In this article, I will discuss the best countries and cities for backpacking. This list is meant to give you inspiration for your next backpacking destinations. Whether you care about nature, culture or budget, this resource will have some good cities and countries for you!
Best backpacking countries
In order to keep this list structured, I will group the countries based on the continent.
Europe: Backpacking in Georgia
Georgia is one of my favourite countries for backpacking. It has plenty of amazing nature, culture and is budget-friendly!
My favourite go-to place in Georgia is definitely the Caucasus, mainly because of the nature and the challenges these mountains have to offer. However, there is also a lot of culture and amazing ancient villages.
There are plenty of things to see/do in Georgia:
- Visit the Vardzia Cave Monastery: An underground sanctuary built in the 12th century. It’s located in the Erusheli mountain (south of the country). It looks as if this place belongs in some fantasy world instead of in Georgia, a truly amazing place to visit. More information can be found here.
- Walk through the Batumi Botanical Gardens: Speaking of magical places, I definitely have to mention the Batumi Botanical Gardens. These impressive gardens will make you feel as if you are walking in a fairy tale. These gardens are located near the black sea, in the West of the country. More information can be found here.
- Visit the Gelaty Monastery: Georgia has plenty of impressive monasteries, but one you should absolutely visit is the Gelaty Monastery. This monastery is located close to Kutaisi. Learn more about the Gelaty Monastery.
- Hike to Kazbegi: Kazbegi is only one of the beautiful villages surrounded by some of the most impressive nature in Europe. However, it’s closer to Tbilisi than Mestia or Ushguli. Check out the hike here.
- Walk around the Tbilisi old town: Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and it’s one of the perfect cities for backpacking, it’s cheap, there is plenty of stuff to do and it has a beautiful old city centre. Also, nature is never far away in Georgia, so if you want to mix it up you can easily plan some adventurous day trips from Tbilisi.
As I already mentioned, Georgia is very budget-friendly. In the remote areas (not in the big cities like Tbilisi) you can get a breakfast for as little as 2 euro. Even in Tbilisi, life isn’t expensive. You can stay at a dorm (6 beds room) for less than 10 euros, this includes access to the kitchen and wifi.
Europe: Backpacking in the United Kingdom
A totally different country, but also one of the best countries for backpacking would be the United Kingdom. Scotland is well known for the ability of wild camping and England and Wales have some very impressive National Parks. In some of these National Parks, you also won’t get in trouble for wild camping.
If you are the type of backpacker that likes to visit busy cities as well, you obviously should pass through London. It’s not the most budget-friendly city in the world, but as long as you stay at hostels instead of hotels and don’t go to the touristic pubs you should be fine, even on a budget.
Summarizing all the things you can do as a backpacker in the United Kingdom is almost impossible. If you are into hiking, you could hike the West Highland Way or wander around Isle of Skye. If you like castles, there are plenty of options, the Dover castle, the Tintagel Castle, the Bolsover castle, the Portchester castle, etc. For a full overview of some of the best castles in the UK, click here.
For the city lover, the UK has more to offer than London alone. You should consider Edinburgh, York, Bath, Manchester, Liverpool, etc. For a more complete overview, take a look at this article: Best cities in the UK.
For a complete travel guide, this article is about as complete as it can go: The Ultimate UK Travel Guide.
Asia: Backpacking in Thailand
Thailand is one of the most popular backpacking destinations in Asia and for good reason. There are plenty of busy touristic destination, but there are also options to avoid the huge crowds.
Chiang Mai for example is one of the best cities to consider for avoiding the bigger crowds. This place has a lot to offer: gardens, a ruined temple, restaurants, nightlife, bars, etc.
If you want to spend a couple of days without worrying – only relaxing, you could visit one of Thailands amazing beaches. Railay Beach really caught my attention. It’s a heavenlike beach with white sand and clear blue water . The best thing is, this beach isn’t even expensive. You can eat, drink and sleep on a pretty tight budget. Especially if you decide to spend the night in a bamboo hut.
