Just like road trips, camping is one of those quintessential Aussie traditions that you either love or hate. For some, it stirs cosy memories of waking with the sun, playing cards at picnic tables and cooking damper over a crackling fire. For others, it triggers memories of school camps spent shivering in sleeping bags and dodging the pungent smells wafting from the communal toilet block. Well, it’s time to put those personal grudges aside, because Australia has just been named as the world’s best destination for camping – and you better be making the most of it.
To help intrepid spirits scope out the coolest camping spots, Safari company Asilia has created a new Alternative Camping Index. This guide focuses more on the adventurous aspects of camping – rather than safety or pesky predators – analysing factors like the number of national parks, light pollution, yearly rainfall, wildlife species and availability of outdoor activities. Each country earned a score out of 100 based on these metrics, culminating in a ranking of the top 25 camping destinations worldwide.
We were happy campers to see Australia take the crown as the best country for camping in the world. Our nation has a deep-rooted love for the ‘sport’, with Tourism Research Australia revealing that Aussies embarked on 15.3 million caravan and camping trips in 2023. Go on, you good things!
Whether it’s a home among the gum trees or a beachfront base, we’re spoiled for choice with campgrounds Down Under. Many sites are even completely free to stay at or cost less than a schnitty at the pub for one night under the stars.
Australia topped the charts with more national parks than anywhere else at a whopping 685, spanning 28 million hectares – from the remote Kakadu National Park in the Top End to the gorgeous Daintree National Park on the East Coast. Campers won’t have to look hard to spot native wildlife and plant species, and with more than 1,000 outdoor activities across the country, you’ll never get bored.
The USA ranked as the second-best camping destination in the world, with surprise entrants like Tanzania in third, Kenya in fourth and Namibia in fifth. You can check out the full list of the 25 best countries for camping here or see our snapshot below.
These are the 10 best countries in the world for camping:
- Australia
- USA
- Tanzania
- Kenya
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Canada
- Ethiopia
- Argentina
- Madagascar