Looking for your favourite camping spot can be difficult, especially if the search base is anywhere on planet Earth.
That’s why we’ve got you covered with a list of the best places to go camping based on the Worldwide Camping Index (WCI).
The WCI takes features of the camping spot like stargazing probability and nature density into account.
Whether you’re looking for a near or far escape, this list is for you.
At the top of the rank, we have Canada.
The likelihood of stargazing is high and there are plenty of local national parks to visit.
Furthermore, the crowd here is expected to be thin, there is a wide range of fauna and animals, and the probability of natural disasters occurring is low.
Finland is a close runner-up, followed by Brazil with its rich wildlife diversity, host of national parks, and plenty of stargazing opportunities.
Other countries in the top ten include Spain, Sweden, the USA, and Australia.
Countries in the top 20 include Mexico, Thailand, Peru, and Switzerland, just to name a few.
The WCI covers plenty of grounds in terms of the factors that campers look for in a camping site.
Here are some of the factors included in the WCI.
Diversity of Wildlife
Nature packs plenty of surprises and wildlife is one of the most interesting things about camping in nature.
The diversity score was based on the number of species of animals on land, in water, and in the sky.
Brazil tops the chart with a count of 3,315 species followed by Colombia (3,088 species) and Peru (2,907 species).
Although it was unsurprising that Brazil took first place in wildlife diversity given that it houses the Amazon rainforest, it was intriguing that the second and third spots were also occupied by countries in South America.
Harmful Wildlife
The number of venomous species is what takes up most of the vote for wildlife that is mortally dangerous to campers.
The last thing you want to encounter while camping is a funnel-web spider, the most menacing of its kind in the world.
Mexico houses 80 species of venomous animals and is home to about 90% of the global rattlesnake population.
As such, Mexico ranks first on this factor. Australia takes third place behind Brazil with about 66 venomous species recorded.
Some countries with safer wildlife are Norway, Poland, and the UK where the count for dangerous wildlife species is low.
These are the countries with higher scores on the WCI.
Stargazing
The equivalent of nightlife while camping is stargazing.
Cities riddled with light are less likely to make it on the list because the chances of stargazing depend on a lower population and higher area of space available.
Mongolia has the least light pollution at only 0.01%, followed by Tanzania, Kenya, and Zimbabwe with 0.2%, 0.7%, and 0.7% respectively.
If campers look hard enough, they might even spot an Ursa Major or an Orion.
National Parks
National parks are great for nature-loving campers, which is why countries with the most national parks to their name are ranked higher on this factor.
Australia was the undisputed champion with 685 national parks under its belt.
Fun fact: the biggest national park in Australia, Kakadu, is even bigger than the whole of Fiji.
In the second place, we have Thailand followed by India in the third.
They each have 147 and 116 national parks respectively.
Forest Area
For campers who love to be in nature, forests are great destinations, which is why forest area is part of the WCI.
Finland has an impressive forest area of 73.1% of its land.
This means that there is plenty of forested lands to go around for campers who enjoy hiking.
Sweden comes in second with 68.9% of the forested area followed by Japan with 68.5%.
Scenery
Seeing beautiful sights can make any camping trip worth it.
A country’s ranking on the scenery was rated by how beautiful the parks, mountains, and beaches are.
Coming in first, we have Costa Rica, a beautiful country home to scenic lakes, calming forested areas, and magnificent mountains.
Costa Rica comes in with a score of 6.7 and its picturesque views are sure to take your breath away.
Natural Resources
Natural resources refer to the greeneries, landscape, and the opportunity for tourists to enjoy the great outdoors.
Over the past few years, Mexico has experienced a constant rise in tourism.
This resulted in the development of sites and projects for tourists which explains why Mexico comes in first in natural assets with a score of six.
Brazil is second with a score of 5.8. Australia’s success here is attributed to its lead in the number of national parks.
As such, Australia is third with a score of 5.5.
Pollution
Pollution has been recognised as a major global issue and if campers are not careful, staying too long outdoors might cause them to harm in the long haul.
Finland has the lowest pollution index score followed by Sweden with scores of 11.57 and 17.25 respectively.
These countries produce electricity in ways that are kind to the environment and are distant from places where pollution is high.
Thus, the ranking of these Nordic countries is unsurprising.
Risk of Natural Disasters
To avoid encountering natural disasters especially while you’re on your dream camping trip, your best bet is to visit countries that have the least chances of experiencing an earthquake or a tsunami.
Countries where natural disasters are least likely include Sweden and Norway with a score of 2.12 and 2.19 respectively.
Among these two countries, no earthquake has ever exceeded the 4.5-mark on the Richter Scale.
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tsunamis are also unlikely.
Rainfall
While campers might prefer cold places, rain can really be a wet blanket on camping trips. Get it?
With a recorded 3.8 inches of rainfall each year, Oman comes in first given its desert and warm climate.
Coming in at second and third places are Mongolia, with 9.3 inches per year, and Kazakhstan, with 11.6 inches per year, respectively.
Conclusion
To calculate the WCI, information from various sources had to be obtained and analysed due to the considerable amount of factors that can either make or break a camping trip.
That’s why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you so that all there is left for you to do is to pack a tent and other necessities and set forth on your next camping journey.
So if you’re really in need of a camping escape, take the first step in planning your next camping destination today.
