A Beginner's Guide to Burning Man
Burning Man is amazing, but there’s a lot to learn to be prepared for the experience of a lifetime. In this post I’ll give you a rundown of the everything you need to know and bring for your first year at Burning Man.
First make sure you are going for the right reasons. Are you ready to be a contributor to an open arms culture, with no judgement, and an attitude of giving? I hope so!
Burning Man Tickets and Registration
Register at https://tickets.burningman.org/ to get the alert for when tickets go on sale. The day they go on sale have multiple people or computers trying to purchase because it’s unfortunately become very competitive. I’ve signed on right when the clock struck and still not gotten in. Tell all your friends to get the max number of tickets in case you don’t get any, they can easily sell them if by some chance you do (they should sell them at face value, it’s the Burning Man way!).
Burning Man prioritizes community contributors. You can volunteer to guarantee you can purchase a ticket, and then you’ll already feel like you are truly part of the experience! My friend volunteers for the DMV (Department of Mutant Vehicles) and gets to check in art cars for a few shifts while she’s there. She loves it and it’s a great way to meet people.
How Long Does Burning Man Last?
Burning Man spans the nine days leading up to and including Labor Day (first Monday in September). If you’re part of the setup crew you can potentially go longer.
To Stay.
A lot of people camp in tents at Burning Man, the Shiftpod being the most popular this past year for its ease of use and ability to reflect off the hot heat. They’re pricey, starting price is $899 (2022). I also found this Thunderbay Ice Cube Series Pop-Up Portable 2-3 Person Ice Fishing Shelter for just $169.99. I haven’t tried it but it’s look pretty comparable. Be careful what you bring, if you have a mesh tent then the dust will go right through the mesh and all over your things.
If an RV or trailer is an affordable option for you, this is the way I would do it. Having the option to cook food, have shelter from dust storms, and air conditioning is key to being comfortable. Don’t mention you’re taking it to Burning Man if you’re renting, they’ll slap extra fees on or not let you take it at all.
The inside of a shift pod with a queen blowup mattress
Tent Camping
Bring battery operated fans and extra batteries, it gets HOT!!!
Bring plenty of body wipes since you most likely won’t have access to a shower (join a camp if you want this perk, or bring a camping style shower like this Solar Shower)
Stake your tent in with industrial stakes, there are crazy wind storms at times and you don’t want your tent to blow away or injure someone
Find out where air conditioned domes are in case it’s crazy hot and you need some sleep (some camps have these available)
RV or Trailer Tips
Tape the windows with painter’s tape so you don’t get dust blowing in, it will get everywhere (see photos below)
Make sure all windows and vents are closed when driving in to avoid filling the place with dust
Don’t face the generator towards the gas tank! This could cause an explosion.
On A Budget? Build your own Hexayurt.
There is a complete guide to building your own Hexayurt on Tape Providers.com. Tis could be a fun project if your crafty.
Join A Burning Man Camp
You can decide to join a camp at Burning Man where a group of people come together to provide something of interest to the event like entertainment, art, food or drinks. It’s also nice to have community and some camps set up things like showers, hammocks, bars etc. You can find info on joining a camp on the Burning Man website.
Transportation.
The "Playa" (name of the pop-up city) is massive, so a bike is ideal and almost necessary to get around. Make sure you light up your bike so you can see and be seen in the darkness. This is really important, it’s pitch black so you could easily get hit by another bike or art car if you don’t have lights on you.
Go to a garage sale and grab a bike for cheap (it will get destroyed by the dust). This Huffy Beach Cruiser is also a new cheap(ish) option.
Water.
Camps have events that provide free food and alcohol, but water and ice are a hot commodity at Burning Man. Be sure to bring it more water than you need. For each person, I recommend 1.5 gallons a day at minimum. Also take into consideration whether you’ll be using this water to bathe or cook with.
Food.
Surprisingly, salty foods are great for the hot and arid desert, they help your body retain water. If your tent camping bring a burner and fuel to heat water (like you would for camping or backpacking). Also, check the Burning Man schedule (a book they give you when you arrive) and you can find all kinds of yummy meals kindly provided by camps free of charge, because of course, no money is exchanged at Burning Man. It also fun to bring something you can share, I like to bring little fruit snack packets or something in my backpack as I’m riding around to gift to people.
Ideas for food to bring whether you’re tent camping or RV:
Mac n’ cheese cups (just add hot water)
Chips
Pasta is a good choice, because pasta sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated until after opening
Avocados are a great source of energy and don’t need to be refrigerated
Burritos (dehydrated beans, rice, avocado, tortillas)
Tortilla pizzas (tortillas, pasta sauce packets, shredded cheese and pepperoni)
Dehydrated meals (we use these in the Backcountry, and they’re quite delicious! Just add water.)
Self Care.
Body wipes for cleaning yourself.
Conditioner or Argon oil on dry hair can help you get all the tangles out.
Bring a spray water bottle with a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil, it’s feels amazingly refreshing when it’s super hot out. I usually carry one around in my backpack while biking around.
Workshops and Events
When you enter Burning Man with your tickets they’ll hand you a book that has all the dates and times of the official registered events and where they are located. There are so many different types of things to do from painting to parties, music and risqué workshops.
Navigation.
At Burning Man the city is built like a clock. The Burning Man is at the center and points towards 6. The city is built around it in a half circe format. The most interior street is “A” on out to “Z.” For example, last year I camped at 9:30 and J. You’ll get the hang of it immediately once you’re there. Most important is to remember where your camp is right away, I almost got lost from my friends our first day and didn’t know my coordinates. Burning Man is massive, so this isn’t a mistake you’d want to make.
To Wear.
At Burning Man, you can let your creativity fly! But keep in mind that a lot of the fashion that fuels Burning Man is also quite functional for the weather conditions and circumstances. I've created a list of things you'll need and why you'll need them. Check out this blog post.
Rules
Leave no trace—MOOP is “Matter out of Place”. Be sure that when you leave Burning Man it’s as if you had never been there. Carry out all your trash, and don’t throw anything onto the ground including water. Don’t pee anywhere except the port-a-potties. Be respectful.
Find ways to contribute. Join a camp, volunteer, or bring or do something to contribute to the culture of giving.
No money exchanged. There is no money exchanged at Burning Man, just gifts people bring in to share with the community. The gift can be something as simple as bringing snacks with you biking to hand out.
Have fun! Let your creativity fly and keep your heart and mind open.
I hope this helps you prep for your journey! Do you have any other questions? If so, please leave them in the comments below.
