Holiday Camping Tips

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Camping trips in mountains, forests and beaches is a great group activity for all ages. The experience of sleeping, cooking and eating out in the open is a great way to explore the outdoors. Camping require more equipments and preparations compared to many other outdoor activities.

Some examples of the equipments needed are tents, fire starters, cooking utensils, first aid kit, maps and compass. It is important that you are familiar with the use of these equipments before the camping trip. Learning how to set up your tent before hand will save you a lot of time and trouble during the trip.

Make sure there are enough tents for all campers. A 4-man tents means that it can fit 4 persons at maximum capacity. If you assign four persons to a tent of this size, each of them will have to sleep lined up next to each other like sardines in a tent. For a comfortable fit, two persons should be assigned to every 4-man tent.

Although it is very popular to cook food over open fires, portable stoves provide a convenient alternative. It may be a little bulky, but having a portable gas stove guarantee hot meals during camping. If you opt to build your own fire, make sure you have plenty of fire-starters, matches and have a little knowledge on how to build a fire from twigs. Check with the local authorities if it is permissible to build a campfire and if there is a designated areas to build them. Building a fire may take some effort and time, but it is a fun activity that adds to the rugged experience of camping.

It is always a good idea to bring along lots of canned food for convenience and hygiene purposes. Cooking raw foods takes a little more time, and if not well cooked, may cause tummy-upsets among your fellow campers. It case it rains, make sure you are well stocked with ready-to-eat food and snacks so that you don’t go hungry.

If you are camping in the wilderness, it is important that you pack and dispose your foods properly. Foods should be well packed in plastic bags and be kept away from the tents where you sleep. Wild animals like bears are attracted to the smell of food, so the placing of food away from the main camping area will prevent any unpleasant encounters with these animals.

When choosing your camping site, make sure that you are aware of where the nearest, police stations, hospitals and other local authorities are located so that in case of any emergencies you will know where to go for help. Make sure that the site you have chosen fall within the camping zones of the park.

During the camping trip, it is important to obey all park rules and clean up well after camping. Outdoor activities such as camping and hiking take a toll on the environment, so we should do all we can to minimize the damage that we cause during such activities.
Photo Credit: the left-handed robot