The best travel gifts come in many shapes and sizes.
Whether it’s a practical present like a sturdy, space-saving backpack that seamlessly takes you from jungle trek to city stroll, a travel-sized toiletry that can make even the most modest of hotels feel like a five-star resort or one of the best gifts for wanderlusters – the experiential travel gift card – we’ve tracked down and tested present ideas for every type of explorer.
Travellers have faced a whole new set of stress factors on their journeys this year, from long-winded passenger locator forms to expensive day-two travel tests and more traffic-light updates that you can shake a selfie stick at. So there has never been more of a need for some travel-related joy.
If you’re looking to delight a traveller in your life this year, consider one of these Christmas gift ideas.
How we tested
While most of our adventures this year have been largely staycations, our tester made sure to include a range of travel gifts that appeal to every kind of wanderer for this gift guide, assessing each item on its quality and wanderlust factor – with extra points given for practicality.
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The best travel gifts for 2021 are:
- Best overall – Stubble & Co the adventure backpack: £185, Stubbleandco.com
- Best last-minute gift – Airbnb gift card: From £25, Airbnb.com
- Best for road trips – DS & Durga auto fragrance set: £60, Mrporter.com
- Best for camping – BioLite campstove 2+: £149.95, Boliteenergy.com
- Best stocking filler – Sensori+ Byron Bay breeze mask sanitiser: £15, Selfridges.com
- Best for heritage tourists – 23AndMe ancestry DNA test: £99, 23andme.com
- Best for over-packers – Paravel foldable travel duffle bag: £64.84, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for serious coffee lovers – Handpresso portable espresso machine: £91.20, Handpresso.com
- Best for hands-free exploring – Dagne Dover phone sling: £59, Modesens.com