10 Tips for surviving in the desert

A desert is classed as a large expanse of land that receives less than 10 inches of rainfall a year. When people think of a desert they normally picture something hot like the Sahara, but the largest desert on earth is found in Antarctica, a place where it never rains because of the extreme cold the continent is permanently in.

If you’re going to Antarctica then this is going to need a whole range of special gear, but for the hot weather version, here are 10 Tips for surviving in the desert to keep in mind to make sure you don’t end up turning into a giant raisin.

1 – Tell someone where you’re going

If someone is trapped out in the open sun without water, the desert can take their life in a single day, which is why it’s important to get found really quickly if something goes wrong. Make a planned route before you leave and tell people exactly where you’ll be traveling and when you’ll get there, this will help the alarm be raised sooner should you not make a checkpoint.

2 – Don’t skimp on the water

If you have a vehicle make sure you carry at least an extra 3 days supply per person along with your normal amount. When a missing person is being searched for in the desert, they are normally found very quickly as aircraft have an excellent view of the flat, tree-less terrain. 3 days of water should be sufficient in the event of an emergency, but if capacity allows you can never have too much. The chances of finding water in a place like this are very small and if you do find something, it will most likely be packed with parasites and animal waste.

3 – Don’t remove clothing to stay cool

If you strip down to a thin t-shirt the sun will break through it to an extent and directly heat your skin. Even if you feel better without it on, clothing covering your skin from the sun will be a much better scenario than direct contact. Also, make sure that your head is covered as direct sunlight on your head will warm you up faster than anywhere else, there’s a very good reason that desert tribes often wear large hoods or thick turban-type headgear. The best clothing you can wear in the desert is worn by the people who have always lived there, with long flowing but very thin layers of clothing designed to reflect any heat while letting the air circulate.

(It may look counterproductive to wrap something around your head to stay cool, but no one knows what they are doing better than the people who have always lived there)

4 – Don’t touch the ground

As with cold weather, the floor can soak up the temperature and make it considerably hotter or colder than the air around it. The floor of a desert that’s been in direct sunlight all day will feel much hotter than the air. Should you need to lay down during the day and have the energy to do so, scoop the hot top layer of sand aside and create a shallow dip for yourself.

5 – Be careful what food you bring

Avoid anything salty and dry, such as biscuits or crackers. If you eat something with no moisture in it, your body will have to provide the liquid to swallow and digest it, making you crave more, and in a situation where water may be limited it’s sometimes best to leave that last pack of salted peanuts alone.

6 – Don’t annoy the wildlife

In the event you’re starving, don’t get desperate enough to try and catch something dangerous, like a snake or scorpion. Even though many of these creatures are edible and provide a good meal, the desert is home to some of the most poisonous snakes and spiders in the world.

7 – Do NOT rely on a cell phone

If you’re going into any large desert you’ll find that reception towers are somewhat limited. You will lose reception for your cell phone in any large desert, and even areas in developed countries like the United States still have huge amounts of desert with no coverage. The only way to stay in contact with the rest of the world when in certain deserts would be by a satellite phone.

8 – Bring satellite equipment

Since your cell phone will lose reception, guaranteed, it’s a good idea to buy or rent a satellite phone or some kind of GPS equipment. There are also a number of different satellite emergency beacons available, which send up a signal to the nearest emergency services when activated, some of which are very small and easily fit into a backpack.

9 – Watch the weather

Keep an eye on the sky and especially on the winds, as sand storms can be devastating if you’re caught out in the open. In the event of a sandstorm, bunker down somewhere and try to take the best cover you can. Also, make a note of your surroundings and try to find something you can use as a reference when the storm is over, the floor of the desert can look different each time a sandstorm occurs. The other thing people often don’t realize about the desert is that at night time it can get very cold, so keep that in mind when making camp for the night.

10 – If all else fails, pee on something and wrap it around your head

No this isn’t the desert equivalent of a crazy person’s tin foil hat, but rather a way to keep you cool. If you have some kind of spare clothing, pee on it and wrap it around your head like a makeshift turban, this keeps the heat off your head much better than just a simple covering, and even though it may not be the most pleasant thing to do, it can make the difference between life and death in the right situation.