Surviving the SA Heat: Cool Hacks for Summer Camping

December in South Africa is magical. The days are long, the braai fires are lit, and the vibe is festive. But there is one catch: it is often close to 40 degrees in the shade.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of waking up in a tent at 07:00 AM and realizing you are already slowly baking. But don’t cancel your booking just yet. You don’t need an expensive caravan with an air-conditioner to survive the summer. You just need a little "boer maak ’n plan" ingenuity.

Here are our top hacks for keeping your cool when the mercury rises.

1. The Frozen Bottle Trick

Ice is a precious commodity in the bush. Instead of buying bags of ice that turn to soup in 24 hours, pre-freeze your drinking water.

• The Hack: freeze 2-litre plastic bottles (leave a little space at the top for expansion) and pack them into your cooler box.

• Why it works: They act as massive solid ice bricks that last much longer than loose cubes. As they slowly melt, you have ice-cold water to drink. It’s a win-win.

2. The "Wet Towel" Fridge

This is old-school physics at its best. If you don't have a fridge, or just need to cool a drink down quickly, use evaporation.

• The Hack: Soak a dishtowel or sock in water, wrap it tightly around your glass bottle or cooldrink can, and place it in the wind (or hang it from a tree).

• Why it works: As the water evaporates from the cloth, it draws heat away from the bottle. It won’t make it ice cold, but it will drop the temperature surprisingly fast.

3. Reflective Tarps (The Silver Sheet)

Standard gazebos provide shade, but they also trap heat. If you are serious about summer camping, you need a reflective silver tarp (often called an "Alnet" or "Silver Shade Cloth").

• The Hack: Rig a silver tarp over your tent, ensuring there is a gap of at least 30cm between the tarp and your tent roof.

• Why it works: The silver reflects the sun’s radiation before it hits your tent fabric, and the air gap allows the hot air to flow away. This can lower the temperature inside your tent by 5 to 10 degrees.

4. Beat the Dehydration Headache

We often forget to drink water when we are busy swimming and braaing. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

• The Hack: Stock up on "Rehydrate" sachets or electrolytes from the pharmacy. Mix a sachet into your water bottle once a day.

• Why it works: It replaces the salts you sweat out and prevents that throbbing afternoon headache that ruins the sunset game drive.

African Sahara sunset with animals and trees on the grasslands.