Last but not least, Bangkok is one of the most interesting backpacking cities in the world. If you don’t mind a lot of people/tourists I would definitely recommend visiting Bangkok.
Want to learn more about backpacking in Thailand? Take a look at the following article/guide: Backpacking in Thailand.
Africa: Backpacking in South Africa
South Africa is one of the best backpacking countries in Africa. There are plenty of things to do in South Africa, you might like a regular safari, but you could also decide to do a wildlife safari on a horse, or you might prefer a river cruise. South Africa is great for spotting wild animals!
Whatever you decide, it is always recommended to spend at least a couple of days in Cape Town. Also, Kruger National Park is highly recommended.
You should also enjoy driving through the garden road and picking out your favourite stops along the way. For some inspiration you can take a look at the following article: 5 top stops on South Africa’s Garden Route.
Interested in backpacking in South Africa, you should also check out the Ultimate South Africa Travel guide.
Africa: Backpacking in Morocco
Another great backpacking country would be Morocco. It’s highly recommended for surfers, cultural experiences and for visiting cities like Marrakech, Casablanca and Fez.
Additionally, you could wander in the Sahara Desert, whether you like to discover the desert on camelback, a 4×4 or a buggy is totally up to you.
If you prefer a challenging hiking trip, you could decide to go to the impressive Atlas Mountains.
Morocco is great for backpacking because it has so many things to offer. Whether you are interested in culture, adventure or you just want to relax in the bigger cities, Morocco has options for every type of backpacker!
As usual I will include a travel guide – Backpacking in Morocco.
America: Backpacking in Columbia
Columbia is a country that might not come to mind when thinking about the best best backpacking countries. That said, it is becoming more and more popular as a travel destination, especially for backpackers. The popular Netflix show might have something to do with this, but this shouldn’t be the main reason why Columbia should be on your to-do list.
Columbia has bustling cities, lost cities, long beaches and beautiful nature. Some of the highlights in Columbia include:
- Bogota
- Santa Marta
- San Gil
- Tayrona National Park
- Medellín
And this is only a short overview of things to visit in Columbia. Before you start packing, you should keep in mind that Columbia is not extremely budget-friendly. If you care about budget, you should do your research on choose for the more budget-friendly accommodations.
For the complete travel guide, take a look at this article backpacking in Columbia.
America: Backpacking in Canada
Another country that had to make this list is Canada. I love Canada mainly because of the incredible nature. You can hike in some of the most beautiful nature in the world or you could kayak in a very remote area. Take a tent with you and you can experience the camping trip of a lifetime.
Naturally, I’m a big fan of hiking and the outdoors. However, if you are looking for some of the best backpacking city, Canada can also be an option for you… Simply think about backpacking in Torronto, Quebuec, Ottowa and Montreal, that would make a pretty cool road trip.
A lot of backpackers also like the combination of an outdoor adventure and visiting the impressive cities. Well, Canada is the perfect candidate to put on your bucket list!
For a more in-depth travel guide, take a look at backpacking in Canada.
Oceania: New Zealand
The magical land of the Lord of the Rings is a no-brainer. New Zealand is another country with some amazing nature. If you like alpinisme, hiking, or other outdoor activities, New Zealand will be an awesome backpacking country.
However, this country has more to offer than nature alone, there are cities like Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch. These are some very nice backpacking cities. However, I would still mainly recommend new Zealand to nature lovers.
Hands down one of the best countries for a backpacking trip as long as you are an outdoors person. At first sight, it’s not the cheapest country for backpacking. However, wild camping is perfectly legal in New Zealand, so you might compensate the slightly higher prices by sleeping in a tent for a couple of nights. Personally, I prefer a night under the stars with an amazing view of the landscape over a night in a hotel anyway.
A complete backpacking guide can be found by backpacking in New Zealand.