5 Places to go Backpacking before you die

Happy Travel Tuesday dear readers.. Here is a really cool guy named Tom whose love for backpacking has taken him to many a foreign land. We asked Tom to be a guest-writer because we find his travelogue seriously inspiring (via his website) and also, as you all know, C&C love backpacking too. Here is Tom’s Travel Tip on Top 5 places to backpack to before you die and hopefully one day we will get to see the same marvelous sights (erm, before we kick the bucket :P)

There are a million and one incredible places to go backpacking in this world, so to try and narrow it down to just five is folly. But we’re going to give it a go anyway! These are the five spots which i would pick out from my travelling experience that had incredible sights, great people and that i’d love to go back to, given half a chance.

a little girl in the town near Machu Piccu in Peru

1. Peru:

Peru is an incredible place to visit as a traveller. It is well known for its headline sight of Machu Picchu but it has so much beyond that. Peru excels in its variety. You can go from Machu Picchu to sand dunes to glaciers and stop off in a beautiful colonial city along the way. If you’re not lucky enough to have months or years to go travelling then Peru is the place for you. Visit for as little as a week or two and you can see an amazing array of environments at reasonable prices, all topped off with some of the nicest people i’ve ever met on my travels.

Half Dome in Yosemite NP, California

2. California:

Whilst California isn’t the cheapest place in the world it has some fantastic places packed along its coastline and is worth spending the extra pennies to get the best from it. It’s the prime spot for a road trip, taking in the best bits all the way from San Diego to San Francisco. Whether you’re on glorious beaches (Santa Barbara), in vibrant cities (San Fran, LA) or stunning National Parks (Yosemite anyone?) you won’t find yourself disappointed. And it’s almost guaranteed to be sunny!

Magic Morocco

3. Morocco:

Morocco carries similar benefits to Peru; a wonderful variety of environments and culture oozing from every orifice. Get lost in souks in the big cities, hike amongst the Berber people in the mountains or ride a camel into the sunset – you won’t get bored. And that’s not mentioning beaches with some of the best surf in the world. If you’re looking to get a taste of Africa then this is the perfect place to start.

4. Eastern Europe:

There are beautiful places all over Europe but the main drawback is the cost. This hurdle is leaped in one fell swoop by heading over to Eastern Europe, away from the euro and into a land ripe for exploration. Get around how you like; jump on a train with your inter-rail ticket, buy an old camper van or hitch around with the locals. Whatever method you take you’ll stumble across fantastic places around every corner and may find yourself wandering all the way to Russia if you’re not careful!

Patagonia – Narnia on earth

5. Patagonia:

Patagonia is a place close to my heart. I’ve described it as being like backpacking in Narnia and i think that sums it up perfectly. It’s like you’ve walked into another world and if you look at traveling as a form of escapism then this is the perfect place for you. The scenery is breathtaking and, in my opinion, travel is all about getting far from home and seeing things you would never usually see. Patagonia is exactly that and i’d go back there at the drop of a hat. I’ll take an extra jumper this time though…

About this week’s Guest writer:

Tom Mcloughlin is a writer, digital marketeer and passionate traveler from England. Having discovered his love for travel after spending a year teaching in Honduras he has made it his mission to see every corner of the world and leave no stone unturned. With so many destinations under his belt he thought it a shame not to share the knowledge he’s picked up so created Top Backpacking Destinations, a guide to the many places he’s seen along the way.

Follow Tom on Twitter @backpackerboy

Tom’s website: Top Backpacking Destinations