WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CAMPING, CARAVANS AND CARAVAN PARKS

Camping, Caravans and Caravan Parks

Camping is an outdoor activity that is a collection of caravans, caravan parks and campsites and it forms the backbone of the outdoor industry in South Africa.

The commercial size of camping in the country makes it a major role player in the economy. At the same time, the number of people involved in camping and caravanning becomes more entrenched with long-term camping becoming more popular all the time.

The Covid factor contributed to increased growth in the camping sector as people opted for outdoor activities presumably because it has fewer restrictions. It could also be that people who were locked down during Covid in 2020, realised the privilege and value of being able to spend time outdoors. It is probably the result of only valuing something once you are deprived of it.

Camping statistics

In April 2021, STATSSA reported that the largest year-on-year increases in income from accommodation were reported by caravan parks and camping sites, guest houses and guest farms

Statistics after Covid should be approached with caution. If the statistics are generated by comparing the numbers with numbers during Cov19, it will show spectacular growth because “normal” growth is compared to “abnormal growth”. In July 2021, STATSSA reported a growth percentage of 2987,5% compared to 2020 in the income of caravan parks and camping sites. This is obviously misleading as the comparison is of little value because of the low base numbers set by the lockdown regulations of 2020.

We can expect the camping, caravanning and accommodation industry to keep expanding based on the fact that people have changed their views due to the shock of the pandemic and lockdowns.

Camping, caravans and caravan parks statistics and psychology

Comparing the change in attitude or the psychological change brought about by the pandemic is of more value when talking about changes in the camping and caravanning industries.

As we saw above, statistics can prove anything if it is used in certain ways, but whether and how campers spend their money has more to do with psychology than statistics.

It all has to do with a chemical in your brain called oxytocin.

Why do you camp?

There are as many reasons as there are people for why people go camping.

Camping is a tradition

One often hears the explanation “My father/mother did that and I hold fond memories of it” as an explanation of why people do certain things or hold certain beliefs.

Many campers are second or third-generation or traditional campers. Because of the good memories they have of being a kid and camping, they want their children to experience the same and build similar memories.

A tradition such as camping, once accepted by a whole group, becomes culture. That is what has happened in especially the Afrikaner community of South Africa. It possibly is part of the urbanisation of the group with a reach back to the times when the Afrikaners were mostly farmers. This reaction can be found in many pioneering groups and nations.

There is growth in the need for camping and caravanning among other groups and it will probably increase in the future.

This preference for being in nature has become a cultural tradition and spawned a large market for camping, caravanning and outdoor products.

Explore nature when camping

Camping is an immersive experience because a camper is nearer and more exposed to nature than in a building.

Campers and caravanners often look for the resort or campground that offers more natural experiences such as space to hike, ride a bicycle, jog, watch birds and animals, swim and be able to experience nature during the day and at night.

At the same time, the camper has the thrill of experiencing the elements by sunbathing, listening to rain on the caravan or tent roof, and hearing the sounds of nature.

Camping is one of those experiences that is difficult to explain and invigorating to experience.

Camping improves health

By nature, camping involves more physical exercise than most people get in a city.

The physical demands of pitching a tent or parking a caravan exactly as the wife likes it, provide exercise. Experiencing nature counters depressive thoughts and enhances the feeling of wellness and assists in normalising sleep patterns because it directly influences your circadian rhythm.

Many campers vouch for the regenerating qualities of camping.

Digital detox with camping

A term that is part of modern vocabulary thanks to technological advances is “digital detox”.

Most people, especially in an urban environment, are intensely dependent on technology to live their lives. Writers about the subject often praise the absence of mobile phone signals and disconnection from the Internet and the world. That is the easy way out for lazy writers and therapists.

Cellphone connections and news are just as necessary to keep in touch with children and grandchildren as the messenger on a horse was centuries ago.

Many years ago, the adult campers would chastise a youngster for reading a book or magazine rather than watching animals or conversing around the campfire. The same happened with portable radios, then cellphones and computer games and now TV.

