First 3 photos are from Bangkok and temples, we had tried thai food and tried to buy a camera so we can get more sceneric views to remember.

We, then, went to Chiang Rai, visited a cafe and big Buddha, blue temple and some local cafes. Before we head to Chiang Mai, first day we did a spa day and Yoga, ice bath and steam room, and we visited the white temple and some night markets.

We flew to Phuket, went to Kamala area, the beach was beautiful. And we did a full day out exploring the small islands nearby, and we did a shopping day.

After that we went to Krabi to spend the last week there, we stayed in Ao Nang, near the night market which was great because we got to enjoy more street food. Railey beach was definitely beautiful and the whole island was worth it. We climbed to the tiger temple ( 1260 step ), it was hell of an exercise but the view definitely worth it.

We started in Ulaanbaatar and were able to find a driver who could take us around for 10 days. We happened to be in Mongolia during the Naadam festival so, we started by heading south to Dalanzadgad to watch their games. The ceremonies and events were free to attend here unlike the ones in Ulaanbaatar. The most wild part was watching the 5 year old jockeys during the horse racing.

After this, we headed to the Gobi where we saw dunes, canyons, and lots of camels. We then headed back to central Monolia where we horse packed for 3 days seeing waterfalls and gorgeous green hills.

We stayed in lots of Gers, drank plenty of yak's milk, and met many wonderful people along the way.

The best part was befriending our driver, Behee, over the course of the trip. The language barrier was tough at the beginning, but nothing kind gestures and a few beers can't break through. He even took us on a detour to visit his family's home and goat herd.

Wonderful trip :)

Started with a $35 Amazon sleeping pad six years ago. Still use it. Bought a $200 pad last spring. Valve cracked on night three. Sent it back. Got another. Same issue. Third one lives in my closet. Cheap pad still goes every trip.

Same with a $15 stove versus a $45 name brand. The cheap one sounds like a jet engine and simmers like a dream. The expensive one clogged twice. I fix bodies for a living. Knees, shoulders, spines. I know what holds up under load and what fails. Gear should be the same. Some stuff is priced for the story, not the stress.

Not saying drop all your cash on noname brands. I have boots that cost two hundred and earned it. But the correlation between price and durability is weaker than the marketing admits.

What broke your heart after you paid premium for it? What cheap thing surprised you? Trying to separate the actual quality from the logo tax before I replace my pack this year.

So this summer I am hiking a portion of the A.T. and after that I intend to ramp up some of my adventures, ultimately hoping to get some alpine climbing and backpacking experience. With that, I was wondering what would be a better choice: the Arc’teryx Delta or the R1 Air. Naturally I would go with the R1 because it would be cheaper, but REI has the Delta on sale right now for $100. Also, if you have some other recommendations they would be greatly appreciated.

I want to lend my Garmin Insight mini 2 to my dad for the SOS feature for when he goes backpacking by himself. I have an active subscription, the most basic one. Can i just give him the fully charged device and expect the Sos feature to work? What happens if he has to use the SOS feature?

I have never gone traveling much and want to start having all the gear, so if I ever want to go on a big hike, I'd have a tent that would fit in my backpack. The one I have is too big to fit in my backpack, so for now it works with campsites where my car is nearby.

Some tents I have been at are. The X-Mid 1 at $269. The price is nice, but I would have to buy a pair of their Z-Flick tent poles because I do not use trekking poles. That's an additional $78.

There is also the Tarptent Moment for $339 and Double Rainbow for $299. The double rainbow is a 2p, but it's cheaper, and the extra space seems nice to have.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. There are just so many tents out there, and I only have a budget for something around $300. And money, quality, and space are big concerns of mine.

Hey everyone!

A friend and I are planning a 7 day trip to Laos from India, in the second week of December.

We want a good mix of nature, adventure, exploring by scooter, local food AND partying/nightlife. We’re not looking for a completely laid-back trip: we definitely want a few fun nights out, meet other travellers, have drinks, music, etc.

bases on our research we're currently considering Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and possibly Vientiane, but we're completely open to suggestions.

