---
title: "Travel first aid kit: what to pack in it"
description: "How to properly stock a travel first aid kit for long-distance mountain treks? The article gives you a detailed list of medications and further advice for safe traveling."
canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/travel-first-aid-kit-what-to-pack"
last_updated: "2025-05-05"
---

# Travel first aid kit: what to pack in it

Authors: Michaela Czempková

Date: 2025-05-05

How to properly stock a travel first aid kit for long-distance mountain treks? The article gives you a detailed list of medications and further advice for safe traveling.

Whether you're heading out for a day hike, a weekend trek, or a long expedition, a well-stocked first aid kit should always be a given. You never know when it'll come in handy – for you or for someone you happen to run into on the trail. A properly put-together first aid kit can help you quickly deal with minor injuries, and in a real emergency, it can even save a life. That's why it's essential not only to pack the right contents, but also to know how to use them correctly.

Taking a first-aid course is extremely valuable for learning how to handle emergencies. I personally completed a five-day course with a local first-aid training provider in 2024, and I can highly recommend it. I came away full of new knowledge and much more confident that I'd be able to help my hiking partner – or anyone else – in a crisis.

*Practicing how to stop bleeding at a first-aid course*

*A simulation exercise at a first-aid course*

*Checking for breathing*

## What belongs in a travel first aid kit?

The amount of medication and other supplies you bring on a trek always depends on the length of the trip, your location, the size of your group, and the availability of medical care in the area. For a shorter trip, a few tablets of key medications is usually enough; for long expeditions, on the other hand, increase your quantities based on the actual risks and how long you'll be spending in remote areas.

Below is a list of everything that could come in handy on a long-distance trek or mountain crossing. Before each trip, I pick out the items relevant to that specific trek – based on the number of days and the destination. For weekend trips and shorter treks, I only pick out part of the list, so it all fits in my Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag First Aid 1 L. For a month-long winter crossing of the Kungsleden or a mountain trek in Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, I had almost everything on the list packed. For these longer treks, I use the Sea To Summit Hydraulic Packing Cube waterproof organizer.

Don't forget to also bring any medication you take regularly, in a quantity that exceeds your planned trip length. You never know if your return might get delayed. For every medication you bring, I recommend always having the package insert saved on your phone, or bringing a paper copy. It'll help you dose your medication correctly and minimize any risks.

You don't always need to bring whole blister packs – it's often enough to cut off the number of tablets you need. But before you start cutting up a blister pack, always check the expiration date printed on the packaging first (for example, 07/25 means the medication can be safely used until the end of July 2025). After the expiration date, medication may no longer be sufficiently effective, or may not work at all. Remember that the most important part of your first aid kit is always your own knowledge and ability to provide first aid.

