Camping Etiquette
Good Manners when Camping

Camping Etiquette - what is good behavior?

Billions of people the world over, live in concrete jungles, no wonder camping is becoming an essential escape route.

People who like spending time outdoors, go on camping trips to savor the beauty of nature and enjoy the quietness one only gets when camping away from city noise.

This is the idyllic setting one hopes to get when packing a tent or hitching the caravan for a well-deserved break. Away from stress of everyday life.

Enjoy the company of friends

This however, can easily be shattered by noisy, loud music and self centered people with no consideration for fellow campers.

Camping is indeed a time to spend with family and friends, a time to relax and let your hair down, but keep in mind that camp sites are shared by people with different ideas of enjoyment.

Some people might want to party all night, while others are there to get away from noisy city life.

Tommy: Always be courteous to those around you. Most campers go camping to get away from noise not to bring the city with them, please respect this.

Most camping grounds have strict rules to abide by and usually give a printed copy on arrival, make sure to get a copy before setting up camp.

Find out what the policy is towards loud talking, laughter and music especially during the evenings and late at night, in most cases any loud behavior is a big taboo.

A good time to pack up talking and laughter around the campfire is 20h00 to 21h00 until 9h00 the next morning. Some campgrounds are very strict with these rules and people have often been asked to leave immediately if they do not abide by the rules.

It is good camping etiquette to behave respectfully towards nature and fellow campers. Having our own tent motor home or caravan does not exclude us from this.

Good Camping Etiquette

Obey camp rules. Pick up a copy on arrival and read it. Some rules may seem stupid, but rules and regulations are there for good cause.

Check with camp ground what their 'quiet time' is and adhere to it, or if they don't specify a quiet time then settle down by 21h00 at the very latest. That means no loud music, loud talking and laughter.

In general loud music is a taboo and not good camping etiquette. All people don't have the same taste in music, and that goes for TV programs as well.Keep the volume down if you need to take a TV on your camping trip.

Play loud games away from other campers most sites have special designated areas for that.

Keep bathroom facilities clean

Be thoughtful when using bathroom, wash-up and laundry facilities, remember others have to use it after you.

Always be polite to personnel and cleaners, they're doing a job, don't give them a hard time.

Do not wash dishes pots and pans under taps at individual campsites. Use special designated areas for that.

That also goes for cleaning fish after catching the big one, use special designated areas for doing that. Always consider other people that have to use a facility after you and give a thought to the environment as well.

Don't leave rubbish lying around make use of waste bins in camping ground. Some have a recycling system make use of it. Always leave your site as clean as you got it.

Make camp fire on designated areas only, if allowed. Buy wood or bring wood or charcoal with you. Do not cut off branches or trees. Even collecting dead wood is prohibited in some areas.

Do not walk across someone's campsite, walk around it.

Don't use tent guide ropes for a washing line or to dry a beach towel, normally there are washing lines behind ablution blocks or laundry facilities.

We all love nature and most of us aren't privileged enough to have big gulps of it in our daily lives. When we do get a chance to break away we should make the most of it and enjoy what nature has to offer in its purest form.

Peaceful camping environment

Apart from common sense rules there
are other rules to adhere to as well

Respect wild life, such as all animals, birds and plants. Do not break off branches from trees. Do not even pick up dead wood to build a fire. Bring along enough fuel or buy some at the campsite for use to build a camp fire or barbecue.

Be mindful of the environment and other people and do to fellow nature lovers what you would like to have done to yourself.

Practising good camping etiquette ensures that everyone can enjoy the call of a Nightjar as it swoops past barely visible in the light of a campfire.

What to do when your neighbors can't behave

Don't get involved personally report to the authorities or to the night security, they usually know who to contact to sort out the problem. Emergency numbers are normally printed on the camping rules, cellular phone nowadays make it easy to report bad behavior without leaving your camp site.

Practise good camping etiquette and enjoy camping it is great fun!