30 Desert Survival Tips Guaranteed To Save Your Life

1. Always Tell Someone Your Plan In The Desert

Source Image/ FrenchmanbaypartnersTelling people your route when planning your trip to the desert is essential just in case they haven't heard off your for a while. The person who knows your plan can then report that they are worried about you and it gives the desert searchers an area to focus on.

2. Don't Rely On A Phone For Help

Source Image/ BrobibleLets be real, there isn't going to be four bars of 5G in the middle of heaps of sand. A good idea is to bring a satellite phone if planning to go to the desert for a trip. Satellite phones connect directly to the satellites that orbit earth so they are more reliable then a normal mobile phone.

3. Have Multiple Routes Planned

Source Image/ OutdoorblueprintIf you have planned your journey on a phone/ GPS then it is quite unreliable on the fact that it may run out and then become no use. So having multiple routes planned on a paper map is efficient as it will be able to help you wherever you are, at whichever part of your desert journey.

4. Bring Enough Water For Each Person

Source Image/ BusinessinsiderIf your travelling with other people, the last thing you want is for you guys to be wasting your own water on each other. A minimum of 1 gallon per day should be brought for each person. But, more should be drank to stop your body from becoming dehydrated.

5. Conserve Your Water

Source Image/ PinterestBy conserving your water, I don't mean to not drink as much as you should because you should be regularly drinking water when in the desert. I mean for you to not waste your water unnecessarily, for example, don't talk as much and don't eat salty foods especially when you are running out of water!

6. Make Sure Your Wearing Proper Footwear

Image Source/ ExpocafeperuWearing protective footwear is essential for travelling in the desert. They will give your feet comfort for all the walking involved and will prevent blisters. The reason for you to wear covered shoes is the protect your feet from burns from the hot sand and to stop insects/snakes coming out the sand and biting your feet.

7. Make Sure You Are Wearing Sunglasses

Source Image/ FoundtheworldIts self-explanatory really, but wearing sunglasses is a massive need when in. the desert. The sun in the desert can damage your distance vision and could make you struggle with your sight at the night. The bright sun can also cause headaches which isn't helpful if you're lost.

8. Don't Lie On The Ground

Image Source/ TheoccasionaltravellerLying on the sand of the desert is the easiest way to burn your skin, the sand can be 30 degrees HOTTER than the atmosphere. So, if you're feeling exhausted from walking all day or just from the heat and you would like to lie down, put a piece of fabric on the floor and lie on-top of it.

9. Make Sure to Watch The Sky

Source Image/ PickpikMake sure to watch the sky for flash floods from seeing dark, storm-like clouds as they come out of nowhere and can be very intense. If you're on low ground and can see the sky becoming full of dark clouds then you must get to high ground as you may drown.

10. Use Your Common Sense

Image Source/ PxhereThis tip is the most obvious but most necessary tip. If your feeling if you need to sit down, do it; if your feeling like you need to drink a mouthful of water, do it! Not listening to your body when in a life threatening situation will not help you.

11. Try Not To Work Too Hard

Image Source/ PexelsWorking yourself too hard when under such hard conditions will make your body suffer further to what it actually should. If you are feeling like you cannot go any further in your journey, take a few hours in the shade and reboot your energy otherwise you will feel very ill if your overworking your body.

12. Make Sure To Bring An Umbrella

Image Source/ BostonglobeTaking an umbrella with you when planning to venture into the desert is an important thing to consider. If you can't find any shelter whatsoever in the surroundings you are in then having an umbrella will give you the chance to take a break from the hot sun.

13. Breathe From Your Nose

Image Source/ WisdomtoliveBreathing from your nose is an important tip to remember when. you are struggling in the desert. Breathing through your nose stops all moisture from your lungs being lost and slows down your body from getting dehydrated, this means it is an amazing way to also conserve you

14. Don't Take Off All Your Clothes

Image Source/ JooinTaking your clothes off is not a good idea when in the desert, it is exposing your skin to hot sunlight. It may be uncomfortable with all clothes on but it is the safest way! If you end up burning your skin this may lead to dehydration being accelerated which is the last thing you need.

15. Move at night

Image Source/ DreamstimeWhen you are trapped in the desert, trying to find a way out is even harder at nighttime. This is because the heat of the sun can make you feel quite unwell and tired quicker. So, travelling at night and resting in the day is an efficient way to work around this problem.

