Forget Everything Else: Indian Travellers Swear by These Packing Essentials

It’s the night before your big trip. The tickets are printed, the hotel is booked, excitement is sky-high... and the suitcase? Still half empty, or worse, filled with snacks and socks but no charger.

According to a recent survey by Booking.com and YouGov, over 40% of Indian travellers regularly forget essential items when packing for their trips. But what’s even more fascinating is that there are a few comfort items they never forget, no matter the destination.

In this fun and insightful blog, we’ll unpack (pun intended) the most forgotten travel items by Indian travellers and the must-have essentials they never leave home without, from power banks to parathas.

“Oops! I Forgot My Charger but Packed Thepla”, Inside the Hilarious Packing Habits of Indian Travellers

Most Forgotten Travel Items by Indian Travellers

Let’s face it, packing for a trip in an Indian household is no less than a group project with no team leader. While relatives shout last-minute advice and moms sneak in extra theplas or socks, it’s easy to forget what actually matters. Surprisingly, it’s not always the obscure things we leave behind, it’s often the most obvious ones.

Here’s a closer look at what Indian travellers tend to forget most (and yes, some of them are hilariously unbelievable).

1. Clothes (Yes, Actual Clothes)

You’d think packing clothes would be instinctive. Yet, over 42% of Indian travellers confessed to forgetting key clothing items, be it a spare shirt, socks, undergarments, or even an entire outfit.

Often, travellers remember toiletries, snacks, and power banks, but leave behind their only pair of jeans or festival-ready kurta. And let’s not even start on beach trips where the swimsuit is somehow always forgotten.

• Packing Tip: Don’t depend on memory. Create a visual list or lay out all your outfits day-wise. Fold, roll, and count before sealing that zip.

2. Chargers and Electronics

Imagine reaching Manali, ready to take in the mountain air, only to realize you’ve forgotten your phone charger, earphones, or other gadgets. Unfortunately, this happens to around 35–37% of Indian travellers.

In a world where every moment is Instagram-worthy and maps are lifesavers, forgetting your power bank or camera battery is equivalent to travel doom.

• Packing Tip: Dedicate a zippered pouch just for electronics and make it part of your pre-departure ritual to double-check it.

3. Toiletries

Many travellers assume that their hotel will provide everything. Until, of course, they’re brushing with a finger in the morning. Around 33–36% forget basic toiletries like toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorant, or shaving kits.

And while your hotel may offer a comb or a bar of soap, your skin might not thank you for it.

• Packing Tip: Invest in a compact toiletry bag with travel-size items that always stays half-packed and ready for the next adventure.

4. Spectacles and Jewellery

Whether it’s your vision or your vanity, forgetting these can make the trip blurry and bland.

• Spectacles or Sunglasses: Forgotten by 30%

• Jewellery or Watches: Forgotten by 22%

Not only are these items vital for seeing clearly (or completing your airport look), they’re expensive and difficult to replace in a hurry.

• Packing Tip: Always keep your specs or sunglasses in your handbag and designate a small pouch for minimal jewellery essentials.

5. Passports and Important Documents

You read that right, 17% of travellers have reached the airport only to realize that their passport or government ID is still resting peacefully in a drawer at home.

There’s no shortcut here. Unlike a charger, this isn’t something you can replace at a roadside shop. The trip ends before it begins.

• Packing Tip: Store all travel documents in a clearly labeled folder and cross-check it the night before departure.

6. And Yes... Pets

Now, for the most unexpected and slightly shocking statistic: 12% of Indian travellers have forgotten their pets while leaving for a trip.

Whether it was assumed someone else would bring them or sheer oversight, one can only imagine the confused Labrador at the gate as the family reaches Goa and realizes something’s missing.

• Packing Tip: If your furry friend is coming along, or staying with a sitter, create a pet checklist and assign responsibility to one family member.

Also read: 40 Most Beautiful Places in The World

What Indian Travellers Never Forget: Comfort Over Convenience

When it comes to travel, Indian wanderers may forget power banks or sunscreen, but certain things always find space in the suitcase. They're not listed in glossy travel guides or influencer packing checklists, but ask any seasoned Indian traveller, and you’ll find that comfort beats convenience every single time. These items are sacred, sentimental, and surprisingly strategic.

1. Dry Snacks: Our Culinary First-Aid Kit

For over 54% of Indian travellers, the first thing packed is not sunscreen or sunglasses, but a stash of crispy, crunchy, and utterly satisfying snacks. Think:

• Khakhra: Thin, roasted discs of delight from Gujarat, perfect with pickle or chutney.

• Chakli: That coiled, crunchy goodness with a spicy kick, often fried lovingly at home.

• Namkeen: From spicy sev to bhujia blends, a salty snack mix to nibble while gazing out the window seat.

• Parle-G biscuits: More than a biscuit—it’s nostalgia packed in plastic. Best enjoyed with train chai.

These aren't just snacks. They are mood boosters, conversation starters with fellow passengers, and even lifesavers during unpredictable delays. After all, snacking is our emotional support system on the go.

