Information, Thoughts, Travel

Our Cliche Packing List for South America

Erica

If you have made it this far, you are in for a treat.

Now introducing:

Over Yonderlust’s Packing List with 100% more alpacas and lasers!

This is what happens when you’re 4 days out of your trip and are exhausted all to hell.

packing list for south america

I figured I thought I would make it interesting while you were here. 🙂

Introducing our packing list!

So we are 4 days out and finally packing (for the most part minus a load of laundry we have to do over the next few days). While most people tend to be a little more prepared than we have been, I still feel like I have been running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off.

So here we go. Giddy up.

Shaun’s Pack:

  • 3 T-shirts (Can you sense a theme in his clothing? I dunno… I think he likes video games)
  • 2 pairs of shorts
  • 1 pair of pants
  • 3 pairs of boxers
  • 1 pair of trunks
  • Fleece jacket
  • Beanie
  • 4 pairs of socks
  • 1 bandana
  • 1 money belt
  • 1 belt
  • Packing cube
  • Camel Bak
  • 1 pair of Keens
  • 1 pair of trailrunners
  • First Aid Kit
  • Electric Shaver
  • Travel Towel
  • Hygiene Bag
  • Headlamp
  • Pocket Knife
  • Flashlight
  • Multitool
  • Pac Safe cord
  • 2 locks

Erica’s Pack:

I would like to start off by saying that being a girl sucks. The extra crap you have to bring along is just silly in comparison to a guy. After realizing how much crap I have, I’ve decided to put some in Shaun’s half empty bag.

packing list for south america

  • 2 tank tops
  • 1 Tshirt (TXRD pride!)
  • 1 camisole for PJs/yoga
  • 1 yoga pants for PJs/yoga
  • 2 bras
  • 1 sports bra
  • 4 pairs of socks
  • 3 pairs of undies
  • 1 Knee brace (because I’m a klutz)
  • 1 Infinity dress
  • 1 Fleece
  • 2 pairs of shorts
  • 1 pair of pants
  • 1 bandana
  • 1 pair trailrunners
  • 1 pair Chacos
  • 1 pair flip flops for the shower
  • Packing Cube
  • 1 bathing suit with 2 bottoms
  • Travel Towel
  • Flashlight
  • Headlamp
  • 2 locks
  • Mascots: The Knitted Nomads
  • Kleenex/Impromptu toilet paper
  • Hygiene stuff for girls
  • Camel Bak

Our Backpacks Packed:

  • Both packs
  • Tripod in bag
  • Collapsible Hoop

Daypack 1:

packing list for south america

  • Shaun’s laptop/cord/mouse
  • Flip HD camcorder
  • Flip underwater casing
  • Nikon D300s (Not pictured)
  • 3 lenses
  • 1 microphone
  • 1 remote
  • All chargers for the goodies
  • 2 iPods
  • External hard drive.
  • Extra battery for the Nikon
  • old point and shoot camera

Daypack 2:

  • Lonely Planet – Central/South America on a Shoestring and Costa Rica (We like our guides! And, we’re ditching them when we’re done with the area.)
  • 2 road maps – Central/South
  • Nikon manuals
  • 2 passports with vaccination card
  • Manila folder of important documents
  • Mac Book Pro/cords/mouse (not shown)
  • Cooling pad for laptop
  • Steripen
  • Nintendo DS
  • Nintendo games
  • Note pad
  • Tarot Cards
  • Uno
  • Birth Control Pills (that whole ordeal deserves its own blog post)
  • Bug Spray
  • Permethrin
  • “Piggy” our change holder
  • Power adapters (not shown)

So there you have it. I’m sure we’re still missing a few things but I guess at this point we’ll figure it out as we go along. Can you see anything that we absolutely need? I know we are taking quite a bit but editing videos on the road requires quite a bit and Shaun is desperately trying to learn website stuff so we can have a steadier income (and possibly do this FOR-EV-ER!).

But you have to admit – there is something to a packing list with llamas with lasers.

