World’s Best Camping Locations
Very few activities can give you a more rewarding feeling than going on a camping trip. Sleeping at night in your sleeping bag with nothing but the clear moonlit sky can give you a very different experience. Neon lights and buzzing traffic give way to faint glows from fireflies and the songs of wildlife. It’s not for everyone, of course, but if you’re ready to learn more about Mother Nature, then camping is perfect for you. Here, we’ve collected some of the best places in the world where you can appreciate nature in its full splendor. So get your large camping tent and your adventurous spirit ready for the world’s best camping places.
New Zealand’s Mount Cook National Park
New Zealand’s tallest peak also happens to be one of the best places to camp in the world. This Alpine park may look formidable from afar, but it offers easy access to those who can see through its imposing presence. Not only is Mount Cook perfect for campers; it’s also a haven for skiers, hunters, mountaineers, hikers, and ski tourers. The best place to camp? Head to the White Horse Hill. This can give you a fantastic view of the stunning landscape plus access to all your basic needs. And if you feel like exploring the mountain itself, don’t worry as there are alpine huts to keep you sheltered.
Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park
If you’re from the United States, you don’t have to travel very far to enjoy a superb camping experience. The Corcovado National Park provides a very exciting tropical camping experience that you won’t get elsewhere. For starters, Corcovado is the crown jewel of Costa Rica’s system of biological reserves and national parks. This park prides itself in being one of the world’s densest places when it comes to biodiversity. You’ll be sharing the campgrounds with tropical ecologists and other adventurers who want to bask in the natural beauty and abundance of the place. The waters off the coast are also teeming with wildlife, further adding to a memorable camping trip.
Japan’s Miyajima
If you’re a fan of anything Japanese, there’s no better place to camp than at Miyajima or Itsukushima. This is an island north of Hiroshima Bay and is well-known for the Itsukushima Shrine. The island features several temples, including a 5-story pagoda at Toyokuni Shrine. But what can make your camping trip more meaningful is the cherry blossoms that blanket the upper hillside of the island. And if you plan your trip to coincide with autumn, you’ll experience the golden spectacle of Japanese maple leaf autumn foliage. Fall is so much more beautiful in this part of the world than anywhere else.
Finland’s Hossa National Park
Finland is not only famous for its glassware and Nokia; it’s also home to a beautiful camp site. The best thing about the Hossa National Park is the network of waterways that sustain the area. The park features 130 ponds and lakes that are perfect for skinny-dipping if you can withstand the cold. The water in the lakes is clear, but those in ponds are a bit darker than usual. Hossa is also the perfect venue for those who want to experience “living” in a taiga biome where pine and old-growth spruce trees stand proud amidst a blanket of lush greeneries. It can get pretty cold in here, however, so it’s best to pack your cold weather gear for the camp.
Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve
This may look more like a safari adventure than it is a camping trip. But one can never deny the remarkable beauty of the African wilderness. Known for its greatest annual spectacle, the Great Migration, Maasai Mara National Reserve should always be on your checklist of places to visit. It doesn’t have to be straight out camping. You could be marveling at the population of lions, cheetahs, and leopards. And if you happen to camp at the reserve anytime between July and October, you’ll feast your eyes on wildebeests, Thomson’s gazelles, and zebras making their annual migration.
Canada’s Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is teeming with hot springs, waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers from the Columbia Icefield. These geologic features provide a dramatic scene for a wonderful camping experience on this side of the world. The best part of it is that Jasper National Park is very easy to access. Get ready to share your camp site with Canadian wildlife like the elk, mule deer, and moose. There are also white-tailed deer and mountain goats. Of course, being a part of the Canadian Rockies means you’ll also have to contend with grizzly bears, timber wolves, wolverines, and cougars. It may sound like a dangerous outing, but it isn’t. As long as you follow the rules of camping, you should be okay. The best view? Try the Fryatt Valley. It can take your breath away.
Spain’s Asturias
It is one of the world’s most underrated places, but the Asturias region happens to be one of the best when it comes to camping. There are quaint villages that dot the lush green mountains like little mushrooms on a green blanket. Down below are small fishing communities with local fishermen hauling in their catch of the day. There are plenty of beaches and coves for you to explore. There are also natural sea caves that invite you to take a closer look. And for those who are more adventurous, there’s the Picos de Europa National Park to go to. At the end of the day, one can always find respite in one of the many camping sites along the Asturias coastline.
Morocco’s Sahara Desert
Requiring no introductions, the Sahara Desert can be a very unique camping place for those with more exotic tastes. The best way to experience camping in the African desert is by riding on a camel and then camping out right in the middle of nowhere. Ditch your contemporary tent and try to live in one of the more traditional nomadic encampments. Try waking up at 4 a.m. to get a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise melting over the barren landscape. There’s not much you can do here except to live the life of a nomad. But it’s always nice to rest in your own encampment surrounded by nothing else but sand anywhere you look.
Australia’s Outback
If the Sahara is not your thing, then maybe the Australian Outback should appeal to you. Known for its meandering rivers, desert sands, and grassy plains, the Outback is a camping place like no other. To make it more memorable, you’ll need to get your own swag and sleep with nothing else but the stars in the sky. The swag is a cocoon-like sleeping bag that comes with its own bedding and mattress. It’s a different experience that you can further improve by doing some bush barbecue in the desert. Be forewarned, though. The Outback can be a very unforgiving place. It is always wise to go camping with someone who knows every square inch of the barren landscape.
Camping gives you a very different taste of life from what you’re used to. It brings you closer to nature while also giving you more reasons to feel fortunate about what you already have in life.
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