Top camping destinations and outdoor escapes
Top camping destinations and outdoor escapes
Scenic backcountry areas and top camping spots
Camping travel spans an enormous range of experiences from wild backcountry camping in remote wilderness to well-serviced campsite networks with full amenity infrastructure that remove most of the practical challenges of sleeping outdoors. The most rewarding camping destinations combine access to genuinely compelling natural environments with enough practical infrastructure to make extended stays comfortable without compromising the directness of engagement with landscape that distinguishes camping from other forms of travel.
The equipment required varies considerably by destination and season, with ultralight backpacking set-ups, vehicle-based overlanding and glamping formats each demanding different gear and planning approaches. Campsite culture varies significantly by country, with some destinations offering highly social communal environments and others maintaining a tradition of dispersed wild camping with minimal facilities and maximum solitude.
Permit and booking systems at the most popular camping destinations have become considerably more competitive and reservation windows open months in advance for peak season sites. Leave no trace principles and fire safety regulations vary by destination and require advance research. Weather preparation is consistently underestimated by first-time campers in mountain and exposed coastal environments where conditions change rapidly.
Lists by region
State/Prefecture in United States
Montana
Wild Beauty & Vast Big Skies
Montana calls itself Big Sky Country for its wide, uninterrupted views above open plains. National forest land here allows dispersed camping without a designated site in most areas. Campers can pitch a tent beside alpine lakes across the Bitterroot and Absaroka ranges. Grizzly bears require hanging food well away from any tent.
Island in Australia
Tasmania
Wilderness, Wildlife and Wild Coasts
Tasmania's Overland Track winds through alpine moorland across the island's rugged central highlands. Wombats and wallabies often graze near trailside huts along the six day route. Campers can pitch a tent at designated platforms spaced along the trail. Weather here can turn from sun to snow within the same afternoon.
Country
Norway
Land of the long cloud
Norway's right to roam law lets campers pitch a tent almost anywhere outside private gardens. Fjords cut deep into the coastline, offering waterside camping across much of the country. Campers can wild camp for up to two nights before needing to move on. Mountain huts run by the Norwegian Trekking Association supplement tent camping nationwide.
National Park in United States
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Home of the Giant Sequoias
Sequoia National Park protects the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume. Giant sequoia groves tower over campsites tucked among the Sierra Nevada foothills. Campers can hike into Kings Canyon's granite walled gorge from nearby trailheads. Snow closes some of the park's higher campsites through winter.
National Park in United States
Yellowstone National Park
Geysers, wildlife and untamed wilderness
Yellowstone became the world's first national park when Congress set the land aside in 1872. Geysers and hot springs steam across the park's volcanic caldera floor. Campers can pitch a tent within sight of bison herds grazing near several campsites. Wolves reintroduced in the 1990s now roam much of the park's northern range.
National Park in Namibia
Etosha National Park
Namibia's Wildlife Sanctuary
Etosha National Park fences several rest camps around floodlit waterholes visited by wildlife at night. Elephants and rhinos often gather at these waterholes within view of camp fences. Campers can watch animals arrive to drink without leaving their campsite after dark. A vast white salt pan stretches across much of the park's centre.
National Park in United States
Glacier National Park
Crown of the Continent
Glacier National Park's Going to the Sun Road climbs through some of Montana's steepest alpine terrain. Grizzly bears roam widely enough here that rangers require certified bear canisters at camp. Campers can pitch a tent within sight of turquoise lakes fed by mountain glaciers. Snow can close the highest stretch of road until mid June.
National Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Where predators rule the Kalahari
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park spans the border between Botswana and South Africa across red Kalahari dunes. Black maned lions here have adapted to hunt across the sparse, dry terrain. Campers can stay at unfenced wilderness camps within earshot of roaring lions at night. Waterholes near several camps draw wildlife within view of the tents.
National Park in New Zealand
Fiordland National Park
New Zealand’s Wildest Water World
Fiordland National Park requires hikers to book huts along the famous Milford Track months ahead. Waterfalls drop directly into the fjords that the trail winds beside. Campers can sleep in Department of Conservation huts spaced a day's walk apart. Rain falls on more days here than almost anywhere else in New Zealand.