Published by Erica

Your resident adventure geek, and travel photographer extraordinaire, Erica likes to keep life interesting. A few of her favorite things to do include Burning Man, Diving, Downhill Mountain Biking, and laying by the beach with a good beer.

57 thoughts on “Our Cliche Packing List for South America”

  2. Look at that fancy shotgun mic! I’m jealous. Also dig the Flip + underwater housing, that’ll be awesome. Looks like you have everything covered to me. You’re way more packed than I ever try to be because my general method is to whine about not wanting to carry anything and then whine later about not having anything. It’s not very productive.

    I’d lose the electric shaver, but that’s just because the only time Rachel lets me stop trimming and grow a grizzled face out is when we’re on the road.

    One thing to note – if for some reason you end up having to stick your SD cards/USB reader/Whatever into a machine in a hostel somewhere, make sure to slide the lock switch up! It’ll keep any nastiness from being written to it.

    Your alpacas should provide good transport all the way south. They’ll be great in the mountains, I bet.

  3. Hilarious packing post. I love it!

    Please try to find a drybag if you can. That’s what saved my iPhone in the shipwreck. I only had a 5-liter, which is small — go for a 20-liter if you can find one. Then you can throw both laptops in if you need to.

  4. You seem very organized! I especially love the chacos – I live in those! What’s the hoop for? Looks like a good time, anyway.

    I remember the last few days before we left the country were extremely hectic! Hope they go well for you and congrats!

  5. Yes, a dry bag is essential! We use ours all the time…even just to stuff muddy and wet shoes in if we don’t have time to clean them.

    A DS!! I want one.

  7. Looks good to me but than again I have never been on a trip where I didnt come back after a few days. I can only imagine that you are going to miss something you needed.

  8. Great work taking photos of everything. We’ve been agonizing over what packs to pick up, selection is poor in Saskatchewan requiring road trips or online ordering. Something we don’t want to leave to the last minute. It’s really helpful to see how much stuff you guys are packing into such small bags. Your packing list looks very similar to the one we’ve been working on.

  10. wow you guys did it! So funny how your the opposite and put stuff in Shawn’s bag. I remembered Allen packed too much stuff when we go to Italy he had to squeeze in my suitcase when we’re back. (That’s a suitcase and I’m a girl – I packed less then him).

  11. I really like that you guys documented your packing process, I always like to look back on this stage. And who says not as prepared as others? you have lasers and Alpacas.

  12. You have no idea how happy I am that a camelid is featured so prominently with your packing list. I would have preferred a camel, but alpacas are alright and they have nice hair (best bangs in the animal kingdom).

  13. Bug Spray – awesome. Best thing you’ve packed! You’re good to go 🙂

    P.S. I agree with Dalene & Kate – a dry bag is not a bad idea, we used ours a lot. The boats you’ll be taking are all quite dodgy…

  14. haha uno, birth control, and underwear… the essentials haha. 😛

    I am so excited for you guys! And reading about your upcoming trip and seeing it just about happen is seriously getitng me really pumped and anxious to put myself in your same situation and take off for an adventure again!!!!!!!

    PS – Lamas with lazer eyes = AWESOME haha

  17. Looks like y’all are set 2 go. EEEeeeeee!!!

    I’ll tell yeah now the items I use most are my locks, my travel towel (a lot of hostels don’t give you a towel) & a lil string bag to hold my stuff for when I go out for the day or to the beach!

  19. I wear my chacos in the shower

    But other than that I love your list – except the guidebooks, you really don’t need them for CA.

  20. @Lauren: I had to make it interesting! I’m taking a 10-20mm, a 50mm, and a 18-50mm kit lens. My telephoto is too heavy for me to justify bringing it and I mainly like to shoot buildings and big things anyway. 🙂

  21. @Evan: The shotgun mic was a very last minute purchase when I was reviewing a few videos with the on board microphone. As for packing, I am really obsessive over lists. I’ve been thinking of what we would need to pack for months. For the shaver – I’m curious if Shaun will use it to be honest. We’ve had it for years. I don’t mind him kinda beardy but I don’t need to walk around with a gringo with a red beard. 😛

  22. @Kate: I wanted to do this post but with flair!

