AfrikaBurn Survival Guide
Embrace the Burn: Your Essential AfrikaBurn Survival Guide
In this guide I’ll give you the essentials to attending AfrikaBurn. From what to pack, to getting there and how to camp - this guide is all you’ll need to make your Burn experience seamless. I’ve organised the planning so that you can focus on making the memories.
WHAT IS AFRIKABURN?
The main annual AfrikaBurn event is set in the mesmerizing Quaggafontein, Tankwa Karoo desert. Burn invites participants to let go of societal norms and immerse themselves in a world of imagination. It's a space where creativity knows no bounds, and self-expression is celebrated without judgment.
Each year around 10,000 people head into the desert and volunteer their time and resources to build a temporary city. The city is known as Tankwa Town. Everyone is invited to live in Tankwa Town, however you are asked to live by a few guiding principles. Burn is a testament to the human spirit's boundless capacity for creativity, connection, and self-discovery. It invites individuals to step outside their comfort zones, embrace authenticity, and celebrate the beauty of life in all its forms.
THE 11 GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF AFRIKABURN
AfrikaBurn is an immersive community event that embraces radical self-expression, self-reliance, and communal participation - creating a temporary city where vibrant art installations, music, and creative expression merge in a celebration of freedom.
I highly encourage you to have a look at the AfricaBurn website to familiarize yourself with the Burn principles.
THE ESSENTIAL AFRIKABURN PACKING CHECKLIST
Remember, with the exception of toilets, there is nothing in Tankwa Town provided for you.
There are two ways you can do Burn:
You can join an already existing theme camp which is a group of people that have signed up to create a communal space or art installation for everyone at the Burn to enjoy. Usually these camps have their members split into groups and certain people would be responsible for organising shelter, food, decor, etc. It would also most likely require you to participate in making an artwork or installation - which is huge fun! This is a great option if you are attending from overseas as your crew can help out or offer tents and equipment so you do not need to buy all of this up front. It’s standard for these camps to charge a fee as a contribution. It’s essential to remember that this should still require you to participate! If the camp does not require you to participate it’s known as a plug-and-play camp which is a big no-no at Burn.
You can get a crew or group of friends together and do it all yourself! This is where this blog and the essential packing list will really come in handy.
You need to pack and bring everything you would possibly need to survive for a week in the desert.
I’ve created a tried and tested Packing Checklist for you which includes everything from camping gear and survival equipment to essentials and outfits.
Here are a few notes on the essentials:
Water
AfrikaBurn recommends 5 liters per person per day. This includes drinking, washing, cooking and brushing your teeth. A little hack: Freeze your 5 liter bottles for cool drink water throughout. Doubles as ice to keep your drinks cool. Your welcome.
Due to the extreme heat during the day I recommend taking some sachets of rehydrate to have for the mornings.
Food
Whether you want to cook or not is up to you. But regardless, you’re going to need 1 week’s worth of food. I usually work on a combo of ready-made meals (pasta's, sandwiches, wraps, etc.) and things that are easy to prepare and are non-perishable. I’m talking snack bars, trail mix, peanut butter, biltong, apples, oranges, chips, crackers, tinned food - to name a few. There is nothing for sale at Burn except ice.
Camping
I've seen people go full glamping vs the bare essentials. The most important is to have a proper tent/shelter and shading with enough bedding and blankets. The weather can be extreme - wind, cold, heat or rain. So your equipment needs to be able to withstand these conditions.
Toiletries & Meds
Medicine is something that is often overlooked. There is a medic on site but as part of the guiding principle of radical self reliance it’s your responsibility to pack your own daily meds you might take and an essential medkit - plasters, disinfectant, pain meds, electrolytes, etc.
Rubbish bags
One of the most Important Burn principles is to Leave No Trace. You have to be prepared to take all your trash back with you.
Outfits
It’s essential to pack for extreme heat, cold and rain. And comfortable, sturdy shoes. Other than that Radical Self Expression means you’re encouraged to wear whatever you want. You’ll pass people wearing extravagant costumes and also people wearing nothing at all. Dressing up is half the fun of AfrikaBurn, so take yourself down to the various thrift shops or to the famous Coast For Africa and get yourself something flamboyant.
For some guidance check out Best Thrift Shops in Cape Town.
GETTING THERE
The Afrikaburn adventure starts before you get there. From packing everything you could possibly need for a week of existence in the desert into your vehicle & trailer to the 4-5 hour drive to the Tankwa, the required perspective & patience needs to be applied from the start.
But trust me - it’s so worth it!
What makes it so difficult is the dirt road leading into Tankwa Town. It’s a proper 113km of unpaved, tire-eating gravel. Luckily for you and for me, AfricaBurn has made a great Getting There and Directions guide for you. Rule no. 1 - don’t follow the GPS coordinates. Rule no. 2 - pack a spare tyre or two. No joke.
The closer you get to Tankwa Town the further you get from civilization. Your last chance to fill up with petrol is in Worcester or Touws River, and you lose signal shortly after you hit the dirt road.
