Best Gifts for a Traveller: A Travel Gifts Guide

Do you have that family member or friend who’s always planning their next trip? If you’re nodding right now, then you’re probably here to get some inspiration for the best gifts for a traveller.

In this travel gift guide, I’ll list quite a few ideas that would work for both male and female travellers. I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first guide you’ve opened, so you might see a few similar items to other guides. This is because, as travellers, we love using these and would very much appreciate receiving any of them from our loved ones. 

However, I’ve tried to include as many cool and unique travel gifts as I could; gifts that I haven’t seen mentioned in other posts. In addition, in this gift guide I’ve included many environmentally friendly gifts, many of which don’t even require you to purchase a physical product.

This list will contain more affordable gift ideas that won’t cost you a fortune. Many guides would include gifts like actual cameras and GoPro’s that are a bit more costly. Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to be able to spend a larger amount on your loved ones then you can always have a look at what’s in our camera backpack for some more expensive gift items.

Best Gifts for a Traveller

Best Techy Gifts for a Traveller

1. Portable Charger or Solar Charger – An Essential Travel Gift

I think we can all agree that our phones are glued to our hands these days. When we’re travelling, we’re constantly taking photos and videos as well as being on social media and checking Google Maps for directions. So, it’s no wonder that our phone batteries die much quicker.

Carrying a portable charger won’t just give travellers the chance to keep taking photos on their phone. Having enough charge on anyone’s device is especially important when travelling in foreign countries. You never know when they’ll need to check maps to avoid getting lost or to make an emergency phone call. Therefore, buying a portable charger as a gift will be an incredibly useful product.

Alternatively, if your travel friend also spends a lot of time outdoors, then consider buying a solar charger.

2. Travel Adapter – A Gift for International Travellers

Did you know that there are actually 15 different plug and socket types in the world?

Luckily, you can just gift one international travel adapter instead of having to buy (and then store) many separate ones. The better ones nowadays come with USB charging slots as well as a socket, so your travel friend can charge all their electronics at once. No matter whether we’re in Mexico, South America or Europe we have always been able to use our adapter without issues. Therefore, I think this would be a very useful gift for a traveller.

3. Extension Cord – A Useful Gift for Those with a Lot of Gear

It might seem like the most boring gift, but honestly having an extension cord should be a staple in many travellers backpacks or suitcases. Especially if that person has a large amount of travel camera gear – like us – that needs charging on a daily basis. Or if your traveller friend stays in hostels with only one awkwardly placed plug socket. Simple as they are, they can come in handy in many instances.

Of course, if you don’t want to just wrap an extension cord as a gift to someone I totally understand. In that case I recommend maybe putting together a little ‘electronics kit’ – almost like a good old stocking – or combine it with other unique ideas from my list below.

4. Kindle or E-Reader – A Gift for Entertainment

If your traveller friend is also a book worm like us, then having a Kindle Fire or Kindle Paperwhite is a must when travelling. I appreciate that some people still enjoy taking an actual book with them on a short trip, but if someone is prepping for a longer adventure, then a kindle would save them a lot of space.

We used our kindles every day on our year-long backpacking trip whether it was on a long bus ride or a flight.

5. Apple AirTags – A Great Safety Gift

I think after all the craziness of cancelled flights and lost or undelivered luggage this year, we can all agree that AirTag’s are becoming must-have items for travellers.

If you don’t know, AirTags are tiny little tracking devices that act as a key finder, basically helping people to keep track of their personal belongings. So, having an AirTag in your checked-in suitcase will allow you to follow exactly where your luggage is. This could be incredibly useful for those who have connecting flights, so they can always see if their bags made it to the flight or not. Plus, if the bag didn’t arrive, then you can check where it is which will be much less stressful than trying to locate it with the airport staff.

Of course, these devices can also be handy if your backpack gets lost or stolen. I read an article where someone managed to track their belongings to a person’s home after it got stolen.

Whilst AirTags work best if you have an iPhone, you can also try Galaxy SmartTag if you use android.

Best Environmentally Friendly Gifts for a Traveller

Below is a list of gifts that don’t necessarily require you to purchase a physical item as well as items that would save them from using excessive plastic, making them some of the best sustainable gifts for a traveller. 

6. Water Purifier Water Bottle – The Most Environmentally Friendly Gift

Reducing single use plastic waste is more important than ever. So reusable water bottles are always a great gift for travellers (and to anyone for that matter).

However, in case the person you’re buying a gift for is travelling to a country where drinking tap water isn’t considered safe, then you can gift a specific water purifying bottle such as WaterWell. These bottles would also be useful for outdoor lovers, so they can always refill their bottle and drink safe water.

I think it’s also important to mention that WaterWell’s mission goes beyond profit and their aim is to involve their community in supporting a wide range of worthy humanitarian and environmental causes. For example, they plant a tree with every order which is fantastic.

