Heading off the beaten path for a camping expedition can be fun and exciting, but it requires some basic knowledge and preparation to keep you safe and comfortable. Use the advice here to help your next trip go off without a hitch.

When you go camping, find your shelter before it gets dark. After night falls, it becomes harder to prepare your camp ground and set up the tent. This is especially important to those who are not accustomed to the darkness associated with the great outdoors. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.

Remember that your loved ones and possessions will get filthy. While baby wipes can be used to help for some level of cleanliness, expect that people will get dirty. Be ready for it and accept it. Then, you can be as messy as you want, without worry of getting dirty. You can get clean when you return home.

A tent needs to be the proper size for all people staying in it. This will ensure comfort while inside the tent.

Make sure you know what’s covered in your medical insurance. Some policies will not cover you outside your own state. This is more crucial if you go camping in another country. It is important to always be prepared.

You can use dryer lint as a kindling to start a campfire with. In order to have enough lint to start a fire, begin collecting it a month prior to your trip. Have a bag next to the dryer so you don’t forget to collect it. Using this for your kindling will save you time looking for it, and it will work even better than any kindling that you do find.

An emergency kit is a very important component to have while camping. What you include will depend on where you are going and when. Species specific antivenom should be packed to protect against animal bites.

Oranges can be used as a food source and a way to repel mosquitoes while you camp. When you get through eating an orange, rub the peel on exposed skin to keep pesky bugs away.

If camping is new for you, start somewhere nearby. You could experience a number of problems, such as equipment failure, and wish to cut the trip short. Maybe you’ll run low on food or not have enough clothing with you. Many things can arise for the first-time camper, so camp close to home the first time.

Camping is a lot more fun when you have taken the necessary steps to prepare. You will feel safer, secure, and more relaxed when you use these camping tips.