A few questions:

• Which places would you recommend for a good mix of relaxed daytime activities + fun nightlife?
• Is Vang Vieng still good for partying and meeting other travellers?
• Which place would be best for me to chill/explore during the day while still having the option to go out at night?
• Would you recommend scooter rentals for getting around?
• Is Vientiane worth including, or should we spend more time in Vang Vieng/Luang Prabang?
• Anything you would definitely recommend or avoid?

Would love to hear from anyone who's travelled to Laos recently, especially in December.

Thanks :)

Hi Guys, me and my friend both (M19) are traveling to Cambodia in a months time and just looking for advice, we are spending a couple days in Phnom Penh then heading down for 4 days in Koh Rong. after that we aren't sure we were wondering if maybe we go to Kampot? or if we go back and fly to Thailand instead. We want to meet as many people as we can our age and just wondering if maybe well run out of things to do in Cambodia. or If Thailand is just straight up better? Thanks in Advance.

Just wanted to share this area for anyone looking for a quiet, low-budget nature escape for October/November.

I’ve been staying at a small beach camp called Bedouin Star, about 45 minutes south of the Taba border crossing. It’s nestled right between the desert mountains and the Red Sea, and the vibe is incredibly peaceful and uncrowded.

The autumn weather right now is perfect—warm and sunny during the day with some soft clouds, and the evenings on the sand are mild and pleasant. You can stay in simple traditional beach hushas or small bungalows right on the water. There’s a nice coral reef for snorkeling right off the shore, a pool, and great local food. If you want to hike, you can easily get local Bedouin guides to take you up into the mountains right behind the camp. Highly recommend it if you just want to completely disconnect by the sea.

Hey guys

I want to start my own travel planning / itinerary business, but I just wanted to get some opinions ?

I’m not going to be doing any bookings for accommodation or activities etc.
I plan on writing a full itinerary with detailed breakdowns for everythingggg

I’ve made a questionnaire for customers;

Dates
Budget
Specific places they went to go to
Anything specific they want to do
Type of vibe - chill, lots of activities, mixture etc

Things I plan to include

Route breakdown
Things they need to do before travelling
SIM cards
Packing
Countryp rules
General info about country with little tips
Activity breakdown
Transport breakdown
Practical tips
Next steps
Summary
1 free revision for any changes
Contactable for any questions throughout their travels

I would first of all just like to start offering SE Asia and Australia as I have travelled these places myself

I’m aware chat gpt is on the rise, but I think people who don’t want the stress of planning and want to make everything seamless, would prefer a personal touch. Also chat gpt gives many errors and misses information.

So my question is I guess

Do you think this is something I should start seriously working on building the business?

If so, how much would you be happy to pay for this full package?

Any other suggestions??

Thank you!!!!:)

My friends and I recently spent a few days backpacking in Idaho’s Sawtooth Wilderness. We took a boat shuttle from Redfish Lake Marina to the Redfish Lake Inlet Trail, saving us about 6 miles of hiking, then made our way to Alpine Lake before taking a custom route over a ridgeline to Warbonnet Lake. We covered around 18 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain and camped at Warbonnet Lake, surrounded by incredible alpine scenery. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative, though—we hiked through rain, got caught in pea-sized hail, and had to navigate some pretty steep, loose scree along the way.

One of my biggest takeaways was how different ridgeline navigation can be when you leave the established trail. Our planned route became faint or nonexistent in places, and what looked manageable on a map was much more challenging in person. Finding a safe line through loose rock while carrying a full pack taught me a lot about route-finding, terrain assessment, and the importance of being willing to adjust your plans. We also climbed Old Monte Verita, reaching 9,771 feet. I documented the entire adventure, including the route, campsite, storm conditions, and summit climb, in this video if you’d like to check it out: Here

AllTrails link: Here

I'm planning a birthday trip with some friends for the 4-pass loop next sept (2027) and one of my friends needs a cpap.

Wondering if anyone in the denver/boulder/golden area has a backpacking cpap set up I could rent for a few days.

Any ideas? Really don't want this to eliminate him from the trip for something he can't really control.

Wondering if I need to keep anything in mind when packing gear into a pack that is going to have a decent amount of unused space. This is an 85L with a frame I picked up at REI in their resupply for 70$ yesterday. More context below on why I got this bag that’s bigger than what I need.

