8 tips from Nikki van der Spek for the ultimate camping trip

Motorcycling and camping. It sounds perfect: you and your motorcycle in a beautiful spot with stunning views. In 2014, I rode from the Netherlands to Cape Town during which we lived in a tent for 3.5 months. This is not always as romantic as it sounds :-). I’d like to give you some tips to make yourself as comfortable as possible.

July 13, 2023

1. Don't scrimp on your tent

Bring a small lightweight tent that you can sit upright in and preferably have some covered space outside the tent for a bag and steaming boots.

2. Get a good mat and pillow

Nothing as annoying as waking up broken with pain in your back. Good equipment costs a bit, but you will benefit from it a lot.

3. Layers, layers and more layers

Cold night? Put on as many layers as you can and zip your sleeping bag up to your ears. If you don't start on it until you're already cold, a sleepless night is guaranteed.

4. Mosquito spray

Maybe this one should be number one. I found out that large tiger mosquitoes (you'll also find these in Europe) can sting through your motorcycle suit. If you give up counting the bumps the next day (I stopped at 150 bumps), you'll regret not starting with extreme measures right away.

Source: Nikki van der Spek

5. Sunscreen

And yes, even when it's cloudy! When you've been sitting on the beach all day with heavy cloudiness with the bottle of factor 50 next to you, but think it's not necessary... Then later, you can pull the blisters from your body. And believe me, that's not necessarily comfortable on the little mat in your tent ;-).

6. Don't take too much with you

We thought we were packing as light as possible, but after the trip things came out of our bags that we didn't even know we had brought. And therefore didn't need them at all.

7. Make sure you have plenty of powerbanks

There are solar-powered powerbanks that allow you to charge while driving.Charge your powerbank during the ride so you can use it again to charge your phone when you don't have power available to you.

8. Treat yourself to a hotel or hostel in the event of prolonged bad weather

Nothing as annoying as stuff that won’t dry anymore and you have to pack a dripping tent day after day. Sometimes a person just needs a bed and a warm bath.

"We thought we were packing as light as possible"

Source: Nikki van der Spek

Enjoyment to the fullest

It may sound like this is one of the most awful ways to travel, but when you have nice weather and after a fantastic drive you can finally pitch your tent in a beautiful deserted spot with a beer in your hand and the smell of a barbecue that has just been lit, it’s enjoyment to the fullest!