Camping tips provided-panergy

Where to bivouac? Legal aspects

• Europe
  There are many different laws in Europe. In Scandinavia, sleeping in a tent or bivouacking is basically permitted almost everywhere. In Germany it’s allowed to bivouac, yet you can’t sleep in a tent. In Southern Europe – especially in the more touristic areas – heavy fines are to be expected.
• USA / Canada
  In the United States – except a few spots – bivouacking is strictly prohibited. Yet, in national parks there’re so called “wilderness areas” where it’s ok to sleep in a tent, though you’d need a permit. Canadian laws a similar. If you’d decide to bivouac you might want to check whether there’re wild animals around first.
• Australia / New Zealand
  Even though, it’s highly unlikely to be caught first hand on this gigantic continent: camping wild is generally forbidden in Australia. Same goes for bivouacking. In New Zealand you also can’t set up your camp wherever you fancy to do so. Fortunately, there are many private estates the owners explicitly invite travelers to camp on.

• Light touring-backpack 
• 3-season-sleeping-bag (down is lighter, yet synthetic fiber is more useful in terms of moisture)
• High-quality camping mat
• Waterproof bivouac bag or tarp
• Camp stove
• Lighter
• Cookware
• Cutlery and Cups
• Provisions
• Camping Fan
• Pocket knife
• Headlamp (with charged batteries)
• Water bag
• Toilette paper
• First-Aid-Kit
• Rain gear
• A charged mobile (with additional power bank)

The perfect timing to sleep outdoors

If this is your first-time bivouacking, you want to wait for a mild summer night – at a modest altitude. If temperatures don’t fall under 10° C, light equipment is perfectly fine and chances are quite good to enjoy a comfortable night outside.

Though, it’s summer time, don’t forget to bring a beany. You tend to lose most of your body heat through your head. For the morning after, Michael has one particularly important hint: “Always bring your favorite chocolate bar as a reward.”

Experienced people definitely can bivouac all year. The colder the temperatures the sturdier your equipment and the more conscientious your preparations must be.