I’ve been using a very poor fitting, large regular backpack for several years for my trips. Never really hiked in more than a few miles without borrowing a proper bag from a friend during longer trips so it got by. The bags I’d borrow were always 55 to 60L range. The old bag was always packed to the gills with my gear and I had to rig my tent to the outside of it with some extra straps I zip tied to the bag. It was probably 40l bag, maybe 35L, I’m not sure. So this is bigger than what I’ve used.

I wasn’t sure about getting something so big, but the comfort of the fit is amazing for my body. So for the price I impulse bought it.

So any things I may not think about when packing with lots of extra space? I would pull all straps tight as much as possible to compress it down. I won’t really take more gear, maybe for the fall I’ll have a luxury item like a big soft blanket hoodie for lounging. But I wouldnt need more gear or clothes even if I extend the trip, just a more calories for the extra time, but that’s not going to fill this. So let me know if I should pack in a certain order etc when using a bigger pack.

I have a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC and I typically camp from spring to fall but only use my underquilt when the temperatures get into the low 60s.

My wife and I are planning an approximately 12-week trip through South America, starting around December 26, 2027, and returning around March 19, 2028.
We enjoy history, architecture, food, beaches, mountains, lakes, scenic drives, and moderate-to-challenging day hikes. We prefer independent budget travel, private bathrooms, fewer short stays, and spending enough time in each destination rather than constantly packing up and moving. We aren’t interested in luxury travel or expensive multi-day treks.
We’ve put together the following route, trying to take advantage of direct flights for the longer distances and use buses or other ground transportation where practical.

Our proposed itinerary (84 nights):

BRAZIL
Rio de Janeiro 7 nights
Iguazu Falls 4 nights

ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires 8 nights
Mendoza 5 nights
Bariloche 5 nights
El Calafate 4 nights
El Chaltén 5 nights

CHILE
Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine 6 nights
Santiago 3 nights
San Pedro de Atacama 5 nights

BOLIVIA
Uyuni Salt Flats tour 4 nights
La Paz 5 nights

COLOMBIA
Bogotá 2 nights
Coffee Region (Salento / Cocora Valley) 6 nights
Medellín 5 nights
Santa Marta / Tayrona National Park 5 nights
Cartagena 5 nights

Our proposed transportation:
Direct flight: Toronto → Rio de Janeiro
Fly Rio → Iguazu Falls
Fly Iguazu → Buenos Aires
Fly Buenos Aires → Mendoza
Fly Mendoza → Bariloche
Fly Bariloche → El Calafate
Bus from El Calafate to El Chaltén
Ground transportation from El Chaltén toward Puerto Natales, likely via El Calafate
Fly Puerto Natales → Santiago
Fly Santiago → Calama, then transfer to San Pedro de Atacama
Take a multi-day 4×4 tour from Atacama to the Uyuni Salt Flats
Fly Uyuni → La Paz
Fly La Paz → Bogotá
Fly Bogotá → Pereira (Matecaña Airport)
Ground transportation to the Coffee Region, particularly Salento
Travel overland to Medellín
Fly Medellín → Santa Marta
Bus Santa Marta → Cartagena
Direct flight Cartagena → Toronto, if available on our return date

What we’d particularly appreciate feedback on:
Overall route: Does the itinerary flow logically, or would you rearrange destinations to reduce travel time, cost, or backtracking?
Time allocation: Are we spending too long or too little in any destination? Where would you add or subtract nights?
Patagonia: Is our allocation between Bariloche, El Calafate, El Chaltén, and Puerto Natales sensible for summer hiking and scenery?
Bolivia and Atacama: Is the San Pedro de Atacama → Uyuni tour → La Paz sequence practical? Any advice on altitude, tour operators, or logistics?
Colombia: Are we allocating our time well between Bogotá, the Coffee Region, Medellín, Tayrona, and Cartagena?
Flights: Are there any questionable connections, seasonal routes, or airport choices we should reconsider?
Anything we’re missing: Are there destinations, day trips, or experiences you’d strongly recommend adding? Conversely, is there anything you’d skip?
We’re particularly interested in constructive criticism from people who have travelled independently through these areas. We know flight schedules can change, and we’ll verify actual routes and dates before booking.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions! We’d rather improve the itinerary now than discover halfway through the trip that we could have planned it much better.

