Last Updated on July 29, 2026 by Nadia Halfway

📜 Introduction.

Travelling, especially for long periods, is exciting, freeing, and life-changing. However, travelling long-term with a chronic disease such as Type 1 Diabetes can also feel overwhelming.

Questions like How do I keep my insulin cold? What if I run out of supplies in a remote place? or even What if I lose all my insulin or it gets damaged? aren’t just small worries, but matters of life. Nevertheless, the real question should be: is travelling long-term with Type 1 Diabetes possible? Yes, it is.

After years of travelling around the world, I’ve learnt a lot about managing diabetes on the road. For this reason, I’m sharing with you a practical guide full of diabetes travel tips to help you explore the world safely and, hopefully, to inspire you not to let diabetes stop you. Never.

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⏱ Calculate How Much Insulin and Supplies You Need.

When travelling with diabetes, the first step is knowing how much insulin and equipment (needles, lancets, etc.) you actually use.

The amount of insulin I need now, it is not the same I used to inject when I was 5 years old, or 18, or 25. I currently need a very low quantity (2-3 units for breakfast, 6-7 for lunch and 6-7 for dinner of Humalog, plus 14-15 of Lantus per night).

For example, let’s suppose I have to travel for a month. Here’s my current routine (per excess):

• Humalog: 3 pens/month (20 units/day → 600 units/month → about 2 pens).
• Lantus: 2 pens/month (15 units/night → about 1.5 pens).
• Needles: ~150/month (5/day, since eating abroad often means extra injections).
• Sensors: 3/month (including the new one I wear right before the departure, since one sensor lasts up to 15 days).
• Glucometer: plus 3 packs of strips/month (50 strips each, for at least 5 checks per day).
• Blood lancets: ~150/month (5/day, since I need extra checks when travelling).

💡 Travel Tips.

Always pack at least one extra pen per insulin type for each month. Bags can get stolen, insulin can spoil, pens can fail, and sensors may have technical issues or even fall off. To prevent sensors from falling off, especially when changing clothes or handling your backpack, use a waterproof sensor patch for extra security.

🧊 Keep Insulin Safe and Cool.

The number one concern for me has always been how to store insulin either while moving between destinations and while staying in certain accommodations. Unopened insulin needs to stay at fridge temperature (and long travel days can make that tricky), and daily pens must stay fresh and not in too hot or too cold environments. To sort these issues out, there are a few solutions:

• A cooler bag with ice packs or a USB mini fridge are a lifesaver on buses, trains, and planes.
• Store your daily-use insulin in a smaller cooling case.
• Ask hotel staff to refrigerate insulin and freeze your ice packs.
• In hostels, label your insulin bag clearly as life-saving medication before putting it in the fridge, so hopefully no one would touch it.

💡 Travel Tips.

Please make sure hotel staff clearly understand where to store your supplies. The language barrier can be tricky, and they might accidentally put your insulin in the freezer. If you’re keeping insulin in a hostel fridge, also check whether the kitchen is locked at certain times. You don’t want to leave early for a train or flight and find all your insulin stuck inside with no staff around to help, like it happened to me in Malaysia!

🚥 Adjust Your Therapy on the Road.

Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes means your routine won’t stay the same. Different foods, physical activity, and irregular schedules all affect blood sugar. My personal strategies include:

• Lower basal insulin while travelling (but always bring extra pens).
• Carry quick sugar everywhere you go. I stock sugar packets from cafés and carry juice or soda bottle as long, active days mean more lows than usual.
• Bring at least one Glucagon pen in case of emergencies or severe hypoglycemia: it could save your life while on the road.

💡 Travel Tips.

If you don’t like eating sugar or drinking soda, you can use glucose tablets as an alternative for treating hypoglycemia.

💯 Get the Right Travel Insurance for Diabetes.

Finding a travel insurance that covers pre-existing conditions like diabetes can be frustrating because many policies won’t cover complications related to chronic diseases.

During my first long backpacking trip to South East Asia, in Thailand to be precise, I used True Traveller as they are (as far as I know) one of the few that:

• Covers trips up to 18 months.
• Allows you to declare diabetes as a pre-existing condition.
• Offers affordable rates compared to many competitors.

Whatever insurance you choose, buy it as early as possible and read the fine print to make sure diabetes-related emergencies are really covered. In this regard, check out my article to discover 5 travel insurance for Type 1 diabetes. I’ve compared the top policies to help you choose the perfect cover for your next trip!

💡 Travel Tips.

Always declare your diabetes when purchasing your policy. It might feel tempting to skip it to avoid higher premiums, but if you ever need to make a claim, an undeclared pre-existing condition can void your entire coverage, leaving you with no protection at all.

🇪🇺 Travelling in Europe with Type 1 Diabetes.

If you are travelling within Europe and hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if you are a UK resident, make sure you bring it with you on every trip. These cards grant you access to state-provided healthcare in EU and EEA countries (and the UK, for EHIC holders) at the same cost as local residents, which can make an enormous difference in an emergency situation such as a severe hypoglycaemic episode or a diabetic ketoacidosis.

💡 Travel Tips.

It is crucial to understand that the EHIC/GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It does not cover private medical treatment, repatriation, lost supplies, or the cost of replacing insulin and devices abroad. For this reason, I always recommend having both, the card for immediate access to public healthcare, and a comprehensive travel insurance policy that specifically covers Type 1 Diabetes as a pre-existing condition for everything else.

🏥 Visit Your Healthcare Team Before You Leave.

A pre-travel check-up is essential before long-term travel. Ask your doctor or diabetes nurse for these documents. They might be useful if airport security questions the amount of supplies you’re carrying.

• A copy of your prescription.
• A letter confirming your diagnosis and explaining your medication/devices.

💡 Travel Tips.

If English is not your mothertonque, ask your doctor to provide at least an English translation with their signature and hospital stamp.

🅱 Always Have a Backup Plan.

The golden rule of diabetes travel planning is be prepared for things to go wrong.

Personally, I’ve had my fair share of diabetes-related mishaps while travelling, and each one has taught me an important lesson (you can read all my experiences in this post Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes). From insulin going bad to a damaged supply bag, I’ve learnt the hard way that backups are non-negotiable, but vital.

Here are some backup strategies that could literally save your life:

• Keep at least one insulin pen or vial in a different bag.
• Always bring your glucometer, even if you wear a sensor.
• Carry spare lancets.
• Stash low supplies (glucose tabs, snacks, sodas) in multiple spots.
• Bring a backup method of insulin delivery (pens if you pump, syringes if you use pens).

❓ FAQ.

🎈 Conclusion.

Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes isn’t easy, but absolutely possible. With backup supplies and efficient solutions to keep insulin cool, you can focus on the adventure instead of the stress.

Diabetes doesn’t get to set your limits. The world is still wide open: so pack smart, plan ahead, and go live your adventure.

If you have already booked your trip, definitely have a read of my post about the must-have items for travelling with Type 1 Diabetes.

💬 And you? What are your best diabetes travel tips? Share them in the comments. I’d love to learn from your experience!

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