Backpacking Travel Hacks

Backpacking Travel Hacks

No matter what profession you are in or if you have a hobby with which you have some ‘special talents’, there are always those little tricks-of-the-trade that get you through some sticky situations or just simply make life a little easier. There are countless video tutorials explaining various ‘hacks’ from cooking to DIY and more. Some are gimmicky, some are “why didn’t I think of that” amazing and some can be life saving.

When travelling locally, nationally or globally, there are hundreds of hacks for backpacking and travelling. Here are just a few hacks that we’ve found to help you along the way:

1. Book hostels or accommodation with a kitchen

This is an essential one if you have special dietary requirements; you love home cooking and want to save a fortune by not eating out every night. Planning your meals can be fun and at Riverlodge Backpackers Hostel has its own large kitchen as well as the luxury of being situated in an Eco-Village where you can just pop around the corner to the Food Garden Village where you can get fresh organic produce daily.

For the outdoor cook, why not try our communal braai area or Boma.

Riverlodge Backpackers also supplies you with your own cutlery for the duration of your stay. 

2. Soap Pads

Most backpackers and travellers (and big concert campers) know the hassle and mess that a bar of soap can make in the backpack or travel bag. Here’s an idea to help…

Use a vegetable peeler to shave off a few thin ‘pads’ of soap which can then be individually wrapped in some greaseproof paper or small Ziploc bags. TIP: Using a biodegradable soap will stop the environment from becoming polluted and will reduce your carbon footprint.

3. Corn Chip Firelighters

Commercial firelighters are difficult to travel with and even some of the eco-friendly ones, which are expensive, are banned on airlines. They also tend make your backpack smell like paraffin. Here’s a crazy and cheaper way of getting around that…

Corn chips such as Doritos, Fritos and corn tortilla chips are dense and oily and make a perfect kindling to start fires. They are easy to light, burn slow and steady and last a long time. They also double as a quick snack if you get hungry! If you can’t get corn chips, you can also use a kid’s Crayola crayon which will do the same thing.

4. Do Cheaper City Tours

Walking tours around a city are always a lot of fun and are a lot cheaper than paying for a commercial guided tour. Another cheaper option is to hire a bicycle or do a ‘hop on hop off’ bus tour. Riverlodge Backpackers can book some great budget city tours for you and currently have some fantastic packages to offer. Ask our friendly staff at the front desk to book a budget tour experience for you. You will also be offered a choice of tours when booking your accommodation with us.  Your options will be available at online checkout.


If you are visiting Sunny South Africa, why not stop in at Riverlodge Backpackers in Cape Town and share some experiences with us and your fellow travellers.

We have an amazing venue, fantastic staff, unbelievable prices and we can book all sorts of activities for you while you are enjoying your stay with us.

If there are some cool backpacking hacks that you think we should know about drop us a message on our Riverlodge Backpackers Official Facebook page or you can email us at info@riverlodge.co.za


“No matter where you roam… Make Riverlodge Backpackers your home away from home…”


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For more info you can visit http://www.riverlodge.co.za/ or call 021 448 0526 / 082 515 0407