There are so many travel opportunities we never get a chance to experience because of financial limitations or lack of accurate information. However, the satisfaction of travel is immeasurable.
Camping is one of the experiences that very few travelers dare to choose despite their ability to pay for hotel room. When you go camping, you get the full feel or nature and everything around, there is a beauty to especially at night when everything seems to come alive. Of course after watching many horrors, your mind will start racing with every tiny movement in the bushes or just a different sound other than crickets and frogs.
Away from all these ordinary fears, camping is a pretty fun and relaxing experience after you have set up camp.
- Scouting :Before you run off and set up camp anywhere, you need to scout around for several camping site in your new destination because just because it is a remote area doesn’t mean you are allowed to pitch your tent and set up camp. There are several hotels for example in Uganda that offer gazetted camp areas with packages for their guests when you need it, make sure you look out for some of those.
- Guidance: When going to a remote place you have never been to, it’s important to have a professional and experienced guide who knows the area very well to take you through the best routes and ways for your campsite. A guide is also well placed when it comes to information about your environment that you were unaware of.
- Research: Making sure all the information about your destination is on your fingertips is very important. Issues such as; security, weather changes, safety and health are very important as well as making sure that you will still be able to communicate with your family whilst camping away from human settlements. Research also helps you know which of the places in your destination you will need to go visit and what is attractive about them.
- Proper Gear: You cannot go camping without the right gear for your camping trip; make a list before you go shopping if you do not have any at home. Most campsites have packages that come with tents and mattresses already set up for you so that reduces the work you need to do, but if you are going to designated campsites without equipment you will need to buy; a tent, portable stove, sleeping bag, lights, chairs, food and of course medical supplies depending on the duration of your trip.
- Safety: When at your campsite, it is always important for you to stay in the gazetted enclosures of the camp for your own safety. Listen to the camp leader for all their directions and camp etiquette for the area you are in especially if you are camped in a wild area where animals can attack.
- Seek Adventure: Yes, you have to stay safe but when you are given a chance to seek thrills and experience adventure forehand, step out of that campsite. Give yourself into the warm hands of fun, do something you have not done before. Go swimming in the lake, climb trees, enjoy views of the stars and have fun. Do not hold yourself back.
- Stay Positive: The right attitude towards something can easily determine how it is going to turn out for you therefore, it is very important to stay positive about your camping experience. Be mindful of how fun it is going to be than about the bugs, humidity and lack of warm showers.
Evelyn Masaba is the Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Jumia Travel Uganda
Connect @NoirEnBlanca
