Community & experience: tips for beginners

The experiences of other campers are very helpful in making your rooftop camping adventure safer, more enjoyable and more successful. They will help you recognize and avoid potential safety risks, offer tips on how to use your equipment more efficiently and share information on good campsites and activities in the area for more convenience. You can also learn from their mistakes and challenges, save money and avoid frustration.

The recommendations for tried and tested equipment and the sharing of experiences contribute to the formation of a camping community in which you can make new friends. It is therefore advisable to use the experiences of other campers to plan and improve your own camping trip.

Quick summary – you can learn these things from other campers:

• Security
• Efficiency
• Comfort
• Local knowledge
• Error avoidance
• Equipment recommendations
• Community

Learn online from professionals: quick & easy

But if you’ve never been to a campsite and don’t have many campers around you, how would you like to gain this experience? No problem, the internet is full of people who have already had plenty of camping experiences. Here we have compiled a few testimonials from which you can learn a lot for your own vacation.

Experiences in nature: roof tent camping in Scandinavia

We start with an exciting tip for a travel destination. Marie and Jan, the adventurous creators of the YouTube channel “travelventure” have chosen the exciting experience of rooftop tent camping in Norway and Sweden. This trip took them to breathtaking places and created unforgettable experiences, which you can read more about here, why the rooftop tent adventure is worth it.

In search of a new adventure: camping with a roof tent!

Have a look!

• Camping experiences in Scandinavia

Frosty adventures: unforgettable winter camping

Not only can you go camping in summer, it can also be an unforgettable experience to go camping in winter. The icy season sets in and frost covers the meadow. While most people are already holed up in their cozy homes, some adventure seekers find the frosty conditions an invitation to exciting challenges. Fritz Meinecke has tested camping with a roof tent in sub-zero temperatures and now offers useful advice for winter adventures.

New adventure outside the main season? Camping in winter!

Here you can learn how to set up your roof tent, prepare your sleeping area for cold nights and light a warming fire:

• Winter camping & bushcraft experiences

Starry skies, mountains & peaks: nights in a rooftop tent

Here’s another exciting travel tip for you. This time it’s off to the mountains! Imagine opening your eyes on a clear evening and gazing directly into the sparkling starry sky, surrounded by majestic mountains. Sounds like an unforgettable adventure, doesn’t it? This magical experience awaits you when camping with a rooftop tent in the mountains. We would like to tell you about the breathtaking night experience that the bloggers from the YouTube channel Motorreport had in the mountains.

Breathtaking views: Camping in the mountains!

Their experiences can provide you with valuable tips for your own rooftop tent adventures:

• Experiences camping in the mountains of Vosges

Family adventure in a roof tent: camping with a child

For Tino, Yvonne and Samiya Gittel from North Rhine-Westphalia, this fascination with remoteness, the romance of campfires and untouched nature turned into a leap into the deep end, as they wanted to camp as a family with children for the first time. Here we invite you to follow the Gittel family’s exciting journey and give you an insight into their experiences, decisions and adventures during their first camping vacation with a child.

Exciting vacation for the whole family? Camping with a child!

Maybe you’ll find a few ideas and inspiration for your own camping adventure with the family:

• Experiences camping with children

Lost Places: Adventure, Camping & Survival Car

Lost places are often abandoned buildings or locations with a rich history and a special atmosphere. Exploring such places can offer an exciting and unique adventure that will make your camping trip unforgettable. For YouTubers Manu and Jessy, these abandoned places are not the setting for a scary movie, but the heart of their adventures. For starters, they show you their planning for a ‘survival car’ and show off their brand new rooftop tent as they share their passion for exploring lost places.

A particularly exciting adventure? Camping & Lost Places!

Here you can get to know the roof tent for your next camping adventure, familiarize yourself with the structure, the extras and the advantages:

• Camping experiences at Lost Places

Enthusiastic campers: camping experience with hard shell roof tent

Marie and Jan from the YouTube channel travelventure decided to embark on the adventure of camping with a hard-shell roof tent, the iKamper Skycamp from Campwerk to be precise. Right from the start, they were delighted with the fact that they were kindly provided with the tent for their trip and had the opportunity to assemble it on site in Bochum. Despite this, Marie and Jan always emphasize that their opinion is honest and individual.

You can find out more about Campwerk here:

• Campwerk roof tent

You can watch the video yourself here:

Of course, you can always learn from the experiences of others for your own camping adventures. That’s why we’ve summarized them for you here:

Rooftop tents: for families, couples & solo travelers

Marie and Jan have found that rooftop tents offer the comfort of a camper at a fraction of the price and are more comfortable than conventional tents. They are a great option for traveling, whether you are traveling alone, as a family or as a couple. The choice of tent size here depends on the number of people traveling. Marie and Jan had a rooftop tent that was designed for four people, but it was personally too big for them. They recommend trying out the different models before buying.