Maps: Link
HOW CAMPING WORKS
Camping in Open Camping zones happens on a first-come, first-settled basis. Please don’t settle in any of the clearly marked reserved spots. If you camp on these locations and have occupied someone else’s site, you will be moved, even if you’ve already set up your camp.
If you’re part of a larger group and your campmates have arrived earlier, get them to leave a message on the notice boards at the event gate.
If you are keen on a good night’s sleep while in Tankwa Town don’t settle in the Loud Zone.
LEAVE NO TRACE
You’re going to hear and see this word a lot, so let’s talk about MOOP.
MOOP stands for Matter Out Of Place and refers to anything that doesn’t belong in the desert.
Everything from cigarette stompies to beer cans, glow sticks to matchsticks, are MOOP. Even biodegradables like orange peels and apple cores are MOOP. In fact, EVERY SINGLE thing you bring to Tankwa is MOOP. If you brought it, you must bag it and take it back with you, including your trash.
SHOWERS
There are no showers set up, but you have a few options to feel fresh and clean.
Bring your own shower: You can devise a shower of your own design in your camp, or rent or buy a portable camping shower.
Wet Wipe Shower: You can just take a wet wipe to the important bits and call it a day.
Themed Camp Showers: There are usually a few theme camps that offer showers to whoever is interested. Be aware some of them are naked shower camps - again participation is entirely voluntary.
TOILETS
AfrikaBurn’s famous ‘loo’s with a view’ are placed along the outskirts of the town, and have lights and flags so you can find them easily by day or night. They’re mostly within 100m of anywhere on the Binnekring and are essentially scattered wooden toilet structures with a short wall on all 4 sides. What makes them unique is that they aren’t covered, so your head is sticking up over the sides.
It might sound scary for those of you that are a bit more shy, but the environment at Burn is so gentle and non-judgmental that you quickly get used to it. We’re all just human after all.
WHAT TO ACTUALLY EXPECT
When you arrive, you’ll be given a map and a WTF? Guide so you know what is going on. Everything you could possibly need to know, from Theme Camps, Artworks, Mutant Vehicles, Classes, Talks, Events and so on, will be in there.
So, without taking away from the magic of setting out into the unknown every day and creating your own unique adventures, here’s a general idea of what to expect:
A Day at Burn
During the day is when most events take place. All the action takes place along the Binnekring (the road that runs along the huge open area known as The Playa, where the burns and giant wooden art installations take place).
A stroll along the Binnekring during the day will present you endless Theme Camps offering food, drinks, music and hosting events. There are also tons of classes, talks, workshops and discussions about anything and everything – spirituality, sex, life, you name it.
While the sun is up it’s a perfect opportunity to explore the artworks scattered about The Playa. And if you fancy a boogie, there are always Mutant Vehicles (pieces of mobile art, usually modified cars or trucks) parked off with DJs playing a variety of tunes suitable for any mood.
Don’t underestimate the day. There’s lots to do and people to meet! You can sleep in when you’re back home.
A Night at Burn
Once that desert sun dips behind the horizon, Tankwa Town turns into a massive celebration like you’ve never seen before. There are countless dance floors, light installations, and people dripping in fairy lights and crazy fur coats and costumes.
The Playa is filled with Mutant Vehicles blasting music and starting mini dancefloors all across the desert.
Not everything at night has to be about partying though. You can always find the odd jazz lounge, cinema and/or chilled hangout back at the camp sites. Make sure you have your fur coat before you go out because the nights are freezing cold. If you’re planning on sending it, make sure you bring your own booze.
THE BURNS
AfrikaBurn is South Africa’s version of Burning Man. Both follow the same core principles and the tradition of the burns are symbolic because they represent the impermanence of our man-made desert cities and of life in general.
Burns usually take place at night and are the essence of AfrikaBurn, so I would recommend attending as many as possible. The last 2 nights of the event are usually when they do the Clan and Temple burns - most of the almost 10 000 attendees join in a big circle around the massive burning structure. This is accompanied by the classic Burn naked run - participation completely voluntary!
GIFTING
One of the guiding principles is gifting. This is a huge part of the Burn experience and something a lot of people don’t prepare for and end up regretting.
You’re going to meet some incredible people and share many beautiful moments, and having a small gift to exchange can really add a lot to the experience.
Do not confuse gifting with bartering. If someone gives you something, you don’t need to give them anything in return. A thank you, big hug or double high-five will suffice.
The idea is simple, gift as you wish, and as much as you can.
A gift can be literally anything from food to drink, your skills, your time, or even just an act of service. Tankwa Town is the perfect place to rediscover the joy in giving without expecting anything in return.
FINAL WORDS
Go with an open mind and no expectations - let the experience happen. Sleep in or wake up early. Take photos or go tech-free. Try to live in the moment. Get involved in as much as you want. And lastly, express yourself radically but with respect to those around you, give lots of hugs and gifts, and have a jol. I’ll see you there!
SEE THE FULL AFRIKABURN QUAGGAPEDIA GUIDEHERE.