16. Bring a Compass

Image Source/ Westend61Getting lost in the desert is the easiest thing for someone to do because of everything looking the same. If you have a map with you and can see some sort of civilisation will be in a certain direction a compass is an amazing tool to use to find your way. If done right, eventually you will be able to get help!

17. Find Water Under Rocks

Image Source/ GoodfreephotosIf you are struggling for water while stranded in the desert, you can't see any sort of water source nearby either then this tip can save your life! Because the rocks will keep the ground under them cool, water may be preserved underneath them. You may have to dig a little and you may have to eat a little mud but its better than nothing!

18. Find Water By Following Animal Tracks

Source Image/ FlickrIf the recent tip isn't helping your situation then this tip is a second way to find water and to prevent you from suffering from dehydration. Follow animal tracks until you start to come across green plants growing from the sands, then look for a rocky slope in the ground. Dig into the ground because the soil underneath could have drained the water.

19. Bring a Pocket Knife

Image Source/ ThomastoolsBringing a knife with you when going to the desert will give you a lot of help to survive. You can use a knife to cut into green plants for water source, you can also kill small animals to eat if you have a source of fret cook in. Bringing a knife could also help you build a cover with twigs/logs.

20. Don't Drink From Cacti

Image Source/ FineartamericaIt is a common myth that has been taught to society that cacti contains water for people to drink, this is totally incorrect! Drinking from a cacti can make your experience in the desert ten times as worst than it already is. The water substance in a cacti is actually toxic. to the human body!

21. Bring Light Food With You

Image Source/ MyoutdoorslifeThis tip will prevent your rucksack from weighing you down the whole time you are in the desert. Bringing light snacky foods with you on your trip like jerky meat, energy bars, dried fruit and all types of nuts will keep your bag feeling empty but will not let you go hungry.

22. Wear White Clothes

Image Source/ Forums.sufficientvelocityIf you're going to the desert wearing white will help you a lot with the heat from the sun. The sunlight will bounce off the white on your clothes meaning you won't get as hot in the desert. If you were to wear black clothing, the sunlight will absorb into your clothes and make you hotter.

23. Wear Face Covering

Image Source/ EbayThis tip is mainly for when tornados occur in the desert, not for the face covering to be worn all the time. If a tornado comes, make sure you have your nose and mouth covered with some sort of dense fabric. This is so you don't fill your lungs with dust.

24. Try To Make A Fire

Image Source/ ThemideastbeastYou wouldn't think you would want to create more heat when in the desert but the coldness that you would have to deal with when the sun goes down is below freezing at some points! So, bring flint and steel with you when in the desert to keep yourself warm at night.

25. Keep Your Mouth Shut

 Image Source/ FactrepublicMaintaining the moisture in your body in essential when struggling in the desert. Due to the dust in the air, the dust can replace the moisture with dryness which will make you dehydrated. To stop this from happening, keep your mouth closed as much as you can and try not to talk as much.

26. Stay On High Ground

Image Source/ Wallpapers13Flash flooding occurs often in the deserts and they can come very unexpectedly and is an easy way to die, people actually die from drowning more than dehydration in the deserts! To stay safe and to prevent yourself from catching yourself in flash flooding, stay on high grounds away from canyons in the ground.

27. Make Sure to Mark Your Locations

Image Source/ DreamstimeGetting lost in the desert is the easiest mistake to make without even meaning to do it! To prevent you from becoming lost in the desert, every time you have camped out for rest mark it with some sort of flag/stick. This means you can always track back to think about where you've been.

28. Get Under Cover

Image Source/ FineartamericaAn amazing way to create some sort of comfort when trying to survive in the desert is camping out in caves. Caves are an amazing way to camp out in the day time as it gives you a break from the beaming sunlight and it gives you shade which will cool you down. Taking breaks from the heat will help you stay focused on trying to find help in the desert.

29. Try Not To Panic

Image Source/ WorldatlasPanicking while stuck in the desert is very easy to do but it is the worst thing to do!  Panicking stops your brain from focussing on using energy on walking or thinking on which route to take and instead focuses your brain on overthinking on what could happen. Staying calm is so important when in the desert.

30. Look For Food Near Rocks Or Water Sources

Image Source/ OnlyinyourstateIf you have ran out of food resources and are absolutely starving this tip will give you some help on where to find some sort of food. If you look under rocks or near rocks in the desert, you may find some insects to cook and eat. To look for animals, look near water sources if you can find any.