3 Must-Have Ayurvedic Items to Pack for Your Next Vacation
- juliegtheyogi
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Stay energized and balanced on your next trip with these three Ayurvedic items to pack—your secret to a vibrant, stress-free vacation.
Packing for vacation always brings out the perfectionist in me. I make a meticulous checklist, double-check it and still worry that I’m forgetting something. I want to avoid wasting time when I arrive at my destination.
Whether you're escaping to the beach, exploring a new city or heading into the mountains for some peace and quiet, travel can do wonders for the soul, but it can also throw your body and mind out of balance. Travel has a way of shaking up your routine. And while that spontaneous energy can be fun, your body and mind still crave some grounding, especially when you're jumping time zones, eating airport snacks and sleeping on hotel pillows.
That’s where Ayurveda, yoga's sister science, comes in. You don’t need to pack a suitcase full of powders and potions to stay balanced on the road. In fact, just a few simple items rooted in Ayurvedic wisdom can support your digestion, skin health and mental clarity naturally.
Learn my top three Ayurvedic travel essentials that can actually fit into a carry-on bag. When it comes to maintaining self-care while traveling, these are the things I don't leave home without.
Tongue Scraper: Start Your Day Fresh
Let’s be honest—travel means breaking routine. But one simple ritual you can keep up while on the road? Tongue scraping. This Ayurvedic self-care practice takes less than a minute and can make a big difference in how you feel every day.
Your tongue is the first place toxins (known as ama in Ayurveda) show up, especially after a night of digestion. Ama accumulates overnight while you're sleeping. The tongue scraper is your new must-pack self-care tool that weighs less than a pair of socks and makes a massive difference.
Why you need it on your trip:
Removes buildup and ama from the mouth
Boosts taste and freshens breath
Fires up digestion (agni) before breakfast
Supports immunity—a must when you're around crowds or airports
How to pack it: Choose a tongue scraper—they’re lightweight, durable and easy to clean—and tuck it into your toiletry kit. I use drTung’s Stainless Steel Tongue Scraper and I love that it comes with a reusable bag to store it in.
How to use it: First thing every morning, before brushing your teeth or drinking anything (even water), gently scrape your tongue from back to front five to seven times. Rinse the tongue scraper between each round.
Coconut Oil: Your Natural Multitasker
Raise your hand if you’ve ever overpacked beauty products. Now imagine replacing five of them with just one small jar of coconut oil. No Ayurvedic travel kit is complete without coconut oil. It's one of the most versatile (and affordable) self-care products you can bring.
But what makes coconut oil an MVP? It does it all. This Ayurvedic staple is cooling and soothing in nature—perfect for pitta season (think: sun, heat and humidity). Bonus: It smells like vacation.
Why you need it on your trip:
Coconut oil is naturally cooling, making it perfect for hot climates, sun-soaked days or anyone with a pitta constitution.
How to pack it: Place coconut oil in a 2 to 3 oz. travel container. Coconut oil solidifies in cooler temperatures and it melts in warmer weather, so store it upright or double-bag it.
How to use it:
Oil your gums: Massage coconut oil onto your gums. Then spit the oil into a trash can and rinse your mouth with warm water.
Moisturizer: Use as the oil for your Abhyanga to deeply hydrate dry skin.
Hair care: Apply to frizzy ends, use as a deep conditioner or tame flyaways.
After-sun soother: If you've had too much sun, coconut oil is a cooling skin relief.
Natural makeup remover: It's gentle and effective, especially on sensitive skin and waterproof mascara.
Bonus Ayurvedic tip: If you’re traveling to a warm destination or have a pitta constitution, coconut oil is an ideal choice. For colder climates or vata types, sesame oil is a warming alternative.
Cumin-Coriander-Fennel Tea: Digestive Harmony On the Go
Traveling often means indulging in new foods, eating at odd hours and sometimes dealing with digestive issues. Enter Cumin-Coriander-Fennel (CCF) Tea, a classic Ayurvedic remedy made from just three humble kitchen spices: cumin, coriander and fennel. This trio is like a digestive dream team:
Cumin ignites digestive fire
Coriander cools inflammation and reduces bloating
Fennel calms the gut and soothes bloating
Why you need it on your trip:
When used together, these three spices create a balanced, caffeine-free tea that gently supports digestion. It’s great after meals, during long flights or any time your stomach feels “off.”
This is why CCF tea is a travel MVP:
Reduces bloating and indigestion
Supports digestive regularity
Calms travel anxiety and stress (vata balancing)
How to pack it: Pack pre-mixed tea bags (check out the CCF Tea from Banyan Botanicals) or combine equal parts of the seeds in empty tea bags or one small container (1 teaspoon total for each seed per cup of tea).
How to use it: Bring your seeds with you wherever you go. All you need is hot water to brew anywhere—in your hotel, an airport lounge or even on the plane. Sip throughout your trip to stay grounded and balanced, especially after unfamiliar foods. Get the recipe below.
CCF Tea Recipe (Travel Version)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cups of water
Instructions
Add your pre-packed tea bags to hot water for five to 10 minutes until fragrant. Then sip and sigh.
Optional: Add a splash of lemon or honey once the tea cools slightly.
As with any addition to your wellness routine, check with your doctor before introducing anything new.
Bonus Ayurvedic Items to Pack
Pack these two items for extra nourishment when traveling.
Silk eye mask to calm anxiety (vata balancing)—especially helpful on flights or in new environments. My absolute favorite is the Slip Sleep Mask. I've had many of these sleep masks and the Slip Pillowcases over the last decade, and these are the only ones I recommend.
Small journal (for mental clarity): Not strictly Ayurvedic, but great for vata balancing. Journaling calms a scattered mind while traveling. I love Moorea Seal's 52 Lists Project journals and have filled in every one of them!
Travel Light, Stay Balanced
Ayurveda is about simplicity, routine and tuning in—not overloading your carry-on. With just a tongue scraper, some coconut oil and a few servings of CCF tea, you can bring a bit of Ayurvedic balance wherever you go. These three items support key pillars of Ayurvedic optimal health:
Cleansing (tongue scraping)
Nourishing (coconut oil)
Digestive strength/agni (CCF tea).
They’re lightweight, affordable and simple—just how self-care should be, especially when you're far from home.
From sun-drenched mornings to late-night snacks, a few intentional Ayurveda-inspired tools can help you stay rooted—even if you're swimming in the ocean or 30,000 feet in the air.
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Screenshot this list before your next trip so you’re always ready to pack Ayurvedic-style—light, aligned and feeling your best.
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