5 Lessons I Learned Camping Alone

I used to think solo camping was only for those self-proclaimed “pro-campers”. The experienced hikers you see gracing the cover of National Geographic or on some survival show on Animal Planet.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d do (and enjoy) camping alone. Before my first solo camping trip, I wrongly assumed that it would be unsafe, too risky, and plain boring to be by myself while camping.

Camping with a friend or group is one thing. You have someone to support you, talk to, and laugh with as you trek the great outdoors. However, by yourself, all you have is your thoughts and nature– and this idea terrified me.

Not to mention, the potential that I would be alone, likely out in the middle of nowhere, all by myself, with no “safety net” or person I could count on, was scary.  For context, I’d been on numerous camping trips with friends and family over the years.

Yet, it wasn’t until a friend suggested the idea that I should try solo camping that put into perspective that camping on my own may not be quite as bad as I’d originally thought it out to be.

That was two years ago, now I’ve gone on a few solo camping adventures and am here to share my top 5 lessons I’ve learned camping alone.

You Get To Enjoy The Quietness Of Nature

Camping is not just a chance to unplug from technology and social media. But, it also gives you a chance to enjoy and be grateful for the peace and quiet of nature.

You get to listen to the birds chirping, the wind as it blows through the leaves, and the nearby river flowing in the background. When you camp in a group, don’t get me wrong, you do still get to enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature.

Yet, when you’re all by yourself, with no one to talk to, and no distractions, there’s something so peaceful and calming about being alone with your thoughts. Something that can’t be done in the company of others on your camping trip.

Learn (and Grow) Your Camping Abilities

Inevitably, with no one to count on during your solo camping trip, you get to practice, learn, and grow your camping abilities. Obviously, this wasn’t my first time camping. I knew the basics when it came to things like setting up my tent and campsite for the night.

However, there were other skills that I had to do (and learn as I went) on my own as I’d relied on others to do such skills in the past. For instance, starting a fire was a skill I perfected on my solo camping adventures.

Yet, although this may seem scary needing to learn all these new skills all by yourself. With plenty of trial and error, patience, and practice, you eventually grow and expand upon those skills you may not have otherwise learned had you been camping with a group of friends.

Get To Do Exactly What YOU Want To Do

When you camp in a group, there seems to be always something to do, a rough schedule to follow, and people voicing their opinions of what they think is best for the group to do.

However, while camping on your own, you get to go at your own pace on your own schedule. This gives you the freedom to truly do what you want when you want to. If you want to sleep in, and then swim in a nearby river, you can do that.

If you want to hike a certain route, you can do that too. You’re entirely in control to make decisions on exactly how you want to spend your camping journey.

Solo Camping Builds Confidence & Resilience

Solo camping can be perceived as intimidating and scary. This is because you are the only one responsible for surviving alone in the great outdoors. Building your own shelter. Getting your own food. Navigating your way through the wilderness is all a part of camping on your own.

Although at first, this may sound overwhelming, in reality, solo camping builds your self-confidence. This is because you can, all on your own, successfully navigate nature all while having a quiet, peaceful time outdoors.

Therefore, if you are looking to test your abilities, get out of your comfort zone, and prove to yourself that you can achieve great things all on your own, consider going solo camping.

Discover How To Listen To Your Body

The fact that you’re all alone means that you have nothing to listen to but your surroundings and your body.

Whether you’ve been feeling burnt out, stuck in life, or conflicted about a certain situation happening in your life, solo camping gives you this chance to reflect and listen to what your body is telling you.

I’m a big believer in listening to my body and intuition. However, in today’s modern world, it can be difficult to authentically listen to your intuition with all the distractions in your life: work, relationships, and personal life.

And, sometimes, with these distractions, we can keep pushing off facing these problems in our life. At least I know I have in the past!

Yet, with getting the chance to have camped on my own, I’ve gotten the time to reflect and listen to my body, and how I was truly feeling about these hardships in my life and where my life was headed.

That’s A Wrap On Solo Camping

Camping alone provides the perfect opportunity to grow your skills and boost your individuality and confidence.

I’m not going to lie, I was terrified right before my first solo camping trip. Not because I thought something bad was going to happen to me. I was afraid of the uncertainty behind solo camping.

Could I survive all on my own in the wilderness? Will I go mentally insane being all alone?

However, to my surprise, solo camping gave me the much-needed time to deeply reflect upon my life, test my skills as a camper, and boost my confidence in discovering I could do anything I put my mind to.

Although solo camping is not advised for beginners, if you are a relatively experienced camper looking for a chance to expand your camping skills and spend some quality alone time, I highly recommend solo camping.  This is because camping alone has immensely helped grow my love and appreciation for camping, and boosted my inner self-confidence.