2. Home-Cooked Meals: The Real In-Flight Feast

Around 37% of travellers tuck in piping hot aloo parathas, soft puri sabzi, or spicy theplas wrapped in foil and faith. It’s not just about the taste, it’s about home.

Why settle for plastic-tasting airline meals when you can unwrap a meal prepared by someone who loves you? Even at 35,000 feet, an Indian heart longs for the familiar flavours of home. Fellow passengers often get a whiff and wish they’d thought ahead.

From tightly packed tiffins to carefully layered steel dabbas, home-cooked food is a declaration: Wherever I go, my culture, and my food, goes with me.

3. Tea or Coffee Sachets: Because "One Cup" Doesn’t Fit All

Over 41% of travellers insist on carrying their own tea or coffee sachets. Why? Because hotel tea rarely satisfies a soul raised on kadak chai or filter coffee.

From masala chai pre-mixes to three-in-one coffee blends, these little sachets are more than just beverage options, they’re comfort in a cup. Some even carry a mini electric kettle just to ensure the brew tastes just right.

It’s not about being picky, it’s about preserving rituals. After all, how can one truly start their day if the tea doesn’t taste like home?

4. Dry Fruits and Mints: The Smart Snacker’s Arsenal

Over 40% pack dry fruits like almonds, cashews, or raisins, a nutritious nibble between sightseeing spots or layovers. Meanwhile, 39% carry mints or candies, because oral freshness is non-negotiable after hours of travel or heavy meals.

This isn’t just snacking, it’s strategic energy planning. Dry fruits offer quick fuel, mints keep you refreshed, and both fit snugly into side pockets and purses.

In short, Indians travel like snack-level strategists, always ready, always energized.

5. Toiletries (On the Way Back): Souvenirs in Disguise

Here’s a twist: 44% of Indian travellers often forget to pack toiletries while leaving for the trip, but never forget to bring them back.

That half-used shampoo bottle from the hotel? Wrapped in a plastic bag and zipped into the side compartment. The mini body lotion, too precious to toss? It's coming home.

It’s not about frugality, it’s about preserving memories, one hotel-sized toiletry at a time. These little bottles become souvenirs, reminders of where we stayed, what we loved, and how well we were pampered.

Also read: 8 Travel Accessories You Should Avoid Carrying

The Emotional Luggage of an Indian Traveller

When an Indian traveller zips up their suitcase, it’s not just a collection of clothes, toiletries, and travel documents. It’s a curated exhibit of identity, memories, and comfort. Every ziplock and foil packet whispers of home, whether you're headed to the Alps or Andaman.

So, what does the Indian suitcase really carry?

More than just essentials, it’s a little world of its own. Here's what you might find tucked inside:

• 2 packs of thepla carefully wrapped in foil (because gluten has never met masala quite like this)

• Homemade chai premix in a ziplock (because airport coffee is an abomination)

• A family-size namkeen pack (to share with strangers and still run out midway)

• One toothbrush, from the last trip

• The phone charger, missing again, obviously

• The dog's leash, hopefully not the dog

• The entire folder of travel documents, left on the printer, as tradition demands

It’s chaotic. It’s confusing. But it’s undeniably comforting.

Why Do Indian Travellers Pack Like This?

1. Emotional Anchors

Packing isn’t just functional, it’s therapeutic. A handful of snacks or a chai mix offers familiarity in a world of the unfamiliar. It’s how we carry a piece of home across continents.

2. Optimism Meets Chaos

Indian travellers are nothing if not optimistic. “I’ll remember everything,” we say, right until we forget half of it. Packing lists? Optional. Mom? Mandatory.

3. The Cultural Packing Syndrome

There’s a reason Indian airports feature the most oversized luggage trolleys. We don’t believe in “packing light.” We believe in “packing right”, and by right, we mean everything. Because you never know when you’ll need extra flip-flops, a backup sweater, or that half kilo of mango pickle.

Travel Smart: Avoid Forgetting Essentials

Let’s admit it, forgetting something is part of the great Indian travel ritual. But just in case you want to try being prepared:

• Make a packing checklist and actually use it

• Start packing 2–3 days early, because panic-packing is how chargers get left behind

• Label your bags clearly, especially “snacks” vs. “shampoo”

• Do a last-minute essentials check: charger, passport, wallet, toothbrush, and yes, check if your pet is not in the bag

Also read: 30 Most Beautiful Cities in the World for Indian Travelers to Visit

Final Takeaway: Travel May Be Messy, But It’s Full of Heart

Sure, Indian travellers forget spectacles, socks, and sometimes even boarding passes. But they never forget who they are. What they bring may be mismatched, overstuffed, or unplanned, but it’s packed with love, taste, and tradition.

So, the next time you're sipping your homemade chai beside a Swiss lake, munching thepla while googling “pharmacy near me” for a toothbrush, take a moment to smile.

You’re not just travelling. You’re living the great Indian suitcase story. One snack, one forgotten charger, and one cultural quirk at a time.