The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely shaken up our concept of routine and structure that we had always accepted as normal. While this applies mostly to our daily lives, it also has changed the way we travel: this includes us backpackers as well.
Travelling is a bit more complicated now and you need to take some precautions before you go on adventures now; however, especially for backpackers going solo, it is definitely still possible! Here you will find some tips on how to best prepare for your future backpacking journey, even during times of Covid.
Precautions and tips
- Whether you are in your home country or travelling, the same basic rules apply: washing your hands often, keeping the safety distance for 1.5m and wearing a mask in crowded locations. Have a hand sanitizer ready at all times with you, in case there is no place to wash your hands
- Avoid travelling if you’re feeling unwell! It’s better to be safe than sorry
- Travel alone and use this opportunity to travel to more remote places! It’s a great way to take a break from the stressful daily life. By travelling to less crowded area will you not only reduce your infection risk but also be able to enjoy your trip more
- Inform yourself beforehand: Websites like the WHO, CDC or the RKI will always provide some useful data. Also, make sure to read up what the situation is like in your destination: is the virus spreading rapidly or is it more or less under control?
- Travel to low risk countries! This will avoid making you stressed and you won’t need to quarantine yourself upon re-entry in your home country.
What is the safest way to travel?
If you can travel alone, for example with a rental car, choose that option first, as it will minimise your infection risk. If there is no way to avoid public transport or flights completely, you should reduce your time spent there and avoid interaction with other passengers. In order to do this, you can book trains/flights outside of the high-transit times and check-in before arriving at the airport. Don’t forget to disinfect your hands often and to avoid touching your face at all times in public. Furthermore, use this opportunity to engage in exotic travelling ways at your destination as well: are you staying at a village or somewhere you need transport for going to most locations? Try to rent a bike or a motorcycle and make it your main way of transport during your stay!
Think of your stay as an opportunity, not a hazard
It’s hard to not be at least a bit intimidated by the prospect of travelling during these harder times. However, this is where you can use it to explore new areas that you usually would’ve ignored without the pandemic! Always wanted to go explore caves, natural wildlife but the pub crawl in the nearby city always ended up winning you over? Now is the time to go have an exciting and adrenaline filled adventure through the undiscovered and more remote parts of your destination! Or perhaps you would’ve liked a daytrip to a gorgeous natural sight but with your tight schedule that was never possible? With the pandemic, this should now be your first goal, as you get to escape the stressful daily life with some beautiful, awe-inducing nature and enjoy your holiday to the fullest. So take these examples as an inspiration to try out something new and use your imagination to make your holidays a unique experience!
Have some ideas or some experience with travelling during Corona?
You’ve already travelled during the Covid pandemic and have some experiences, a travel story or just some more advice you’d like to share with fellow backpackers and travellers? That’s great! If you have some time, you can write something for fellow travellers and also help out people who are unsure about travelling during these times in this blog. We’re looking forward to reading your post!