## Medications and ointments

1. **Painkillers** – paracetamol (Panadol, Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Nurofen), aspirin; for pain and fever relief – ibuprofen is also anti-inflammatory, and aspirin also helps with altitude sickness and in a suspected heart attack.
2. **Activated charcoal** – for water- or food-borne poisoning, diarrhea, and digestive issues; note that it reduces the effectiveness of other medications.
3. **Diosmectite (Smecta)** – an alternative to activated charcoal for diarrhea and digestive issues.
4. **Intestinal antiseptics** – e.g. nifuroxazide; for acute bacterial diarrhea – afterwards, be sure to restore your gut microbiome and follow a light diet.
5. **Probiotics** – support diarrhea treatment and help restore gut flora (yogurt or kefir at home, Saccharomyces boulardii – e.g. Enterol/Florastor – on the trail).
6. **Loperamide (Imodium)** – stops diarrhea quickly; it doesn't treat the cause, just slows down bowel movement.
7. **Motion sickness and nausea remedies** – dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), ginger candies; be aware that these can make you drowsy or even sleepy.
8. **Stuffy nose** – nasal drops and sprays (oxymetazoline or xylometazoline, e.g. Otrivin, Nasivin).
9. **Sore throat** – throat lozenges to soothe the mucous membrane.
10. **Cough** – for a dry cough (e.g. butamirate) and a productive cough (e.g. acetylcysteine, ambroxol); don't combine the two.
11. **Allergies** – antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), or levocetirizine (Xyzal).
12. **Epinephrine auto-injector** – essential for severe allergy sufferers, recommended for demanding expeditions, available by prescription.
13. **Antibiotics** – worth carrying on longer expeditions to areas with limited access to medical care; available by prescription – discuss the risks and any penicillin allergy with your doctor.
14. **Eye drops** – for irritated or inflamed eyes.
15. **Eye ointment** – for non-infectious conjunctivitis.
16. **Petroleum jelly** – prevents chafing and skin abrasions.
17. **Antihistamine gel (Fenistil)** – relieves itching from insect bites.
18. **Cold sores** – antiviral cream (e.g. acyclovir) or cold sore patches.
19. **Heartburn** – antacids such as Rennie or Gaviscon.
20. **Fungal infections** (skin, vaginal, nail) – antifungal cream, e.g. clotrimazole (Canesten).
21. **Hydrogel wound dressing** – supports moist wound healing, helps prevent infection, and speeds up recovery.
22. **Muscle and joint gel** – diclofenac or ibuprofen gel (e.g. Voltaren) for Achilles tendons, knees, and feet; watch out for photosensitivity.

## Disinfectants

1. **Betadine ointment** – iodine-based disinfectant for wounds and abrasions; test for allergies on healthy skin first.
2. **Betadine solution** – the bottle can sometimes leak, so seal it well in a zip-lock bag.
3. **Alcohol-based disinfectant**
4. **Hydrogen peroxide**

## Bandages, dressings, and other items

1. **Blister plasters** – protect against pain and infection from blisters.
2. **Cushioned adhesive bandages** – for minor wounds.
3. **Adhesive tape without a pad** – for securing sterile dressings, e.g. Omnifix.
4. **Sterile gauze** – 10×10 cm squares; combined with Betadine, it can replace a paraffin gauze dressing.
5. **Sterile dressing, paraffin gauze**
6. **Steri-Strips** – adhesive skin closures for small cuts.
7. **Bandages** – type 3 and 4, ready-made dressings for stopping massive bleeding.
8. **Elastic bandage** – for immobilizing sprained ankles and other injuries.
9. **Rigid sports tape** – for immobilizing ankles and other injuries.
10. **Elastic kinesiology tape** – helps prevent blisters on your heels.
11. **Emergency thermal blanket** – helps prevent hypothermia; carry two per person.
12. **Scissors** – sharp enough to cut cleanly.
13. **Tweezers**
14. **Needles** – for popping blisters or removing debris from a wound; 0.8 mm recommended.
15. **Triangular bandage** – for immobilizing limbs in case of fractures.
16. **Gloves** – protect against infection when giving first aid.
17. **Tourniquet** – for stopping massive bleeding; a CAT tourniquet is ideal.
18. **SAM splint** – for immobilizing fractures; at least 90 cm long.
19. **Magnesium supplement** – helps prevent cramps, e.g. Magnosolv.
20. **Isotonic drink / oral rehydration solution** – replenishes electrolytes after exertion or digestive issues.
21. **Glucose tablets** – an instant energy source for hypoglycemia and exhaustion.
22. **Sunscreen** – protects against UV radiation; SPF 50 is ideal.
23. **Tampons**
24. **Condom** – surprisingly versatile (protects against moisture, works as an emergency water container).
25. **Lip balm** – protects lips from drying out; look for one with SPF.
26. **Hand sanitizer gel**
27. **Earplugs**

*The Slovak Mountain Rescue Service*

*Gear for crossing the Low Tatras*

*The Low Tatras ridge near Ďurková*

## Other recommended gear

1. **Culo Clean travel bidet** – creates a strong stream of water for rinsing out open, dirty wounds.
2. **Mechanical water filter** – test its compatibility with your other bottles before the trip.
3. **UV water purifier** – for areas with a risk of viral contamination.
4. **Chlorine water purification tablets** – ideally combined with a mechanical filter.
5. **Head net** – essential for places like Scandinavia or Scotland in summer.
6. **Sleeping mosquito net** – for one or two people.
7. **Insect repellent**
8. **Satellite communicator (Garmin inReach)** – essential for areas without cell signal, useful on Stezka Českem too.