Rooftop tents offer you these things:

• Camping experience like in a motorhome, only for less money
• Comfort & convenience surpasses conventional tents
• Recommendation: Try out different models before buying

If you go by how many fellow travelers you have, you can choose the size accordingly. You can read more about this here:

• Roof tent for 2 people
• Roof tent for 3 people
• Roof tent for 4 people
• Roof tent for 5 people

Roof tents for every car: installation & equipment

A roof tent can even be mounted on a van to create additional sleeping space. Roof tents can be fitted to almost any car. They are attached to crossbars on the car roof and are therefore independent of the vehicle. The installation of the roof tent is flexible. It can be easily removed if there is no space for it, or it can remain on the vehicle all year round.

What you should know about mounting:

• Roof tents fit on many vehicles
• Mounting on crossbars on the car roof
• Independent of the vehicle & flexible installation
• Disassembly possible where space is limited
• Can be mounted on the vehicle all year round

Cozy nights under the stars: more restful sleep

The roof tent itself is spacious and comfortable. It already has a mattress, which makes it easier for them to set up. With a fitted sheet, a few pillows and a comforter, Marie and Jan feel right at home. The sleeping bag remains ready as an additional option.

Even more comfortable: with additional mattress!

You can find all the other accessories you might need here:

• Camping accessories

Weatherproof, insect protection & peace and quiet: relaxing in the great outdoors

The two bloggers had the opportunity to test their roof tent in various weather conditions, including strong storms in Norway. Although you can feel the wind outside, they felt safe inside the tent. The orientation of the tent is important to avoid the wind blowing head-on. The roof tent performed well in terms of insect protection. Despite the mosquitoes in Sweden, they were largely spared in the tent thanks to the insect nets at the entrance and the windows.

In this way, the roof tent protects you from the weather:

• Feeling safe in the tent despite noticeable wind
• Important: Orientation of the tent to minimize wind
• Insect nets at the entrance & windows

Advantages of the roof tent: nature, comfort & views

Marie and Jan enjoy their camping experience with the roof tent to the full. They can experience the freedom and flexibility of camping in the great outdoors without having to sacrifice comfort and convenience. Camping with a roof tent has some clear advantages. The quick and easy set-up and take-down makes spontaneous trips possible, and it offers a cost-effective alternative to motorhomes. Despite the affordable price, the level of comfort when sleeping in a roof tent is high. The elevated position offers breathtaking views.

Traveling with a rooftop tent is also cost-effective, as it allows lower rates for ferries, campsites and toll roads than with a motorhome. This flexibility allows you to stay overnight in remote locations and gives you the opportunity to explore new places. The rooftop tent also encourages social contact with other travelers at the campsite and often allows free overnight stays outside the campsite (this is allowed in many Scandinavian countries!), making this type of travel particularly attractive.

That’s why you should go camping with a roof tent:

• Freedom & flexibility in harmony with comfort
• Simple assembly & disassembly enables spontaneity
• Cost savings compared to motorhomes
• High sleeping comfort despite affordable price
• Breathtaking views from an elevated position
• Social contact with other travelers is encouraged

You can find even more tips on the benefits at:

• Advantages roof tent

Challenges & considerations: Disadvantages

Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages, including minimally increased fuel consumption and wind noise when driving. The limited parking options, the restricted possibilities in extreme weather and the initial purchase costs are further points that should be taken into consideration. Nevertheless, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, making a rooftop tent an attractive option for adventurous travelers.

You should pay attention to this:

• Minimal increase in fuel consumption
• Wind noise when driving
• Limited parking facilities
• Do not use in extreme weather
• High initial acquisition costs
• Nevertheless: advantages outweigh disadvantages

To find out how best to solve the disadvantages, you can read on here:

• Disadvantages roof tent

Rooftop tent manufacturer: the first rooftop tent!

Have you been bitten by the camping bug and would like to buy a rooftop tent? There are countless suppliers on the market and this can quickly become confusing for beginners. To help you get to grips with this, you can find out more about the different manufacturers in this overview:

• Rooftop tent manufacturer

Roof tent comparison: suitable roof tents

Given the abundance, it’s also worth taking a look at which roof tent is best for which needs. You can find out here:

• Rooftop tent comparison

Norway: Cities, fjords and northern lights

Norway is a beautiful Scandinavian country that has a lot to offer. Besides the breathtaking nature between fjords, forests, mountains and the sea, you can marvel at the northern lights in winter. You are not the type for outdoor activities? No problem, because in Norway you will find beautiful cities and villages like Oslo, Bergen and Flåm that are a must-see. Oslo and Bergen are great for your next shopping trip and museums will teach you about the country’s culture. Experience the simple Scandinavian flair and explore Norway with us!

Listen along with Zoe:

Norway on the map: Scandinavia

Here you can see Norway on the map. The country borders Sweden and is located in the north of Europe, which can be commonly called Scandinavia.

Getting there: What you should know before your vacation

Before you travel to Norway, there are a few things you should know. It is important to know that Norway has kept the Norwegian Krone (NOK) as currency. So you will need to change your currency before you can relax on holiday. Although credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, in the smaller, more rural provinces you should always carry some cash for emergencies.

Climate: From temperate to polar climate

Furthermore, you should know about the weather in Norway. The country has a temperate climate in many regions that can be visited all year round. However, many areas should rather be visited in summer, as winter is very dark and gloomy and light rarely comes through.

