10 Things I Always Pack (Or Sort Out) Before A Camping Trip Abroad
Camping abroad throws up a different checklist than a weekend in the New Forest. Between adaptors, documents, and the small admin tasks that are easy to forget until it is too late, an overseas camping trip needs a bit more prep than pitching up somewhere familiar.
None of it takes long. Most of these ten things can be sorted in a single evening before we leave, and they save far more hassle on the road than they cost in time at home.
1. The Right Power Adaptor
Most European campsites use a CEE adaptor rather than a standard UK plug, and it is worth checking the specific type before departure rather than assuming one adaptor fits everywhere. Packing two is not overkill, since one inevitably ends up buried at the bottom of a bag when it is needed most.
2. Offline Maps Downloaded In Advance
Mobile signal can drop out completely in remote coastal or mountainous camping spots, so we download offline maps for the whole region before setting off. It takes a few minutes and means we can still navigate to the next campsite even without a connection.
3. A Sorted Data Plan Before Landing
Roaming charges add up fast across a multi-country trip, and hunting for a local SIM at a service station is never fun with a tent still to pitch. Setting up an eSIM before departure means data is ready the moment we cross the border, and grabbing an esim coupon beforehand knocks a bit off the cost, which is always welcome on a longer trip.
4. Travel Documents Saved Offline
Booking confirmations, insurance details, and campsite reservations all get saved as photos or PDFs on our phones before we leave, alongside the physical copies. If a connection drops right when a campsite wants to see a booking reference, having it stored locally solves the problem instantly.
5. Country-Specific Driving Kit
France requires a warning triangle and high-visibility vest in the vehicle, and other countries have their own rules around tolls, vignettes, and low-emission zones. We check the requirements for every country on the route, not just the destination, since border crossings often mean new rules apply with no warning.
6. A Proper First Aid Kit
Ours lives in the same spot every trip, stocked slightly heavier than a UK weekend away, since replacing anything abroad means navigating a foreign pharmacy. We check it before every trip and top up anything used on the last one.
7. A Multi-Port Charging Setup
One adaptor per device turns into a queue for the single plug socket by the second night. A compact multi-port charger solves this in one go and takes up far less space than a handful of separate bricks.
8. Cash In The Local Currency
Card readers are not universal at smaller rural campsites or roadside stops, and a small amount of local cash sorted before we leave avoids the scramble to find a working ATM on arrival. We keep it separate from cards in case one goes missing.
9. A Weatherproof Packing System
Dry bags and colour-coded packing cubes make a real difference once things get damp, which they inevitably do somewhere on a longer trip. Clothes in one bag, electronics in another, and food kept well away from both means less rummaging in the dark for the thing we actually need.
10. A Realistic Route With Buffer Days
The final item is not really a pack, but it matters just as much. Overpacking the itinerary is the easiest way to turn a relaxing trip into a rushed one, so we always build in a spare day or two for the unexpected, whether that is weather, a breakdown, or simply wanting to stay somewhere longer.
Getting It Right Before You Leave
None of this needs to be complicated, and most of it becomes second nature after the first trip or two. Our full guide to camping holidays overseas goes into more depth on the country-specific rules and admin side of things, and our essential camping gear checklist covers what belongs in the tent itself. Between the two, and this list, there should not be much left to catch you out on the road.
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