National Park in Chile
Torres del Paine National Park
Epic Landscapes and Untamed Wilderness
Torres del Paine's three granite towers rise sharply above turquoise glacial lakes in Patagonia. A circuit trail called the W links refugios and campsites across the park. Campers can wake to sunrise turning the towers pink from a base camp nearby. Wind here can gust strongly enough to knock over an unsecured tent.
National Park in United States
Grand Teton National Park
Stunning Peaks and Wildlife Wonders
Grand Teton National Park backs its campsites directly against the sheer granite Teton Range. Jenny Lake's backcountry zone requires a permit for tent sites near the shoreline. Campers can watch moose graze in willow flats near several park campsites. Snow can linger on high trails well into July.
Island in Norway
Lofoten
Dramatic Peaks and Northern Lights
Lofoten's beaches sit ringed by sharp granite peaks rising straight from the sea. Campers can pitch a tent on white sand within view of fishing villages. Midnight sun keeps the sky lit for camping through much of summer. Old fishermen's cabins called rorbuer offer a roofed alternative nearby.
Park in Canada
Algonquin Provincial Park
Lakes, forests and wildlife in serene wilderness
Algonquin Provincial Park holds more than 2,400 canoe accessible campsites across its backcountry lakes. Portage trails connect over 1,500 miles of interior lake routes for paddlers. Campers can watch for moose wading through shallow bays at dawn. Autumn colours draw the heaviest crowds each September and October.
Mountain in Tajikistan
Pamir Mountains
The Remote Roof of the World
The Pamir Highway climbs through Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains past some of Central Asia's highest passes. Yak herding families offer homestays and camping spots along the remote route. Campers can pitch a tent beside glacial lakes tucked between towering peaks. Thin air at these altitudes makes acclimatisation stops necessary for most trekkers.
National Park in Venezuela
Canaima National Park
Tepui Peaks and Angel Falls Wonder
Angel Falls drops nearly 3,200 feet inside Venezuela's remote Canaima National Park. Campers reach base camp near the falls only by boat and a forest trail. Hammocks strung between trees are the standard way to sleep in this humid jungle park. Flat topped tepui mountains rise straight out of the surrounding rainforest.
National Park in Australia
Kakadu National Park
Ancient Rock Art and Wild Wetlands
Kakadu National Park protects rock art panels painted by Aboriginal artists over thousands of years. Saltwater crocodiles patrol many of the park's billabongs and river crossings. Campers can choose sites ranging from full facilities to remote bush camping areas. The park floods heavily each wet season between roughly November and April.
National Park in Italy
Dolomites National Park
Towering peaks and pristine wilderness
Italy's Dolomites rise in pale limestone spires above a network of mountain rifugios. Via ferrata routes bolted into the rock let climbers scale exposed ridgelines safely. Campers can pitch a tent at designated sites below the range's highest peaks. Rifugios along the trails offer a hot meal between camping stretches.
State/Prefecture in United States
Alaska
Land of superlatives and adventure
Bush campers in Alaska often reach backcountry sites only by floatplane or boat. State land here allows camping without a permit in most undeveloped areas. Campers can pitch a tent within sight of calving glaciers along many coastal routes. Bears require careful food storage at nearly every wilderness site.
National Park in United States
Olympic National Park
Untamed Wilderness, All in One
Olympic National Park packs rainforest, alpine ridges and wild coastline into one park boundary. Moss drapes thickly from trees in the Hoh Rainforest's wettest sections. Campers can pitch a tent on driftwood strewn beaches along the park's Pacific edge. Elk often wander through campsites near the rainforest trailheads.
National Park in Thailand
Khao Sok National Park
Ancient Jungle and Emerald Lake Paradise
Khao Sok National Park holds one of the oldest rainforests on Earth beneath towering limestone karsts. Floating raft houses on Cheow Lan Lake offer an alternative to tent camping. Campers can paddle a kayak between the lake's jungle covered islands. Elephants and tapirs still roam the park's dense interior forest.
