About Go Backpacking Go Backpacking

Go Backpacking is your online guide to independent travel.

Here you'll find:

Practical, budget-oriented travel advice for planning your adventures.
Original destination and how-to instructional stories.
Beautiful photos from around the world to keep you inspired between trips.

Founder, Editor in Chief

Dave Lee began Go Backpacking in 1998 to inspire others to travel abroad. He's a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Association (ATTA), and Professional Travel Bloggers Association (PTBA). He's been to 70 countries across six continents and has lived in Colombia and Peru.

Community Manager

Adam Cheshier joined Go Backpacking in summer 2018 as our first Community Manager. He's taken the lead on social media and contributes stories to the website too. You can find more of his writing on his blog, Wanderway.

Past Contributors

LC Haughey, Ryan Hiraki, Mark Wiens, Danielle Alvarez, Leslie Brand, Lindsay Clark, Matthew Falk, Hansen Hunt, Troy Floyd, Andi Perullo, Laura Silver

Drafting a blog post in a bungalow - Koh Samui, Thailand (July 2008) — Drafting a blog post in a bungalow – Koh Samui, Thailand (July 2008)

More about Dave and Go Backpacking

Dave's 'round the world trip

On November 29, 2007, I left the comforts of my home and a well-paying job in the United States for the wide open road with nothing but a 20-pound backpack, an ATM card, and an insatiable wanderlust for discovering new cultures and sharing those experiences in writing, photos, and videos.

I traveled around the world, visiting 22 countries over 20 months. I was robbed. I got sick. I met amazing people. I felt lonely. I felt inspired. I felt frustrated. I felt free. It was perfect.

This blog is dedicated to inspiring and motivating others to make their travel dreams come true, whether it be a one week vacation or a five-year vagabonding odyssey.

Where is Dave now?

I completed my trip around the world with a six-month stay in beautiful Medellin, Colombia, where I began a blog about my experiences in the city of the eternal Spring called Medellin Living.

I returned home to Virginia in July 2009 where I continued blogging, and launched Travel Blog Success, an online course and community, to teach others how to build a high-quality travel blog.

For seven years, I continued to split my time between Colombia and seeing more of the world.

In 2016, I sold Medellin Living and moved back to the United States. In late 2017, I sold Travel Blog Success too.

As of 2018, I'm re-focusing my efforts on Go Backpacking, and I've started a new food blog called Feastio.

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Last Updated on April 17th, 2019