Camping is a great activity that is loved by adventurous, outdoorsy people throughout the world. It is fun, can help clear your mind and you will also never see a prettier sight than a sky full of bright stars when you are camping. However camping can also provide certain dangers and it’s important to adequately prepare yourself.

Tent: The tent should have a waterproof exterior (especially in this New Zealand weather) to ensure that all your belongings are kept dry and so that you can get a good nights sleep. You also need to think about how big you need the tent to be to accommodate for the amount of people that will be coming.

Food and water: When you are packing food think of what is light and easy to cook such as nuts, instant oatmeal and instant soup. Pack all of your food in plastic bags to keep the moisture out. Make sure that you have an adequate supply of water and take some iodine drops or water purifying tablets to add to water if you come across a spring.

Warm clothing: While it is usually warm in summer you never know when cold weather will strike. It’s always good to have at least one lightweight pair of pants with you to keep you warm and to help keep away the mozzies. Avoid jeans because they are heavy, don’t dry quickly and will be hard to lug around.

Sunscreen and bug spray: Sunscreen is needed to protect you from the harsh sun in the day and bug spray is needed to protect you from the mozzies at night. You don’t want to be stuck with mozzie bites or sunburn on your camping holiday.

Survival kit: You need a kit with a flashlight, waterproof matches, swiss army knife, whistle, batteries and a map. It is vital that you have a first aid kit in the event of an injury. It should contains essentials such as a bandage, tweezers, plasters, cream.

Sleeping bag, mat and pillow: Ensure that your sleeping bag is warm enough for the cold nights that can come at any time. A mat is light to carry around but will also provide that extra comfort instead of sleeping straight on the ground. If you have room then a pillow is a great luxury but if you don’t have much room then make a pillow out of some of your clothes.

Conclusion: Camping can be a great fun adventure but make sure that you are prepared for all of the elements. It is great to reconnect with the outdoors and have fun with family and friends. To ensure that you are adequately prepared for your trip, make sure that you go through these checklists of items.