Region in United Kingdom
Scottish Highlands
Rugged Beauty and Ancient Legends
Scotland's right to roam laws let campers pitch a tent almost anywhere across the Highlands. Munro peaks over 3,000 feet draw hikers seeking a high camp with sweeping views. Campers can wild camp beside lochs tucked between heather covered hills. Midges can turn summer evenings uncomfortable without proper netting.
Country
Kyrgyzstan
Untouched mountain wilderness awaits explorers
Nomadic families still set up seasonal yurt camps beside Kyrgyzstan's high altitude Song Kul lake. Herders graze horses and sheep across the surrounding alpine grassland each summer. Campers can sleep in a traditional yurt or pitch a tent along the lakeshore. Roads leading to the lake close once snow arrives each autumn.
National Park in Canada
Banff National Park
Majestic Peaks and Turquoise Lakes
Banff National Park set aside Canada's first protected campsite land back in 1885. Turquoise lakes and glacier fed rivers surround more than a dozen park campsites. Campers can wake to views of Mount Rundle from sites near the Bow River. Elk sometimes wander directly through campsite loops at dusk.
National Park in Norway
Jotunheimen
Home of giants and glaciers
Jotunheimen holds Norway's two tallest peaks inside a rugged national park of glaciers and lakes. A network of staffed mountain huts lets hikers travel without carrying full camping gear. Campers can also pitch a tent freely under Norway's open access tradition. Glacial rivers here run a striking milky turquoise colour.
National Park in South Africa
Kruger National Park
Where Africa's Big Five Roam Free
Kruger National Park fences most of its rest camps against the predators roaming just outside. All of Africa's big five animals live within the park's nearly two million acres. Campers can pitch a tent inside camps like Skukuza while listening to lions after dark. Rangers lead guided bush walks from several of the park's camps.
Country
Mongolia
Land of endless steppes
Mongolian herders still live in round felt tents called gers across the open steppe. Camps set up near the Gobi Desert let travellers sleep among sand dunes and rock formations. Campers can ride horses between camps much as nomads have for centuries. Winters here turn brutally cold, so most camping happens in summer.
National Park in United States
Denali National Park
Wild Alaska’s peaks and wildlife
Denali National Park limits its single road to shuttle buses beyond a certain checkpoint. Backcountry campers must pick up a permit and watch a bear safety orientation first. Campers can pitch a tent in one of 87 open backcountry units chosen by permit. North America's tallest peak looms over the park's tundra campsites.
National Park in United States
Redwood National Park
Home of the World’s Tallest Trees
Redwood National Park protects some of the tallest trees on Earth, several over 350 feet. Coastal fog rolls through the grove most mornings, keeping the forest floor damp. Campers can pitch a tent beneath the towering canopy at several drive in campsites. Elk graze in open prairies near the park's coastal edge.
Region in Ethiopia
Danakil Depression
Earth's Hottest, Most Alien Landscape
The Danakil Depression sits over 300 feet below sea level among the hottest places on Earth. Bright yellow sulphur pools bubble across the volcanic Dallol formations here. Campers can sleep under open sky within view of Erta Ale's active lava lake. Daytime temperatures regularly climb past 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nature Reserve in Jordan
Wadi Rum
Valley of the moon's timeless magic
Wadi Rum's red sandstone cliffs rise sharply above a wide, empty desert valley. Bedouin families run camps here where guests sleep in tents beneath an open sky. Campers can watch stars appear undimmed by any nearby city lights. Filmmakers have used this valley as a stand in for Mars in several movies.
Nature Reserve in United States
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Pristine lakes, untouched wilderness paradise
Motorboats are banned across most of Minnesota's million acre Boundary Waters wilderness. Paddlers portage canoes between more than a thousand interconnected lakes here. Campers can fish for walleye from a canoe before setting up along a rocky shoreline. Permits limit how many groups enter through each route daily.
Mountain
Pyrenees
Where France meets Spain majestically
The Pyrenees stretch along Spain's border with France through jagged peaks and glacial lakes. Staffed mountain refuges supplement tent camping along the long distance GR11 trail. Campers can pitch beside turquoise lakes tucked beneath the range's highest summits. Snow can linger on northern slopes well into early summer.
