Preparation

What to pack

Pack light! You'll be toting your own luggage around at airports and hotels, so bring only what you need—ideally in one small suitcase and one additional carry-on bag.

Clothing and Accessories

  • Masks/face covering (as required by local authorities)

  • Comfortable walking shoes and one pair of nicer shoes

  • Shirts (short- and long- sleeved)

  • Socks and underwear

  • Watch

  • Pants/shorts/jeans

  • Pajamas

  • Bathing suit (if applicable)

  • Dressier outfit (reserved for a special night out)

  • Raincoat and/or umbrella

  • Lightweight nylon jacket or fleece (rather than bulky sweatshirts)

  • Reusable water bottle

Toiletries

  • Toothbrush

  • Toothpaste

  • Shampoo/conditioner

  • Soap

  • Deodorant

  • Hairbrush/comb

  • Sunscreen

  • Hand sanitizer

  • Any medications (in addition to a copy of any prescription)

  • Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)

Money

  • ATM card (Call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts.)

  • Personal credit card

  • At least $50 converted to the currency of the first country that you’re visiting

  • Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing

Electronics

  • An alarm clock (Many hotel rooms won't have one.)

  • An adaptor/converter

  • Camera with extra batteries or charger

Documents

  • Passport—required on all EF Educational Tours travelling outside of Canada (Remember to leave one copy of it at home and bring a couple more copies on tour, in case your passport gets lost.)

  • Visas (if applicable)

  • A copy of the tour itinerary

  • A list of important phone numbers

  • Addresses to send postcards home

  • Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in its original container.)

Carry-on bag

The EF backpack that every traveller receives is a perfect carry-on bag. Here’s a short list of things travellers might need on the first day of the trip. These should be packed in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is delayed:

  • Passport

  • Money

  • Airline boarding pass

  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (Check catsa-acsta.gc.ca for current security requirements.)

  • Hairbrush

  • Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)

  • A change of clothes (in case luggage is delayed)

  • Medication

  • Any valuables