Desert trip safety: how to prepare (water, heat, navigation)
Water, heat, navigation and a plan if things fail. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone app and works without internet.
Before you go
- Check your government's travel advice for the region. Go with a local guide or a trusted agency, not alone.
- Leave a plan with someone: route, return time and who to call if you don't check in.
- Download offline maps and have backup navigation: a compass or a second phone with a power bank.
- Water: take much more than you think. In heat and with effort, you can lose over a litre of sweat an hour.
- Take salty snacks or electrolytes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a warm layer for the night, when it gets cold.
- Keep the first days light. The body takes about 10 days to adapt to heat.
Out there
- Do the hard stretches in the morning and evening. Rest in the shade during the hottest hours.
- Drink to thirst and eat salty food. Dark, scanty urine is a sign of dehydration.
- Watch each other: dizziness, headache, nausea and odd behaviour are the first signs of overheating.
- Don't walk in dry riverbeds when a storm is possible. Water can rush down from the hills suddenly.
When things go wrong
- Vehicle broken down or lost: stay with the car. It is much easier to spot than a person.
- Make shade, save effort until dusk and conserve water, but don't refuse it. Drink when thirsty.
- Make yourself visible: a mirror or phone screen in the sun, bright cloth, a torch at night. Mark the spot in the app and text the coordinates when you get signal.
- Heat stroke (hot skin, confusion, collapse): call for help and start cooling at once: shade, remove clothes, wet the skin, fan, cold packs on neck, armpits and groin.
Watch out
- Don't leave a broken-down vehicle to look for help in the heat. Most people who go missing are found near their vehicle.
- Don't force down huge amounts of water without eating salt. It can cause a dangerous drop in blood sodium.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How much water should I take to the desert?
Much more than you think. In heat and with effort you can lose over a litre of sweat an hour. Carry a reserve for a breakdown and drink to thirst.
What should I do if my car breaks down in the desert?
Stay with the vehicle, make shade, avoid effort in the day, make yourself visible and send your coordinates as soon as you get signal.
What are the signs of heat stroke?
Confusion or odd behaviour, loss of coordination, headache, nausea, hot skin, and later seizures or collapse. It is a life-threatening emergency.
How long does heat acclimatisation take?
According to the CDC, most changes happen within about 10 days of daily exercise in the heat. Keep the first week light.
Keep it on your phone
SurvivalZone is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.
Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.
Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.
Other guides
- 💧 How to make water safe
- 🍲 Food without power
- ⛺ Shelter at home and outdoors
- 👨👩👧 Protecting your family and yourself
- 💊 Run out of medicine
- 🎒 Go bag checklist
- 🩹 Home first aid kit
- 🔦 Prepare your home for a blackout
- ✈️ Air travel: a safe trip
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book: heat and cold illness in travelers
- NHS: heat exhaustion and heatstroke
- Polish Foreign Ministry: travel advice by country
- German Foreign Office: Elefand crisis registration list
Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-10-22.
General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.