Anyone who knows me will tell you I love clothes (i.e. my closet doth overflow). So trust me when I say I feel your pain when you are trying to pack for a 12 day tour and are told you only can bring one suitcase. (gasp, did you say one, as in uno, suitcase? Yep, tours only allow you to take one bag with a maximum weight of 50lbs.) And before you run out to buy the biggest suitcase you can find, you definitely need to read my blog post on packing because a big bag does you no good if the bag itself it eats up to 25% of your weight limit. You should be as concerned about the actual weight of your suitcase as you are with the things you put in it. Many suitcases can weigh up to 15lbs. which is crazy when you can now get an ultralight and durable suitcase for less than 6 lbs.
Here is an overview of my suggestions, which I admit are geared for women but hang in there because it is followed by packing lists for both women and men.
Packing Tip #1 – Limit footwear
I know we love our shoes but trust me, you don’t need a pair to match every outfit. You can easily get by with only two pairs (and definitely not more than three) – a closed-toe walking shoe and a pair of sandals. As you are picking footwear make sure they are extremely comfortable. Don’t wait until the last minute to buy a new pair of shoes, get them early and break them in.
Packing Tip #2 – Color Coordinate
Choosing a neutral base color will allow you to pack less and wear each piece in more ways. On an extended trip like this there is no getting around the fact that you will need to wear the same clothes over and over again so it needs to be versatile. I always build around black because it hides dirt and looks chic.
Packing Tip #3 – Layer
Build your wardrobe choices around clothing that you can layer. It is usually cooler in the mornings and evenings, so wear a base piece that you can easily pull your sweater or jacket over.
Packing Tip #4 – Dress Conservatively
Drawing attention to yourself is not a positive thing when traveling. Be careful not to be suggestive – or – offensive in the way you dress.
Packing Tip #5 – Bring the old and leave it behind
One of the things that you won’t want to skimp on but will take up a fair amount of space is undies and socks. So go ahead and pack a pair for every day, but bring your old stuff and instead of continuing to lug around a bunch of worn, dirty underthings, toss them away at the end of the day. You will lighten your load bit by bit and end up with some extra space to bring home treasures you buy along the way. You can even take it to the next level and bring tops and clothing you don’t mind leaving behind.
Clothing List For Women:
1 pair walking shoes with rubber treads
- 1 pair of walking sandals or a second pair of walking shoes
- 1 medium rain windbreaker jacket with hood
- 1 fleece jacket which can be layered under windbreaker
- 3 pairs of pants (I love cargo pants because it gives me a secure pocket for my passport! I also usually fly wearing a pair of stretch or yoga pants for comfort).
- 1 pair of capris (or a knee-length or longer skirt) in case it gets warm
- 3 long sleeve shirts
- 3 short sleeve shirts
- 1 heavy weight sweater
- 1 lightweight wrap (I have an ultra thin one that I can jam in my bag)
- 2 scarves to accessorize (one lightweight, one cozy warm)
- 1 pair of gloves (the weather can get chilly in Jerusalem)
- 1 pair of PJ’s
- 6 pairs of underwear (12 if you are going to throw them out)
- 2 bras (wear one, pack one)
- 1 bathing suit (take an old one, the Dead Sea salt is hard on them)
- 1 lightweight cotton sarong (use as bathing suit cover-up, ground cloth to sit down when there are no benches, shoulder/head covering for certain sites)
Clothing List For Men:
- 2 pairs of shoes with rubber treads (walking shoes/athletic shoes or sandals)
- 1 medium weight rain windbreaker jacket
- 1 ball cap (some religious site require you to cover your head)
- 1 fleece jacket which can be layered under windbreaker
- 3 pairs of pants (2 would probably be enough, again cargo pants are perfect)
- 1 pair of long shorts (optional)
- 3 long sleeve shirts
- 4 short sleeve shirts (polo’s or t-shirts without slogans are fine)
- Sleepwear
- Underwear
- Swim trunks
- Suit Jacket and tie (just kidding, leave them home!)
* Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
