Road Trip Camping in South Africa

Recently my friend and I went on a trip up the West Coast and around the Cederberg Mountain Range. We travelled in his old Mercedes and stopped off to camp at strategic spots along the route. Our trip lasted four days, and inspired us to try a similar trip over a further distance in the future.

The great thing about taking a road trip in South Africa is that there are so many great spots to visit. We especially enjoy the small communities of rural towns, where we make sure to stop off and have a drink in the main street hotel or bar. The characters you come across there are amazing…

The camping spots are also great, ranging from seaside views to mountain top scenery; a South African road trip has no excuse to become monotonous.

In this article I am going to share with you the lesson of preparation. You see, when we set off in the old Mercedes with two spare wheels strapped onto the roof for visual effect, we packed pretty well. Nevertheless we did realise some silly mistakes had been made when packing. It is probably a good idea to compile a good checklist, and for this purpose the list that follows below has been compiled.

Keep in mind that this list is aimed at the rugged adventurer. We have not catered for many creature comforts or for the fairer sex; this could cause you some serious domestic strife if you do not make appropriate adjustments or additions when taking the wife or girlfriend along! Just make sure that the special lady packs in her own necessities…

Firstly, let’s take care of the sleeping arrangements

Tent
Ground covering or tarp
Sleeping bags
Extra blanket
Pillows
Compact mattress

Now you are going to want to feed yourself, and prepare meals with relative ease. Food can be bought along the route, but make sure to plan your supplies carefully.

Five litre water container
Cooler box with ice bricks
Gas Stove with full gas tank
Matches
Firewood
Fire starters
Grill for Braai
Tongs
Plates and bowls
Knives, Forks and Spoons
Cups
Can opener
Bottle opener
Aluminium foil [Tinfoil]
Plastic bag for rubbish
Dish washing liquid
Folding table
Folding chairs
Cutting board
Scrubbing brush or sponge

Take with enough clothing, we men are prone to skimping in this department…

Shoes – good for walking
Jeans
Shorts
T-shirts
Socks
Hat
Warm jacket
Underwear
Tracksuit

Some personal stuff helps to keep things hygienic. Not showering, shaving or brushing your teeth for a week does give you an interesting look when you return though…