Camping work exchange and volunteer experiences worldwide

Why go camping with Worldpackers

Worldpackers offers a wide range of different work exchanges and cultural experiences that can benefit any traveler. You get to live abroad, stay with locals and learn their way of life, learn new languages, try new skills, and explore new countries while saving money.

A great way to immerse yourself in a new country is by camping with Worldpackers. We have lots of camping experiences available where travelers can live in a foreign country while getting up close and personal with the natural world. We have work exchanges that include camping all over the globe, so you can volunteer in a country that intrigues you.

Camping is especially perfect if you are an adventurous soul or a nature lover. Volunteering in cities and working in hostels or hotels is great for those who want a bit of comfort. But for those who want to venture off the beaten path and try a more spontaneous and wild volunteer experience, camping is the way to go.

Camping with Worldpackers allows you to see how the locals really live in certain places. Often, people live off the grid and immersed in nature. This is a very in-depth experience where you can see natural beauty every day and learn about simpler living first hand from locals.

When you go camping, you often live in a communal space with locals or other volunteers. This allows you to form new bonds and friendships with your peers. You can trade stories and travel advice. You can grow and learn together. You can have a more intimate experience with the people around you and discover more about different cultures in the process.

Camping is the best way to create a deep connection with a foreign land because you are living outside, with few boundaries. If you love nature and want to step outside of your comfort zone, an adventurous, hands-on volunteer camping experience with Worldpackers is the way to go. 

Types of Worldpackers camping experiences you can have

Worldpackers offers camping experiences all over the world. There are lots of different ways you can experience camping abroad, and all you have to do is browse through our host list and send a message to the hosts that catch your eye. Make sure you are a Verified Member so you can communicate with hosts and access all that Worldpackers has to offer.

For example, you can go camping in Uganda at Rwetera Safari Park. Help out with video making, social work and gardening for four hours per day. You get three days off per week and get to explore local coffee plantations and crater lakes in your time off. This is a great way to get in touch with the African wilderness while helping out some locals with your skills and dedication.

You could also do a camping experience in India, working as a general handyman in exchange for a free stay in mud huts and three free vegetarian meals a day.

If you're thinking of volunteering in Latin America, there are lots of Worldpackers camping experiences available. Help out with a new glamping project in Mexico, right on the beach in Tecolutla. Or work as a tour guide and reception helper at an adventure campsite in the jungle of Costa Rica.

Head south to Ecuador and work as a kitchen hand or bartender in exchange for a free stay in Baños de Agua Santa. You can enjoy free hiking tours and plenty of down time to explore this action-packed Ecuadorian town. Continue through South America to Argentina, where you can live on a family campsite outside Buenos Aires in exchange for some gardening and permaculture work. 

If you're planning on traveling to Europe, Worldpackers has plenty of camping opportunities there as well. Help out at a local campsite in Cerovo, Slovakia with various tasks that need to be done year-round. You can also volunteer in Serbia working as a tour guide and party promoter. In exchange for both of these camping work exchanges, your hosts will introduce you to the local culture and help you explore the land.

What to bring camping: camping gear and supplies

Breaking it down: what is camping?

Camping is when you spend time outdoors, in the wilderness, in some sort of shelter that protects you from the elements. 

There are many different styles of camping. Some are more luxurious with raised bed platforms, electricity, etc. (also known as glamping, or glamorous camping). Some camping is very basic, with a simple sleeping bag and a fold up tent.

Most of the Worldpackers camping experiences lean towards the nicer side. Very often, hosts provide you with all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay. That being said, you should always be prepared and knowledgeable.

There are some basic things to bring camping that most travelers should know. 

What to pack for camping depends on the type of experience you'll be having. If you are venturing out camping on your own, you want to pack good gear like sleeping bags, tents, pillow and blankets, and a sleeping pad. Some things to bring camping depend on the environment, like hammocks, mosquito nets, waterproof covering, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, etc.

Again, most Worldpackers experiences will provide you with these things. But make sure you know what to bring camping just in case some things aren't provided for you. Personal products like bug spray and sunscreen may not be provided, and make sure you pack and medications or personal hygiene products you need.

Just as an example, this Worldpackers camping experience in Mexico provides volunteers with a private tent and a bed. The climate is warm so you should pack accordingly. Your tent is provided in exchange for your efforts in maintenance and gardening, so it is a pretty sweet deal.

A similar Worldpackers experience involves camping near Darwin, Australia. A tent and bed is provided for your stay, and you also get free breakfast. All you have to do is work four hours per day, so you get to know your Aussie locals very well during your downtime. The climate here is also hot, so you won't need lots of heavy bedding while camping here. 

What to bring camping: food

Also consider food and water when considering what to bring camping.

Double check with your Worldpackers host what they offer in exchange for your work. Some hosts offer all meals, some offer one or two meals, and some offer none. Communication with your host is important to ensure that you are prepared for your camping trip.

In general, when camping on your own you have to pack enough food and water to sustain you for the duration of your trip. Make sure there is a reliable water source nearby, otherwise you'll have to bring all your own clean drinking water. Or you can boil your water or bring a water purifier to make sure your water is drinkable.

Also figure what food to bring camping. If you have a cooler to store perishables, do that. Bring plenty of dry, non-perishable food like oats, rice and pasta. If you plan on cooking, bring a portable camping stove and fuel and all the necessary cooking equipment.

Most Worldpackers campsites will provide you with necessities for cooking. For example, this campsite in Uganda is looking for volunteers to cook and prepare food. Because cooking is part of your job, all the amenities are provided for you. In exchange for cooking you get to explore amazing parts of the country like Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semliki Game Reserve and Semliki National Park, and Mountain Rwenzori National Park.

This camping experience in Otranto, Italy provides three meals a day for volunteers. You work is mainly gardening and tending to the locally grown fruits and vegetables, so in exchange for your efforts all your food is provided. 

Another camping experience involves building a jungle homestay in Thailand. You'll get to live by "Lotus Lake", a lake full of gorgeous flowers and help out with art projects and building. They don't provide you with free meals, but you have full access to their kitchen facilities to cook your own meals.

So every work exchange is different. Your hosts will tell you exactly what to pack for camping, so you can always make sure you are prepared.

How you can benefit from camping with Worldpackers

Camping with Worldpackers is a very unique travel experience that you can't get just by staying in a city. There are hosts all over the world who are working on sustainable projects and building new things, and they need volunteers to help them along the way.

Volunteering abroad allows you to get closer with a local culture. You'll be spending time connecting with nature, learning about the land and bonding with your hosts and fellow volunteers. You can travel all over the world with Worldpackers, and you can immerse yourself in the land with a camping experience.

You can camp in a national park in Spain, or live and work at a resort-style camping getaway in Israel. You can learn new skills along the way, like learning natural building techniques in France or learn how to express yourself artistically at a campsite in Colombia.

Camping with Worldpackers allows you to see incredible things in a unique way. 

Rather than just booking a tour and whizzing around, spend more time in one place and really learn to appreciate the natural beauty. Volunteer in the Sahara Desert of Morocco, or in the lush rural countryside of Brazil.

There are so many ways to expand your skills and gain more unforgettable experiences while camping with Worldpackers. Just browse through our website and you'll be amazed at the amount of different volunteering experiences available. Pick a place that intrigues you, figure out what you need to pack for camping, and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.