What nature does is offer a fulfilling alternative to technology. Many people use their access to technology to fill time like when you see campers scrolling up and down on their mobile phone screens. What nature offers is an interesting alternative.

Combine the natural experience with people exposed to one another as part of a group in a camp or caravan park, and you have an invigorating experience.

That is what we campers call “camping”!

Camping strengthens relationships

Camping forces you back to the human nature of communicating face-to-face with other people. We are after-all group animals.

This communication where people observe each other’s facial expressions and body language does more for understanding and appreciating others than any technology can do.

Only campers know the pleasure of seeing neighbourly fires around, hearing exuberant laughing in the distance or the camaraderie between campers after a destructive overnight storm.

Camping develops life skills

Watch children meeting each other at the beginning of a camping weekend, or the guy setting up his camp opposite yours, or campers exchanging knowledge at the camp washing up area or around the fire, and you will get a grasp of how camping teaches communication and other life skills.

Camping has the ability to make you feel good about yourself!

Camping with tents

Tents are the entry-level accessory for campers because basic tents are the most affordable in relation to caravans and other accommodation.

Most campers start off with a tent bought at the local camping equipment shop. Those tents are just fine to learn camping. Just do your research and be aware of some risks, of flame-retardant materials which synthetic tents are often treated with.

Modern tents are good alternatives to caravans for campers who, for some reason have to use a tent or prefer to camp in a tent. The rule with tents is that you must buy what serves you best and what you can afford. In this case, you often get what you pay for.

It is seductive to think that cheaper is better and you may want to “save” money, but it is not always the best for you.

What to consider when buying a tent

When buying any camping accessories or equipment the first thing to consider is your needs.

When choosing a tent the number of campers that must sleep in it is important. It’s of no use if you buy a tent that is too big or too small for the number of people you must house. If it’s too small someone will sleep outside and if it’s too big you waste space and money because the bigger tent will cost more.

The size of the tent in square metres is the floor size, but you often find tent sizes quoted in the number of persons that it can sleep. Keep in mind that the number reflects the number of sleeping bag widths that will fit in. There will be little space for backpacks and suitcases.

Then you have to consider things like:

• the general climate and seasons of the year in which you will camp,
• if you have enough space in your car or trailer to transport the tent,
• the weight of the tent – if the tent lists two weights, work on the bigger number because that includes the poles, bag and other accessories,
• the type of tent you will need. A family tent, a tent for hiking and backpacking or a rooftop tent for touring,
• consider the vestibule space, which is the space without a floor which are covered by the rain sheet which is bigger than the tent and forms a “verandah”,
• take note of the tent height if you don’t want to be a creepy crawley. Height is measured from the floor to the highest top of the tent. This is important with dome tents because the larger space will be lower than the stated height,
• the type of tent poles. Fibreglass is usually cheaper but aluminium poles are lighter and stronger,
• anchoring. It is extremely important that your tent withstands storm winds and gusts. Flat aluminium 150mm tent pegs will not survive South African wind gusts Proper anchoring is important with quality tent pegs, guy ropes and rope and pole anchors. Maxcons tent pegs are the most reliable due to their scientific design.
• door and window design. The door and windows must allow proper ventilation or you won’t be taking afternoon naps in your tent.
• you must be able to erect your tent. A family tent that must be erected by a single person will have its challenges.

Tents come in any size you need with prices corresponding to what you get. There is nothing wrong with a small synthetic tent if that serves your purpose or is what you can afford. Keep in mind that quality products cost more but last longer, so the value over the lifetime of the tent is about the same, or less.

Camping with a caravan

South Africa has more than 50 caravan manufacturers.

The market for caravans is healthy although new caravan sales have decreased over the last decade. Used caravan sales have however grown and we can expect that the market will keep growing. Motorhome sales showed the biggest improvement in sales after the pandemic.

Why buy a caravan?

A caravan is the best form of housing between a house and a tent and it provides good protection against the elements while it brings you closer to nature than a house.

