Family Camp Out
Taking the family camping is a great experience for young and old, but there’s usually always something that gets left behind. If you’re planning a trip, we’ve got you covered with this useful checklist.
Bedding
- Camping equipment
- Tent plus repair kit
- Pegs plus spares, poles, pullers, a hammer and groundsheets
- Sleeping bags, extra duvets and blankets if nights are cold, camping beds or mats and pillows plus an air pump
- Windbreak
- A mat to wipe feet outside your tent (optional)
Kitchen Essentials
- Foldable table and camping chairs
- Bottled water
- Charcoal
- Firelighters
- Gas/Skottel
- Matches
- Pots, pans and a kettle
- Cooler box or mini fridge
- Chopping boards
- Plates (paper ones work well), bowls, mugs, serviettes
- Cooking utensils
- Cutlery
- Condiments: everything from tea to tomato sauce
- Dish cloths and a sponge, plus a wash-up bowl and dishwashing liquid
- Tin and bottle opener
- Aluminium foil
- A small broom or dustpan
- Rubbish bags Caption:
Bathroom Stuff
- Towels
- Basic toiletries: toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, deodorant, soap, loo rolls, wet wipes, sunblock, sanitiser
- Shower shoes (flip-flops work well)
Clothes & accessories
- Hats
- Waterproof jacket, gloves and beanies (in colder months)
- Shorts for day and longs for evenings
- Spare underwear and socks
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Backpacks
- Medical masks, for petrol station or restaurant stops
- Sunglasses and/or contact lenses
- Rubbish bag for dirty clothes and shoes, wet costumes and towels
You also need
- Torches and head lamps
- Signal whistles for hiking
- Lanterns and paraffin
- Spare batteries
- Binoculars
- Matches
- Pocket knife
- IDs
- Money/cards
- Mobile phone plus portable charger
- Emergency contact numbers
- Malaria pills, if needed (check with your nearest travel clinic if you aren’t sure).
- Mosquito and insect repellents
- Medical box with personal medications and a first-aid kit, as well as emergency numbers and next of kin
Safety tips
- Put your medical supplies in a waterproof container and keep the contents organized.
- Always re-supply and check expiry dates.
- A first-aid manual, roll bandages and plasters for blisters and cuts, antiseptic wipes, latex gloves, sterile gauze pads, cotton swabs, tweezers, safety pins, scissors, bee-sting and snake-bite medicine, feminine products, sinus medicine, antibiotic and burn creams, anti-acids, eye drops, thermometer, Aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen and ice packs.
- Remember: don’t hike alone, check the weather forecast, research hiking routes and trails, have the right gear and emergency equipment.
Useful numbers for mountain rescue:
- KZN: 031 307 7744
- Western Cape: 021 948 9900
- Gauteng: 074 125 1385 or 074 163 3952
Research what you need for your trip online and then go shopping: capeunionmart.co.za, outdoorwarehouse.co.za (they offer fantastic camping advice online too).
