Preparation before the trip

Things to prepare before your trip:

  • It is the tour members' responsibility to ensure that they have valid passports and visas. Please make sure you organize your own visas in time for the tour. In case you need help with organizing the visas we will be delighted to help you.
  • If the price of roundtrip flight tickets to Europe is not included in the tour you book, please make sure that you book your own flight tickets. In case you need help with booking flight tickets we can help you to book.
  • Insurance is not included in the tour cost. You are strongly advised to have full travel insurance.
  • In case you do not have yet, buy appropriate clothes & shoes (see details in the list below).
  • Suitable amount of cash in EUR. We recommend you not to bring VND or similar currencies to exchange in Europe. Currencies such as VND are difficult to exchange in Europe and exchange rates are bad. If your bank card allows you can also take cash directly from ATMs. Master / Visa / Maestro / Plus cards are accepted nearly everywhere in Europe.


List of things to bring for your trip:

Clothes & Shoes:

  • suitable clothes for the cold season such as:
  1. winter jacket (preferably water-repellent and with hood)
  2. winter sweaters
  3. long-sleeved warm shirts (to wear under sweater)
  4. long warm pants
  5. long underpants (recommended to make you feel extra warm in mountains)
  6. several pair of thick woollen socks (useful in both mountains and city)
  7. gloves
  8. warm hat or headband

  • suitable clothes for the warm season such as:
  1. shorts
  2. swimwear

  • underwear
  • water-repellent hiking shoes or water-repellent winter boots (for the mountains, also useful in the city)
  • comfortable shoes to walk in the cities. Please do not wear high heels when walking in the tour group as we have to walk at a certain speed to reach all sightseeing points.
  • umbrella (a small one is enough to save space)

Electronics:

  • world travel adapter
  • camera & battery & SD card & camera lenses & charging cable
  • mobile phone & charging cable

Food & Drink:

  • water bottle to refill (ideally one that can keep water hot)
  • food: any food or snacks you may need during the flight. Chocolates or sweets in case there is no smoking lounge at the airport where you change flight or if you do not have time to go to a smoking lounge. To save space please do not bring any instant noodles or similar things, you can buy such things in Europe as well.

Toiletries & Cosmetics & Medication:

  • toiletries: toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, cosmetics, lotion, cleanser
  • medical kit, for example: medicated oil, stomach medication, headache medication, flu medication, tablets for allergies, band-aid. Depending on your personal health, bring your own diet sugar or prescription.
  • to protect yourself from the sun: sunscreen, sunglasses, hat or umbrella
  • for dry air (especially in mountains): lip balm, appropriate skincare
  • heat pads may be useful. However, please note that it is more important to bring appropriate clothing.

Other items:

  • passport with a valid visa
  • your wallet with bank cards, credit cards, cash (EUR, maybe CHF as well)
  • medical insurance card, medical insurance policy of your travel insurance (if you have, highly recommended to buy travel insurance)
  • glasses


Please do not bring the following things with you:

  • fresh food / vegetables / meat (not allowed to bring to Europe)
  • weapons, knives and any other items not allowed as per flight regulations
  • high heels. Please do not wear high heels when walking in the tour group as we have to walk at a certain speed to reach all sightseeing points.
  • Consider leaving your computer at home. If you follow all the tour programme, there will be no time to use it and in the evenings you will be too tired to use it.


Packing instructions:

  • bring one big check-in luggage (please check maximum weight allowed, usually 23 kg)
  • For tours where we use public transport, please do not bring two separate luggages. Only bring as many luggages as you can carry yourself from train / bus stations to the hotel and opposite.
  • bring one backpack for walking in cities and mountains (to carry water, camera, picnic and other small items yourself)
  • If you plan to do shopping leave some space in your luggage for shopping items or bring an extra suitcase.
  • Wear your heaviest / bulkiest shoes and jacket on the plane to save space.
  • Make sure all items not allowed in your cabin luggage are in your check-in luggage (e.g. liquids above the allowed maximum amount, pincers, scissors)
  • Double-check the weight of your luggage before leaving. Book additional luggage online if you have more luggage than allowed for your flight ticket.
  • Add a luggage tag with address / email / phone number to all your luggages.