogging tips for the Solo Female Creator

What you Need for a Travel Selfie

Packing Tip Checklist for a Travel Vlogger & Filmmaker

Why you need to be on YouTube as a travel content creator

My vlogging equipment list

Tips for Creating a Home Vlogging Studio

What items would you add to this Packing List for Travel Vloggers and Adventure Filmmakers?