Camping is one such leisure hobby which is normally group based. Camping can be organised by families, friends or even by an enterprise as a part of team trip. Camping is an outdoor activity related to overnight stays far away from home in a shelter, which include a tent or a leisure vehicle. Normally individuals leave advanced areas to spend time outside in more natural ones in pursuit of activities presenting them enjoyment. In common parlance camping trip includes toughing it out in tents and on the mercy of mother Nature.
Camping is generally mixed with hiking / trekking, fishing, white-water rafting and kayaking, giving one the last outside experience. You may pursue it at an individual capacity, but is often done within the company of friends, family or colleagues. It is a gorgeous entertainment pursuit that can be relished by any age group. Camping is also an easy option for those attending music festivals or sports gatherings. Many a times camping is also organised by various enterprises as part of group excursion for activity, team bonding or as perks to the employees, to encourage them and for a healthy work environment.
Camping gives some of the most affordable options, when it comes to planning a trip outside. Not solely that, but one is closer to nature from the moment one wakes up to the moment one dozes off, normally after a welcoming campfire along with sumptuous food. Camping is proven to have an impact on reducing stress and contributes very positively to emotional and physical health. Who would not want to camp while it gives an advantage to be embedded in nature with easy access and more time to be able to explore.
Presently, more and more people are expressing fascination in camping in all of its forms – from back-country to adventure camping and glamping.
History Of Camping
Camping as a leisure activity became popular among elites in the early 20th century. With time, it grew in popularity among other socio-economic classes. Modern campers frequent publicly owned natural resources such as national and state parks, wilderness areas, and commercial campgrounds. It is evident how camping has evolved such wide appeal over the centuries – leaving modern society and its complications behind to relax in the immutable atmosphere in the lap of nature which is a lifetime dream for many people. With the opportunity to submit oneself to the pristine charm of the earth, the activity is uniquely equipped to reach unparalleled heights in predominance.
Types Of Camping
Depending on your preferences, purpose and comforts, the most popular variations of camping in India can be categorised as below:–
Tent Camping: Consists of finding the right campsite, setting your tent, and spending some time in it for one or multiple nights.
Backpacking Camping: Consists of walking during the day with all your gear and (most often) a lightweight tent on your back, sleeping outside in a tent or a hammock when you find the right spot, and most often moving on the next day.
Glamping: Is a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping, like camping in resorts etc.
Survivalist Camping: Where during camping, one also needs to learn and acquire all the skills required to survive in different outdoor situations.
Canoe / Kayak Camping: Is similar to backpacking when you can get more freedom and many benefits of travelling by water.
RV & Van Camping: Involves going camping in a recreation vehicle which gives one the chance to enjoy fun outdoor destinations, with most of the comforts of home.
Benefits Of Camping
With all options of camping available, a recreation choice which can be availed by the young and the old, camping has many benefits as enlisted below:–
Stress Reduction: In the midst of nature, far from the ordinary life, the result of such a setting is stress reduction and relaxation like one can not find anywhere else, which is not only a boon for the individuals, family and friend groups but also motivate the employees for better productivity.
Fresh Air: Lungs full of fresh air in the lap of nature help one rejuvenate, feel healthy and is a welcome alternative from a regular urban life.
Relationship Building: Camping forges to build and strengthen relationships, be it with friends, family, colleagues or bosses.
Physical Fitness: In camping, one has to engage in physical activity, it being mandatory, giving the health a great boost.
Lack Of Alarm Clocks: During camping, the only alarm clocks you have are the sun and the chirping of birds and waking up with nature instead of an alarm clock and is a worthwhile experience.
Unplugging: Camping is a great chance for everyone to unplug and get away from one’s computers, tablets or televisions and discover that there is so much to do that don’t require electronics.
Great Food: Food just tastes better when prepared in the outdoors so planning a great menu before a camping trip is a heads up.
Connection With Nature: During camping, one gets an engaging experience to get in touch with nature, encounter wildlife and see the stars far from the bright lights of the big city.
Development Of New Skills: One is bound to develop new skills while camping, which are rare during the course of our regular busy schedules, as everyone on the journey will contribute and it is a great chance to learn new things.
Educational Opportunities: For children, time spent camping is time spent learning, which are extremely valuable, as they learn new things like fishing, cooking, hiking, tying knots, fire-starting, safety, first aid and the likes.
Growth Of Confidence: One of the benefits of camping for children is that it helps them to learn independence in a secure and controlled environment, which help them become more confident as they learn new things and have first-time experiences.
Increases Employee Engagement: In corporate camping, employees can book their own site, layout their own itinerary and bring their own components, which increase team engagement and boost their morale, as it requires more of a commitment.
Builds Team Spirit: Camping help foster strong team spirit where colleagues learn that the only way forward is by helping each other.
Gives Management An Insight: Camping along with the activities involved have been noted as a powerful potential for the management to truly see capability of each employee, as employees unknowingly display their real nature.
Risks Of Camping
Camping although is one of the preferred activity for the individuals, families and corporates and certainly comes with a host of benefits, but there are some risks as well. These are enlisted below:–
Expensive Equipment: For a successful camping trip, some basic equipment, proper clothing for safety out in the wilderness, water containers and non-perishable food items which will last the duration of a trip, require a significant upfront investment.
Distance From Medical Facilities: Most of the camping sites are far away from medical attention in the event of an emergency, which means that if one suddenly falls ill, the suffering may be prolonged because of the distance to the nearest medical treatment facility.
Infections: Camping sites are often unsanitized, which means these can be downright filthy at times and with the overexposure to germs, comes the added risk of infection, along with chances of food poisoning, if food not stored properly and cuts and abrasions that could pose a significant problem if these are not kept clean and protected.
Environmental Challenges: Mother nature is unpredictable, which, one may experience during camping – from sudden torrential downpour to temperature variations in valleys or high altitudes.
Insects: Insect and bug invasions of a campsite are more than just a minor annoyance, which can cause dangerous health problems with their bites.
Scavengers: Many animals see humans as a source of food or they may be attracted to the smell of delicious food that radiates from the campsite, which can cause them to invade the site.
Sunburn: Exposure to sun is common as during camping one tends to spend most of the time outdoors, and this extended exposure to the sun can put one at risk for sunburn.
No Toilet: Camping usually is without a toilet or a shower facility, and toilet in the woods and the waste can actually attract animals and other scavengers.
Lack Of Activities: Camping involves a lot of activities apart from the typical catching food, building a fire or sleeping and if there isn’t much to do and the activities are unplanned, one can easily get bored.
Lack Of Skills Can Shorten The Trip: Many people dive right into a camping excursion without properly learning the skills needed to survive in the wilderness resulting in finishing early and heading for home.
Considering most of the downsides involved in a typical camping trip, unless one is outrightly adventurous and ready to fight the odds involved, glamping is much easier and safer option today with access to all the comforts and luxury as desired.
Camping In Bangalore
Camping is in trend in the IT capital of India, Bangalore. From families to friend groups to corporates, camping is one of the preferred amusement and leisure options of the city. Away from the busy and mechanical schedule of the routine life, Bangalore offers quite a few camping options for the enthusiasts, where one can rejuvenate oneself holistically. In and around the city, there many serene places for such camping nights that are great ways of spending time.
Most of the places have facilities for luxury accommodations, home stays, tent lodging, log huts or jungle huts and the option of pitching personal tents. With all its benefits and drawbacks, camping is a sure hit with today’s generation, especially because age is no bar here and one can be well assured of having some brilliant moments worth cherishing a lifetime!