National Park in United States
Grand Canyon National Park
Epic Vistas, Timeless Adventure
Grand Canyon National Park drops more than a mile from rim to river. Bright Angel Campground sits near the bottom after a steep multi hour descent. Campers can reserve a permit months ahead for one of the canyon's limited sites. Temperatures at the canyon floor often run 20 degrees warmer than the rim.
Nature Reserve in Kenya
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Witness the Great Migration
Maasai Mara's tented camps put campers within earshot of wildebeest herds during the great migration. Canvas walls are often all that separate campers from roaming elephants at night. Campers can fall asleep to lion calls carrying across the open savanna. Balloon safaris lift off from several camps before sunrise.
National Park in Colombia
Tayrona National Park
Where Jungle Meets Turquoise Caribbean
Tayrona National Park backs white sand Caribbean beaches directly against thick jungle. Indigenous Kogi communities still live within parts of the park's protected boundary. Campers can sling a hammock between palms or pitch a tent near the shore. Howler monkeys often call from the canopy at dawn.
National Park in Namibia
Namib-Naukluft National Park
Endless Dunes and Desert Drama
Namib Naukluft National Park lets campers stay within the gates near Sossusvlei's towering red dunes. Sesriem's campsite offers the earliest access before sunrise crowds arrive at the dunes. Campers can watch shadows shift across the dune ridges as the sun climbs. Nighttime skies here rank among the darkest on the continent.
National Park in Zambia
South Luangwa National Park
Walking Safaris and Wild Encounters
South Luangwa National Park pioneered the walking safari as a way to explore Africa on foot. Armed rangers lead guided walks between bush camps set along the Luangwa River. Campers can stay at unfenced camps where hippos sometimes graze nearby overnight. Leopards are seen here more often than in most other African parks.
Town in Canada
Tofino
Wild Pacific, Rainforest, Endless Waves
Tofino sits on Vancouver Island's wild Pacific coast, backed by old growth rainforest. Storm watching draws campers here even through the region's wettest winter months. Campers can pitch a tent near beaches known for consistent surf breaks. Black bears sometimes forage along the shoreline at low tide.
National Park in United States
Voyageurs National Park
Watery wilderness of northern Minnesota
Voyageurs National Park sits accessible mainly by boat across a chain of interconnected lakes. Fur trading canoes once crossed these same waters centuries before the park existed. Campers can reach island campsites only by canoe, kayak or houseboat. Northern lights are visible here on clear nights away from city glow.
Nature Reserve in Botswana
Okavango Delta
Africa’s Uncharted Water Wilderness
The Okavango Delta floods each year as water from Angola's highlands spreads across the Kalahari. Local polers guide dugout canoes called mokoros between camps set on delta islands. Campers can fall asleep to hippos grunting in nearby channels after dark. Water levels here peak months after the region's own rainy season ends.
National Park in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park
The Ultimate Safari Adventure
The Serengeti hosts one of the largest land mammal migrations anywhere on Earth. Over a million wildebeest cross the plains here in a roughly circular yearly route. Campers can stay at mobile tented camps that move along with the migration. Big cats often rest in the shade near camp during the heat of the day.
Region in Finland
Lapland
Northern lights and midnight sun
Finland's Lapland region maintains free wilderness huts for hikers crossing its national parks. Reindeer roam freely across the open fells that campers cross between shelters. Campers can watch the northern lights from a tent through much of the winter. Midnight sun keeps daylight nearly constant through the short summer season.
Region in Iceland
Landmannalaugar
Colorful mountains and natural pools
Landmannalaugar's rhyolite mountains shift between shades of red, green and gold. A natural hot spring near the campsite lets hikers soak after a day on the trail. Campers can pitch a tent at the base of the Laugavegur trail's starting point. Buses reach the site only during Iceland's short summer season.
National Park in United States
Yosemite National Park
Nature's Grand Cathedral
Yosemite Valley's granite cliffs rise thousands of feet above meadows and seasonal waterfalls. John Muir's writings helped convince Congress to protect the valley in the 1800s. Campers can pitch a tent within view of El Capitan at several valley floor campsites. Waterfalls here run heaviest during spring snowmelt each year.