The term “caravan” is derived from the Persian word for a group travelling together. Although caravanners do not always travel together to the campsite, the name illustrates the togetherness of campers in a caravan park. Camping is a social activity and caravans make the experience even better.

Buy a caravan and if you don’t like where you are, you can go where you want to be.

12 Valid reasons to buy a caravan

1. Caravans give you mobility or the freedom to move around with your house.
   Caravan owners and snails have the same advantage, their homes are always with them. Go to Kruger for animal or bird watching, go to the coast to fish or travel to the next town on your tour. Go wherever you want and your home follows you.
2. Caravanning makes you independent.
   If you feel like it, you just hook up your caravan and go. Out of season, you often don’t even have to book and in season you will find a camping spot somewhere. You can camp with your caravan where there are no other accommodation.
3. It brings you close to nature.
   Caravan parks are usually away from cities and towns and situated where nature is as near as your front door.
4. It provides the comforts of home without unnecessary clutter.
   In a caravan, you only take what you use. There is no garage cluttered with things that “I may one day need” or a slow cooker in a kitchen cupboard that you haven’t used for 20 years.
5. It is affordable compared to alternative means of vacationing.
   Once you bought a caravan, you only need to maintain it. If you prefer holiday homes or rented apartments, you buy the accommodation every time you rent it.
6. It can be a permanent home.
   With the growth in the number of retired people there is increased interest in camping for longer stretches (all-season campers) and even camping permanently.
7. The more you use your caravan, the cheaper the overall cost becomes.
   A caravan is like a house. Once you paid for it, you only need to maintain it. The instalments (if you buy them on credit) become more affordable as the cost of vacationing and the cost of housing increases. If you bought it cash, your cost of housing is fixed.
8. A caravan is an excellent way to camp with kids.
   You and the kids can enjoy camping with friends and you don’t have to worry about the kids breaking anything in the guest house. Camping sites are excellent places for kids to be adventurous and really relax.
9. You can take a holiday every weekend.
   Because it is easy to travel with a caravan it enables you to get away much, much more than you would with any other way of vacationing.
10. If you work remotely, a caravan is the most convenient office away from home.
    You work where you camp, as long as there is a mobile connection or wi-fi.
11. Camping allows you to have breakfast in your pyjamas like at home.

What caravan must I buy?

I can’t tell you what caravan to buy because I am not you.

Buying a caravan is similar to buying a car and you can use the same methods you would use when buying a car to decide which caravan to buy.

What to keep in mind when buying a caravan:

• What can you afford?
• How many family members must the caravan accommodate?
• Can you add a room to the tent to accommodate older children if you can only afford a smaller caravan?
• Let you car dictate what caravan to buy. Keep in mind that your car will grow old before your caravan and that it is cheaper to match a caravan with a car than the other way round.
• Don’t buy what other campers and caravanners like. Buy what works for you and what you like. A caravan is the worst item you can buy to live up to the Joneses.

Do your research, make your decision, and own your pleasure.

Caravan Parks

Ask any two campers which caravan park or camping destination they prefer and you will get two answers and 50 suggestions.

The best way in which to decide on a camping resort is to camp there. Sure, you may regret your decision, but that also happens when you depend on the suggestions of other campers. Not all campers like the same things, and what is acceptable to one may not be acceptable to another. Sometimes you may camp at a place which impressed you before only to have a bad experience this time.

Most camping resorts that draw significant numbers of people should be good enough to camp at. Join camping groups on the Internet and listen to what other campers say. But, remember, on social media people often suggest camping grounds that they visited 5 years ago, which they only heard about or which they want to promote for some reason.

A good way in which to find your next favourite camp is to Google places and names and read the reviews.

It falls outside the scope of this article to provide a complete list of camping resorts in the country but here are some resources that may help:
SA Camp Sites has a list and
the map below by Outdoor Legends provides a comprehensive map of camping grounds in the country.

If you go camping for the first time or plan on camping long-term you should read this _{(opens in new window)}