    As for the drybag, I have a friend who read your comment and bought a 20L and a 5L for us per your suggestion! It is a shame you had to go through a shipwreck to give that suggestion but… thanks? 😛

  23. @Heather: Thanks! The Type A thing works in my favor with organization. 😀 The hoop is for exercise while we’re out – and to dance with. They are just a fun thing to haul around. I think we’ve passed the super hectic things so the rest of our time here should be easy peasy. 🙂

  24. @Dalene: I think we had thought about getting them until I spend $2.50 on some 2gallon ziplock bags that we were going to double bag. Now I can feel a little better about my laptops!

  26. @Kirk: This is our first long trip so I think that is why I over-thought the entire list. I’m sure I’m going to miss something.

  27. @Mike: The packs were hard to find. It took us a few tries to find something we liked. Everything was 85L+ and was bigger than I was! As for the space thing – remember to roll your clothes! It saves a LOT of room!

  29. @Sarah: I was getting a bit concerned about if we were able to fit everything. Honestly, the reason things got a bit hairy in my bag is because I’m taking tampons and an extra dress/sarong.

  32. @GTG: Bug spray is a must for me! Mosquitoes love me. Lets just hope there is not another ship wreck in our blogging community.

  33. @Ali: I have a 40L and Shaun has a 50L – I couldn’t go any smaller this time around. I felt uncomfortable.

  35. lasers are the new cow bell. ‘i’ve got a fever!..” 😉 you guys are packing so lite i LOVE it! you won’t be sad about that for sure. only thing i’d say is that if you’re hit by a down pour in a cool area and your one pair of pants get wet, you may want another. and for you erica- any places you’re going where local ideas of modesty could be different (churches, temples, etc) you may want to have more than one top that covers your shoulders? dunno how culturally relevant that is where you’re going, but it’s a big deal for thai people. oh shit, i’m a cultural anthropologist…yawn! 🙂

  37. @Sofia: Brooke (brooke vs the world) wrote a small snippet on her niche blog, Her Packing List, and I loved it so much that I bought one ASAP. So far it is awesome!

  39. @Lorna: I’m generally not a high maintenance person so packing light is super easy for me. Boys have it much easier. As for the modesty thing, I don’t think I will run into that in C/S America, but if/when we head to Southeast Asia, I’ll definitely keep that in mind (especially in temples!).

  40. @Lauren: The Uno has traveled to 3 different countries with us and is actually from Japan. 😛 I’m still debating if I want to do a post about my birth control choice (and the huge ordeal I had to go through) because it was probably the one thing that was most important to me. Screw undies man, I need to get laid! *cough*

    P.S. Llamas with laser eyes is what happens when I get delirious. 🙂

  44. Not sure what you have planned for laundry, but did you consider grabbing some laundry soap?

    Thanks for the post!

  47. @Dan: I’ll definitely know who to hit up. Shaun is still trying to figure out how to learn how to handle everything.

  49. great list! Consider grabbing a duck back if you can to throw over your daypacks in case of rain. A lot of times it will start to rain and it’s a quick way to protect your gear w/out putting everything in and out of the wet bag. We used our duck backs ALL the time. The ziplock bags are great too for all different things. Try to pin some safety needles if you can to a strap or your shoes those are useful as well.

    You guys are doing well – I think you have it all dialed in w/out too much stuff. Anything you need you can get on the road anyway 🙂

  51. NyQuil! NyQuil! I’m sorry I just saw this and it might be too late but PACK NYQUIL TABLETS!

    1 – no other country has anything near as good and you will need them at some point.
    2 – in general, helpful as a sleeping aid even if you’re not sick.
    3 – sick friend? they will worship you pagan goddess style when you pass them some of the green pills dude.

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  56. Erica, do you think I’ll need to pack a thermo base layer for Peru and Bolivia? I’ve read “cold nights”. I have a NorthFace jacket and (1) l/s already..

  57. It depends on when you are planning on going. Even in the middle of “summer” La Paz is about 50F during the day and almost freezing at night. Peru is less cold – so it really depends on your tolerance. 🙂

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