National Park in United States
Canyonlands National Park
Epic Canyons and Untamed Wilderness
Canyonlands National Park requires backcountry permits for camping among its remote canyon rim sites. Dispersed campsites here sit far enough apart that few neighbours are ever visible. Campers can wake to sunrise light spreading across mesa top views. Wind and sun make careful water rationing essential in this desert terrain.
Region
Patagonia
Untamed Beauty at the End of the World
Argentina's Patagonia region backs the trekking town of El Chalten against jagged granite spires. Mount Fitz Roy often hides behind clouds that can clear within minutes. Campers can pitch a tent at free sites along trails leading towards glacial lakes. Sudden gusts of wind here can make pitching a tent a challenge.
Region in India
Zanskar
Hidden Himalayan Buddhist wilderness frontier
Zanskar's frozen river becomes a winter trekking route once ice covers the Chadar's surface. Villages here sit isolated by snow for much of the year, reachable only on foot. Campers can pitch a tent along the valley floor beneath towering Himalayan peaks. Summer brings a brief window when mountain passes open to vehicles.
National Park in United States
Zion National Park
Red rocks, epic hikes and nature's beauty
Zion National Park's Narrows trail winds directly through the Virgin River's slot canyon walls. Sheer sandstone cliffs rise over a thousand feet above hikers wading the river. Campers can reserve a backcountry permit to camp along the river's upper stretches. Flash floods can close the canyon with little warning during storms.
Village in Morocco
Merzouga
Sahara Dunes, Starry Nights
Merzouga sits at the edge of Erg Chebbi, a sea of towering Saharan sand dunes. Berber guides lead camel treks out to desert camps set up among the dunes. Campers can sleep under open skies known for exceptionally clear stargazing. Sandstorms occasionally sweep through, sending dunes shifting overnight.
Forest
Amazon Rainforest
Lush canopy teeming with untamed wildlife wonders
The Amazon Rainforest holds roughly ten percent of all known species on Earth within its canopy. River lodges here let campers sleep in stilted cabins above the flooded forest floor. Campers can also camp in hammocks strung beneath mosquito netting deeper in the jungle. Caimans and pink river dolphins are commonly spotted along the tributaries.
National Park in United States
Mount Rainier National Park
A Majestic Volcano and Wild Beauty
Mount Rainier National Park circles its glacier covered peak with the 93 mile Wonderland Trail. Wildflower meadows bloom in a short but vivid window each August. Campers can reserve backcountry sites spaced along the trail's full loop. Snow can block sections of the route well into midsummer.
Waterfall in United States
Havasu Falls
Crimson cascades shimmer beneath desert skies
Havasu Falls drops into a turquoise pool coloured by dissolved limestone deep in a side canyon. Reaching the falls requires a ten mile hike across Havasupai tribal land. Campers can reserve one of the limited permits for the canyon's designated campsite. Mineral deposits have built natural travertine dams below several of the falls.
Island in United Kingdom
Isle of Skye
Dramatic Landscapes and Ancient Legends
Skye's Fairy Pools sit fed by waterfalls dropping through the Cuillin mountains' lower slopes. Wild camping is permitted responsibly across most of this Scottish island. Campers can pitch a tent near the Old Man of Storr's dramatic rock pinnacle. Weather here can shift from sun to rain within the same hour.
Desert
Sahara Desert
Endless dunes under starlit midnight skies
Algeria's Sahara holds the ancient rock art of Tassili n'Ajjer, painted thousands of years ago. Berber guides lead camel treks out to camps set among towering orange dunes. Campers can sleep under stars rated among the clearest and darkest on Earth. Temperatures here can swing more than 50 degrees between day and night.
Desert in Chile
Atacama Desert
Endless dunes under starlit desert skies
Chile's Atacama Desert ranks as one of the driest places on Earth outside the polar regions. Clear, dry air here has drawn some of the world's largest astronomical observatories. Campers can stargaze from geyser fields and salt flats scattered across the desert. Daytime heat gives way to freezing nights at this desert's high elevation.
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