The Festival Packing List by Climate Zone: Desert, Tropical, Temperate, and Cold

The mistake most festival-goers make is packing for the festival they imagine rather than the festival they're going to. The climate zone determines your base kit, and the specific festival determines the additions. Here is the breakdown.

Universal kit (all climates)

• Earplugs (foam 33dB rating — the ones from festivals sell out and the ones at chemists near the site are expensive)
• Portable phone charger (20,000mAh minimum — assume 3 full days without mains access)
• Reusable water bottle (most festival sites have free water refill points)
• Cash (ATMs at festival sites have queues, high fees, and occasionally run out)
• Waterproof document wallet (for wristband, ID, cash)
• Hand sanitiser (festival toilets are a public health exercise)
• Ibuprofen and paracetamol (festival medical tents run out of the basics)
• Sunscreen SPF 50 (even at cloudy festivals — UV penetrates overcast)
• Torch/headlamp (LED, tested before you pack it)

Desert festivals (Coachella, AfrikaBurn, Burning Man)

The desert has two problems: extreme heat during the day and genuine cold at night. The temperature swing at Coachella can be 30°C in the day and 8°C at 3am. Pack for both.

• Sun protection: Wide-brim hat (not a baseball cap — full brim), SPF 50 sunscreen, UV-blocking long-sleeve shirt (counterintuitively cooler than bare skin in direct sun), sunglasses with UV400 rating
• Hydration: Electrolyte tablets or powder (dehydration at desert festivals is common and can escalate quickly)
• Layers for cold nights: Fleece or lightweight down jacket, long trousers, warm socks
• Dust: At Burning Man/AfrikaBurn, a dust mask (N95 or better) and goggles are essential items, not optional extras. Playa dust at White Out conditions is a medical risk
• Footwear: Closed shoes for day (sand and sun on feet), comfortable shoes for night walking

Tropical/humid festivals (Wonderfruit, Ozora, Southeast Asian events)

Heat and humidity are constant. The problem is not staying warm — it is staying functional in 35°C and 90% humidity for 4 days while sleeping in a tent.

• Lightweight, breathable clothes: Linen and moisture-wicking synthetics. Cotton in high humidity becomes saturated and stays wet. Avoid it for main garments
• Rain poncho: Tropical festivals have tropical downpours. A packable poncho weighs nothing and makes the difference between shelter and misery
• Sandals and dry shoes: Sandals for daytime walking when it's dry; a pair of closed shoes kept in a dry bag for night
• Insect repellent: D=T 30% minimum. Malaria and dengue risk varies by location — check and take prophylactics if indicated
• Dry bags: For phone, documents, and any electronics. Everything will get wet

Temperate festivals (Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Primavera)

Unpredictable weather is the defining characteristic. Pack for four seasons and expect three of them.

• Waterproof layers: Waterproof jacket (seam-sealed, not shower-resistant — Glastonbury mud requires real waterproofing) and waterproof trousers
• Wellington boots: For the specific case of Glastonbury and other UK mud festivals, wellies are not optional. Everything else is wishful thinking
• Warm mid-layer: Fleece or wool. Mornings and nights at UK festivals in June can be 8°C
• Multiple pairs of socks: Wet socks are a festival-ending event that builds slowly. Five pairs minimum for a five-day festival
• Multiple shoes: Wellies plus one dry pair stored in a drybag

What to leave behind

• Glass of any kind — prohibited at most festival sites and a genuine safety issue in a crowd
• More than 2 sets of "nice" clothes — the festival is a dirty environment; dress accordingly
• Your laptop — it will be damaged or stolen, and you don't need it
• Full-size toiletries — decant into travel sizes or buy on site
• Multiple books — you will not read them