Before Your Walking Holiday: The Essential Travel Checklist

Planning a walking holiday? Before departure, make sure your transport, accommodation, travel documents and route information are organised. Save essential contacts, check the weather and take care of practical arrangements at home. This checklist covers everything you need to prepare, so you can focus on enjoying your journey.

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The invisible side of a walking holiday

Some of the most important parts of a walking holiday happen long before you take your first step.

Booking the right train, checking your accommodation details, downloading your route information, arranging for someone to feed the cat: they're small tasks, but together they make the difference between a stressful departure and a smooth beginning.

And while the pleasure of a walking holiday lies in slowing down, discovering new landscapes and enjoying the freedom of the trail, a little preparation helps make all of that possible.

Whether you're setting off on your first self-guided adventure or simply want to make sure you haven't forgotten anything, here's what to organise before you leave.

1. Plan your arrival and departure

The first thing to remember is that your walking holiday may begin and end in two different places.

Before booking flights or trains, check the starting and finishing points of your itinerary and identify the most convenient transport connections.

Your transport checklist

• Check the exact location of your first and last accommodation.
• Identify the most convenient airports or railway stations.
• Book flights or trains, allowing sufficient time for connections.
• Check how to reach your first accommodation from the arrival airport or station.
• Arrange any necessary local transfers.
• Plan your return journey from the final destination.
• Check local transport timetables, particularly in rural areas.

A SloWays tip: If your schedule allows it, consider arriving a day early. You'll have time to explore your starting destination, enjoy a relaxed dinner and begin your first walk feeling rested.

2. Prepare your documents and essential contacts

Keeping everything in one place will save you time during your journey, especially if you're travelling through areas with limited internet coverage.

Documents to prepare

• Passport or national identity card, valid for your destination.
• Visa or entry authorisation, if required.
• Travel insurance policy and assistance details.
• Flight, train and transfer confirmations.
• Accommodation addresses and booking references.
• SloWays travel documents and itinerary information.
• Relevant prescriptions or medical documents, if needed.

Save digital copies somewhere accessible offline. For particularly important documents, carrying a printed copy can also be useful.

Contacts to save on your phone

• Your accommodation providers.
• Any independently booked transfer services.
• Your travel insurance assistance service.
• Local emergency services.
• The SloWays assistance contacts provided with your booking.

How does SloWays support work?

A self-guided walking holiday means exploring independently, at your own pace, without a guide accompanying you throughout the journey.

Before departure, review the travel information provided by SloWays and make sure you know which contact to use, and in which circumstances, if you need assistance.

The relevant contact details and procedures should be checked in the documentation for your specific booking.

3. Double-check your itinerary before leaving

Even if everything was arranged weeks earlier, it's worth setting aside a little time for a final review.

Ideally, do this a few days before departure, while there's still time to clarify any questions.

Accommodation

• Check hotel names, addresses and arrival dates.
• Review check-in instructions.
• Inform your accommodation if you expect to arrive late, where necessary.

Routes and navigation

• Check that you have received your route information.
• Download any maps or navigation materials you need.
• Familiarise yourself with the navigation tools before travelling.
• Check whether offline access is available.
• Review the planned walking distances and estimated times for each day.

Transfers and luggage

• Review the meeting points and times for any booked transfers.
• Check the luggage transfer instructions, if this service is included.
• Confirm any additional transport arrangements you've made independently.

Weather and local conditions

• Check the forecast for the areas you'll actually be walking through.
• Review your clothing and equipment accordingly.
• Check for relevant transport disruptions or travel advisories.
• Review any route updates or instructions received before departure.
• Check for known trail closures or restrictions, using reliable local information where available.
• Identify sections where food, drinking water or other services may be limited.

A SloWays tip: Don't check the weather only for your arrival town. Conditions can be very different along the route, especially in mountainous or coastal areas.

4. Take care of things at home

The last thing you want while enjoying a beautiful stretch of countryside is to start wondering whether you've forgotten something important at home.

A few practical arrangements will help you leave everyday responsibilities behind.

Home and pets

• Arrange pet care, if needed.
• Ask someone to water your plants or collect your post.
• Dispose of perishable food and take out the rubbish.
• Unplug non-essential appliances.
• Check windows, doors and household systems.
• Adjust heating or cooling settings as appropriate.
• Leave an emergency contact or spare key with someone you trust, if useful.

Work and personal commitments

• Set your out-of-office email response.
• Inform colleagues or clients of your absence.
• Pay any bills due while you're away.
• Reschedule appointments or deliveries.
• Make sure someone can contact you in case of an urgent matter.

5. The evening before departure

Most of the work is done. Now it's time for a few final checks.

• Check your departure time and transport connections.
• Charge your phone and power bank.
• Download any remaining tickets or documents.
• Keep your passport or identity card and other essentials within easy reach.
• Check the weather forecast one last time.
• Set your alarm, if you're leaving early.

Then try to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, the journey begins.

6. Before your first day on the trail

You've reached your starting destination, settled into your accommodation and are finally ready to begin walking.

Before heading out, take a moment to check the essentials.

Your first-day walking checklist

• Route information and maps are accessible.
• Your phone is charged and offline navigation is ready, if needed.
• You have enough water and food for the planned route.
• Your clothing and equipment are suitable for the conditions.
• You know where you're walking and where you'll stay that evening.
• Essential contacts and travel information are accessible.
• You've reviewed any relevant weather or route updates.

And now, you're ready.

Everything organised. Nothing left but the journey.

One of the greatest pleasures of travelling on foot is how simple your days can become.

The next village, the changing landscape, a place to stop for lunch, the satisfaction of arriving at your destination: these are the things that begin to matter.

And that's precisely why preparing the practical details in advance is worth the effort.

Once the transport is arranged, the documents are ready and the everyday responsibilities are taken care of, there's more room for everything you came to experience.

The unexpected conversations, the landscapes you hadn't imagined and the freedom of discovering somewhere new at your own pace.

Ready for your next adventure? Explore our walking holidays and find the journey that feels right for you.

Written by the SloWays Team