Cape York’s Dry Season is almost upon us, and that means one thing – 4WDers from around the country are gearing up to make a run for the Cape’s campsites and 4WD tracks for 2018.

If your dream Cape York adventure is rolling around this year, or you’re still in your planning stages for next year or beyond, chances are you’ve wondered about the type of camping accommodation that’s best suited to the Cape. After all, aren’t there heaps of crocs up the Cape – and doesn’t that mean a swag’s a terrible idea?

The short answer is no, a swag is nowhere near a terrible idea for Cape York! However, each of the three different types of camping accommodation have their own benefits. Let’s look at swags, tents and roof top tents to help you make a decision about what’s best for you up in the Cape.

SWAGS

Chucking a swag in your 4WD and heading away camping is as Aussie as it gets! What we love about a swag, be it a single swag or a double swag, is just how simple they are to setup and use. When you’re up the Cape, you’ll want to spend every spare second each afternoon swimming in beautiful freshwater swimming holes, not spending hours battling that 20 year old multi-room tent.

Yes, you do need to be croc-safe when you’re up in Cape York. Salties definitely do exist in the large saltwater rivers that scatter across the Cape York Peninsula. The general rule of thumb is to camp at least 20m away from the waterline. If you’re still a little worried about camping out of a swag in Cape York, then the Adventure Kings Sumo Stretcher Bed is perfect. In fact, we love sleeping on it in a swag wherever we are, because getting up off the ground makes a comfy swag even more comfy!

TENTS

The key to a good tent is simplicity in its setup. There’s no point spending 45 minutes every afternoon setting up a tent, especially in a place like Cape York where you’re most likely going to pull it down the next morning and move on to a new campsite. That’s why we love the concept of a 3x3m gazebo and a gazebo tent, like the Adventure Kings gear. The camping gazebo is able to be setup in less than a minute by one person, and then all you do is use the ties and velcro straps to secure the tent to the gazebo frame. What’s even better, is on those really muggy Cape York nights, the gazebo tent has beautiful big windows and doors that can open to allow a fresh breeze in. Plus, at a massive 3m x 3m and over 3320mm tall in size, you’ll never feel stuffy and suffocated!

ROOF TOP TENTS

If there’s one type of camping accommodation we reckon is perfect for Cape York, it’s a rooftop tent. Having done the Cape multiple times in swags, tents and roof top tents, we reckon it’s a roof top tent that wins at the end of the day. You’re up off the ground, which is a bonus because even in the Dry Season the Cape can experience unexpected rain. On hot nights you’re up in the air which lets you grab any bit of cool breeze that blows through, and most importantly a roof top tent is quick to setup and packup. Plus, sometimes you’ll come across busy campsites where there’s not a whole lot of room to sprawl out. With a rooftop tent, anywhere you can fit your 4WD to park it, you can set up your roof top tent!

OTHER ESSENTIAL BITS OF GEAR

Camping up in Cape York is all about protection from the elements, because unless you’re up there in November, you can’t guarantee there’ll be no rain. We highly recommend at least one awning, as well as a couple of awning walls. If you’re travelling and camping with mates, then it’s a no-brainer – something like an additional 3m x 3m gazebo or even a 3m x 6m gazebo will provide you with heaps of communal under-cover living space. Add a couple of walls to the gazebo and you’ll be prepared for all eventualities, regardless of what the weather does.