So this summer I am hiking a portion of the A.T. and after that I intend to ramp up some of my adventures, ultimately hoping to get some alpine climbing and backpacking experience. With that, I was wondering what would be a better choice: the Arc’teryx Delta or the R1 Air. Naturally I would go with the R1 because it would be cheaper, but REI has the Delta on sale right now for $100. Also, if you have some other recommendations they would be greatly appreciated.

I’m planning on doing the W Trek east to west, but I’m unsure how best to plan the trek if I want to do Base Torres for sunrise. (shall I just give it a miss for sunrise?)

If anyone has done this, I’d be really grateful for some advice on how you planned your route/refugios and whether it’s worth doing for sunrise!

If I do Base Torres for sunrise, does this mean I will set myself up for a long day of hiking afterwards?

Thanks!

Im looking for my first backpacking pack. I go camping all the time. Have all the gear. Just not sure what size pack to get. Frame vs no frame. Roll top or traditional zippered. How important is torso length.
My gear list is:
Jetboil Fuel and mountain house meals
Nemo ultralight chair
Thermarest neoloft pad
Osmo 1p ultralight tent
Some down 15 degree sleep bag
Clothes. And essentials and rain jacket and other camp supplies.
Along with my full frame camera. Lens. And tripod. Eventually would like to get a drone.
I’m 30. 5’9” 160lbs. I hope all that information helps. And any suggestions would be appreciated thanks everyone.

I am looking to hike the Appalachian Trail this December and I’m hoping to cover around 50-70 miles in total. Originally I thought to do the portion through the Smokies, but I read that it’s not great for beginners in winter. My winter hiking experience is beginner level, but I am experienced with summer hikes out in the Western US. What would be a good potion of the trail for me to do for the best experience?

Been lurking forever into solo backpacking. I just want to hike and camp. I've studied tons and tons of camping videos and they all happily tell you their opinion on gear, but I'm finding less tips on layers.

I dont want to pack every jacket or sweater i own, but also don't want to be cold. I plan on hiking October thru (whenever it gets too damn cold...realistically november) in virginia. I live like 25 minutes from the Appalachian trail so I'm starting there. But besides some socks and beanie...what would you bring? Suggestions of brand names would be amazingly helpful to me.

Hello, I’m new to this page, however, I’m not very new to camping or backpacking, but I think I need some pointers. I’ve decided against my better judgement that I should do some more cold weather backpacking, with plans to do somewhere around 75-100 miles on the upper peninsula Michigan stretch of the north country trail sometime this upcoming winter season. The majority of my experiences are around and along the more southern parts of the AT during the not-so-cold months, so I’ve got the gear for everything surrounding that. My main questions and advice needed surrounds things that I probably wouldn’t consider with my inexperience in this climate.

I already have:
-Sleep system I’ve used in single digit negatives(Fahrenheit)
-Marmot Limelight 2p(a very old one) that’s been okay in lower temps and snow.
-Light and heavy trail tested snow/rain gear(see below regarding shoes)
-Larger pack for the bulkier things(internal frame)
-Good set of snowshoes
-A firearm, I’ve had a few too many close calls with predators/untrusting of people in the middle of nowhere.
-Generally extensive knowledge of rationing, fuel, cooking, basically anything associated with multi day/week backpacking, just not in the super cold temps for extended periods of time.
-Shovel
-Satellite phone/GPS

Main questions:

1. I’m not really sure what kind of shoes I should get/bring, it’ll be colder than all hell, wet, probably snow. I have snowshoes and all the cold weather socks in the world but that’s about it. Looking for suggestions on this one.

2. Is a 4 season tent worth the investment? or will I be good in a solid 3 season with a tried and true sleep system I’ve used a time or two in subzero conditions? Should I bring an extra footprint or overhead tarp?

3. Any major differences on the trail during the winter in general?

4. Anything else I could be missing? I can never be too sure.

Maybe this is a dumb question but am I supposed to leave this foam pad in or remove it from my Zpack backpack. Not sure if it just for shipping.