7. Tote Bag – A Great Gift to Reduce Plastic Waste

Tote bags might seem like an extra item to pack but trust us when we say that they can be used for multiple purposes.

Your travel friend can use it for grocery shopping which would automatically help to reduce plastic waste. We used these bags as beach bags or an extra bag that had all of our snacks and drinks in for a long bus ride.

8. Gift a Tree – The Perfect Gift to Make the Planet Greener

Speaking of tree planting, why don’t you actually gift a tree to your traveller?

Giving a tree to someone would probably be an unexpected but unique gift. I think we can all agree that trees are vital to making our planet greener by cleaning the air, promoting biodiversity and preventing soil erosion. At Treedom, you can pick from a wide selection of different types of trees that will then be planted directly by local farmers.

Gifting a tree won’t just be a unique gift to your loved ones but it’ll also bring environmental, social and financial benefits to many communities.

9. Gift an Experience – A Fun Gift to Make Memories

Gifting an experience is definitely our favourite kind of gift. Whilst physical items can be over-used, lost or broken, no-one can take away the memories of an experience. 

So, if you know that your lovely travel friend is heading somewhere, you can always surprise them with a cool activity. That way you won’t just save them some pennies, but every time they recall that incredible activity, they will also remember you. Plus, you can always purchase a joint one and could make unforgettable memories together.

We normally use GetYourGuide or Viator when looking for an organised adventure.

Best Accessories for a Traveller

10. Camera Bag – A Must-Have for Photographers

If your travel family member enjoys photography, then they likely pack a lot of camera equipment. Creating videos for our YouTube Channel and taking photos for our travel blog, we definitely have a fair share of expensive tech with us. Which of course needs storing in an efficient but safe way.

We used our camera backpack on a daily basis whilst backpacking, but we also enjoy using our smaller shoulder bag when we’re travelling closer to home with less equipment.

11. Day Backpack – A Gift for Any Traveller

I think backpacks are also great presents for any traveller. They can be used as hand luggage on a plane or for a day trip. 

If you’re after a more ethically made backpack, I suggest Hemp & Hope which is a sustainable clothing brand I found by chance and fell in love with. They design all of their bags and clothes in Scotland, UK and have them made in Nepal. 

The hemp they use is harvested and spun by women in Baglung and Bajura Villages in the Himalayan mountains. It is then sent to Kathmandu and Pokhara to be made into their items. 

I carried mine across many countries during our backpacking trip and stuffed everything but the kitchen sink in it. And after a year of everyday use, it’s as intact as it was when I received it. 

Browse Hemp & Hope’s website by clicking here.

12. Fanny Pack / Bum Bag or Money Belt – The Must-Have Item for Safety

Although not the most unique gift on the planet, a bum bag or money belt will be a super useful item for any traveller.

Pickpockets are everywhere no matter where you go. So, keeping your valuables such as travel cards, money and phones close to you is very important. We use both a bum bag and a money belt whenever we travel and feel secure knowing that we can always keep our important belongings close to us.

13. Beach Towel – The Coolest Travel Gift Ever

If you’d like your travel friend or family member to be the coolest one on the beach, then you’ll need to get them one of Awesome Maps’ beach towels. Although I’m not a beach person, this towel actually motivates me to go and lie in the sand for a bit.

I think this beach towel is the perfect conversation starter. So, if your traveller is going on a solo adventure, I bet they’ll find like-minded friends straight away.

It’s lightweight, quick dry and also magically sand resistant. You can also choose from a generic bucket list world map or more specific ones, such as diving or hiking ones. If this isn’t the coolest and most unique physical gift to a traveller then I don’t know what is.

Get 10% off with our code: KITTIANDJON

14. Dry Bag – Useful Protection for Water Lovers

Sticking with the water theme, another great gift idea for a traveller is a dry bag.

A dry bag is totally waterproof, and its main purpose is to keep belongings dry during water activities. Whether it’s kayaking, canyoning, water parks or just a boat trip, keeping electronics and other important items like cash dry makes this bag super useful.

15. Scarf, Sarong and Headscarf – The Greatest Multi-Purpose Gift

A big blanket scarf or sarong will come in handy for any of your female traveller friends or family members. It’s probably the only item that I use for so many things that I couldn’t imagine leaving home without one anymore.

A big scarf has been my blanket or my pillow on many overnight buses across Mexico and South America. It was also in my daypack every day during our travels across Turkey in case I had to cover my head and shoulders. And of course, it’s always a great layer if the weather turns cooler.

Bandanas became another staple during my travels. Wearing a headscarf isn’t just a great accessory, but it also helped keep my head cool in hotter places or stopping my hair from getting tangled in windy conditions.

Final Thoughts on Best Gifts for a Traveller

I hope you enjoyed scrolling through this gift guide and managed to get some inspiration from it. I think travellers who are also passionate about the environment would love to receive any of the above travel gifts.

Let me know in the comments below what your favourite gift was and which you’re now strongly considering purchasing for your travel friend or family member.