George K.
Whether you are a pro camper or it is your first time camping, it is important to know that anything can happen outdoors. For a successful camping trip, you need to prepare adequately beforehand. However, even after intense preparation, you cannot foresee everything that will happen once you are out in the wild.
The best you can do is have contingency plans in place for anything that may happen while you are camping. Read on to get some simple yet highly effective survival tips which may save your life if not make your trip more fun and easy.
1. Have a Plan On How To Tackle Insects and Animals
When camping, you will be visiting insects and other animals in their natural habitat. You are likely to see different species of insects and animals and they will without a doubt be a nuisance. From invading your personal sleeping space to painful bites, you should be ready for anything. To make your trip more bearable, you should:
- First carefully inspect your proposed campsite to identify if there is a cluster of insects such as ants around the place. Ideally, you should set up camp in an area with a clearing. Remember insects tend to love wooded areas with a lot of fauna.
- Avoid setting up camp in close proximity to stagnant water. Apart from being disturbed by bites from mosquitoes that breed in such waters, you may also be kept awake all night by the croaking of frogs.
- Mosquitoes are the biggest challenge for most campers. To avoid their pesky bites, carry a treated mosquito net.
- To keep bugs away from your campsite, ensure that you carry repellant for spraying around your camp. Additionally, you should also stock cream for applying on your skin. To further keep pesky bugs away from you, you can also treat your clothes with repellant spray.
- To keep animals away from your camp, avoid wearing strong fragrances when camping. Animals have a strong sense of smell and they are likely to visit your camp if they are attracted by strange smells in their natural habitat.
- To avoid attracting scavenging animals, you should also avoid leaving food out when going to sleep. If you have to dispose of any leftovers, you should throw them far away from your campsite.
2. Have a Fully-Stocked First Aid Kit At Hand
Before going camping, ensure you acquire a fully stocked camping kit. The kit should contain important things such as medication for any ailments that you suffer from, medication for common ailments such as migraines, bandages, healing creams, antibiotics and many other odd first aid supplies you may need depending on your camping location. If you have allergies, do not forget to stock the medication.
3. Pack a Survival Kit
Apart from the usual supplies you will need as you are camping, ensure that you also pack a few extras that you can use in case of an emergency. Your kit should include things like a hunting knife, extra batteries, and some bottled water. Never leave your survival kit when going away from your camp.
4. Ensure Someone Knows Your Location At All Times
Even with a map, it is very easy to get lost in the wild. For your own safety, ensure that someone knows where you are going at all times. Ideally, you should have a way of communicating with someone each day to assure them that you are safe and your camping trip is going according to plan.
5. Ensure You Have Sufficient Supplies
When going camping, pack a little bit more supplies than you will actually need for the proposed camping period. Remember you may end up getting side-tracked and spending more time than you actually planned out in the woods. The extra supplies may end up saving your life.
Pack lightweight and compact food that are easy to store and carry such as instant noodles (e.g. Mi Sedaap). Instant noodles also offer a plus point of being easy to prepare — you can even eat it without cooking!
Lastly, if you are planning on going camping, you should know that there will be a lot of risks that may arise during your adventure. Keep in mind that you will need to maintain a formidable spirit and think on your feet at times to tackle the challenges that may arise. The survival tips discussed above will come in handy when going on a camping trip. You can find more detailed camping guides are available on campingconsole.com if you are looking for additional tips and guides.