- [Kula Cloth](/p/kula-cloth-pee-cloth.md)
- [Culo Clean](/p/culo-clean-bidet.md)
- [Sea To Summit Nano Mosquito Headnet](/p/sea-to-summit-nano-mosquito-headnet.md)
- [Sawyer Micro Squeeze SP2129](/p/sawyer-micro-squeeze-sp2129.md)
- [Liteway Mosquito Nethead](/p/liteway-mosquito-nethead.md)
- [Platypus Softbottle 1.0 L Platy Logo Closure Cap](/p/platypus-softbottle-1-l-platy-logo-closure-cap.md)
- [Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag First Aid](/p/sea-to-summit-lightweight-dry-bag-first-aid.md)
- [Sea To Summit Nano Mosquito Double](/p/sea-to-summit-nano-mosquito-double.md)

## What the first aid kit itself should look like

Your first aid kit should be protected from light, heat, and moisture. It should be easy to recognize – for example, marked with a cross and in a bright color (traditionally red). It should be waterproof, durable, and packed in your backpack so it's quickly accessible not just to you, but also to anyone else who might need to give you first aid.

Personally, I use a Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag First Aid on shorter treks. On longer treks, I usually split my first aid kit between two organizers: the Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag First Aid waterproof pouch for bandages, plasters, thermal blankets, and similar items, and the Sea To Summit Hydraulic Packing Cube waterproof organizer for medication, ointments, disinfectants, and small items.

*Waterproof first aid kit pouch*

*Trek gear including the first aid kit*

*Sea To Summit First Aid waterproof pouch*

## Working with a group

If you're heading out on a trek with hiking partners, it's important to know their health status. Tell each other if anyone has any health conditions, how long they've had them, and what to do if a problem comes up. It's also important to know where each person keeps their medication. Save each other's emergency contacts, and ask about any allergies, epilepsy, or other serious conditions. Knowing each group member's physical condition will help you plan your route, its length, and difficulty so the whole team can complete the trek safely.

## A few more important tips for before you go

- Don't forget travel insurance! Don't underestimate a trip abroad, even if it's just a weekend or a quick trip to a neighboring country.
- Find out the emergency contacts and local rescue services for the area you're traveling to. Save them on your phone and write them down on paper too.
- Check what emergency SOS app is available for the region you're traveling to (in Central Europe, for example, that's Záchranka, available in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, and, since 2025, Finland too).
- Share your route with someone close to you – your parents, friends.
- Set up an emergency (ICE) contact on your phone.
- Check the recommended vaccinations for your destination.
- Check the availability of medical care at your destination.
- Keep electronic package inserts for every medication in your first aid kit.
- Take a first-aid course, in person or online, ideally one taught by a qualified emergency medicine professional.
- If you're traveling by car, check your car first aid kit too.
- When traveling abroad, I recommend registering your trip with your home country's foreign ministry or embassy travel-registration service – for Czech citizens, this is the DROZD portal at drozd.mzv.cz – which provides fast assistance and important information in emergencies.

- [Tyvek 150x250 cm (for 2 people)](/p/tyvek-groundsheet-250-x-150-cm.md)
- [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md)
- [Darn Tough Men's Sunset Ridge Micro Crew Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-sunset-ridge-micro-crew-lightweight-mens.md)
- [Nikwax Down Wash Direct 300 ml](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-300-ml.md)
- [Atsko Sport Wash 532 ml](/p/atsko-sport-wash-532-ml.md)
- [Sea To Summit Wilderness Wash 100 ml](/p/sea-to-summit-wilderness-wash-100-ml.md)
- [Liteway Pyraomm Duo Half Mesh](/p/liteway-pyraomm-duo-half-mesh.md)

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