• West: lake climate; high precipitation rate, cool summers and mild winters
• East: dry climate; cold winters, warmer summers
• North: Polar climate; No sun in winter

Here you will find a current overview of the weather in Norway:

Facts: What else you should know about the country

• In Norway there is right-hand traffic
• Norway has a very high cost of living
• There is a very well developed internet network in Norway
• Alcohol may only be purchased from 18, spirits from 20

Oslo: City trip to the capital

Norway’s capital Oslo is located on the south coast of the country and is characterized by culture and green spaces. Due to a variety of museums, the city is always worth a trip, both in good and bad weather. In the city centre you will find historical buildings and a super shopping mile that invites you to stroll around. The numerous restaurants invite you to try freshly caught fish and on the peninsula bordering the city you can even find real Viking ships from the 9th century!

Map: Explore Oslo in one day

Oslo is a great city for the ultimate city break! To take in every sight on your trip, we’ve laid out our favorite route across the city so you don’t waste time planning. The route includes a mix of shopping, dining and sightseeing and takes you on a historical journey through the beautiful city.

Here you find again briefly the intermediate stops of the route:

• Start: Akershus Fortress
• Oslo Opera House
• Shopping mile
• Royal Oslo Castle
• Vigelandsanlegget Sculpture Park
• Norsk Folkenmuseum
• Vikingskipshuset Museum

Check out our route through the city on this map!

Tour: View of the shopping mile in Oslo

Do you love fashion and bring a piece of clothing from every city as a souvenir? Then Oslo will make your shopping heart beat faster. Besides local brands and fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M, you’ll also find luxury brands like Acne Studios and Louis Vuitton. There’s something for every fashion lover!

Luxury brands are right up your street? Then find out about your favourite brand and learn all about the latest brands in our XXL brand guide.

Bergen: holiday resort and metropolis

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and just as worth seeing as Oslo. What is special about Bergen? The city is located in a valley, surrounded by seven mountains, whose peaks offer a beautiful view over the city. Here you can go hiking or skiing. Sport is not your thing? No problem, the funicular Fløibanen takes you to the viewing plateau of Fløyen.

Bergen is also the gateway to Norway’s largest and most famous fjords, which are a real must-see. As well as stunning nature, Bergen boasts beautiful, colourful wooden houses and winding streets that are home to a strong music scene and many famous composers such as Edvard Hagerup Grieg.

Map from fjord to fjord

First of all – a fjord is an arm of the sea that reaches far into the country. The Hardangerfjord, the Trolltunga and the Sognefjord are the three largest fjords in Norway. Bergen lies right in between them, making it the perfect starting point for a tour through the Norwegian wilderness, towards the fjords. Our insider tip: The fjord village Flåm is located northeast above Bergen and offers a wonderful idyllic and homely atmosphere. If you have a lot of time, you can take the Flåm Railway, which is considered one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

Stops along the way:

• Start: Bergen
• Hardangerfjord
• Trolltungafjord
• Sognefjord

This route takes you right past the biggest fjords in Norway!

360° view over the Sognefjord

This breathtaking fjord is not only the largest in Norway, it is also the longest and deepest fjord in Europe. Other, smaller side arms lead away from it, which in turn flow into smaller fjords.

Lofoten: Island hopping in Norway

The Lofoten Islands offer natural spectacles at their best. During the long winter months you can marvel at the fascinating northern lights. In summer, on the other hand, it never gets dark, not even at night! Especially outdoor fans will love these islands, as the unique landscape between mountains, small villages and the sea invites you to explore and hike. Due to the relatively mild climate, despite the northern location, the Lofoten Islands are considered a year-round destination, as you can experience the islands in winter as well as in summer in a very special way.

Map: The Lofoten Islands in the North of Norway

The Lofoten Islands are part of the large archipelago in northern Norway and comprise the western section of the archipelago. The individual islands are connected by bridges, which make it easy to explore the entire region. Despite the many bridges, the region can only be approached by water or by air. For those who want to make the journey a destination, take the famous Hurtigruten route along Norway’s Atlantic coast by ship, which offers spectacular views of Norway’s landscape.

Reine: Idyllic village on the Lofoten Islands

Reine is a small fishing village on the east side of the Lofoten Islands. Besides the typical Norwegian red wooden houses, you can experience all kinds of things here. Especially photographers will get their money’s worth here in the early morning hours, when the rising sun bathes the mountains and the water in a magical light. Hikers can fulfil themselves on the Reineberg, from the top of which you have a breathtaking view over the village and the sea. You are not a professional mountain climber? No problem, on the mountain leads the so-called Sherpa stairs, which facilitate the ascent.

Looking for a holiday? Two more travel countries

You still haven’t had enough after your Norway trip? Here are two more countries that are great for your next holiday besides Norway. Scandinavia, Köttbullar, wellness and co., your heart will definitely go out here!

Sweden

Larger than Germany, much less populated and full of untouched forests, lakes and rivers: That is Sweden. Its pristine nature and the tranquility of the country allow visitors to step out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life straight into a state of absolute calm. Discover Sweden’s wonderful nature!

• Holiday in Sweden