Winter caravanning guide for beginners

A winter trip in a camper is the dream of many lovers of mountain landscapes and winter sports. However, we know from experience that the first winter camping trip is associated with many fears and questions. In this article, I will share tips that will help you enjoy your winter trips in complete comfort and safety.

Choosing the right campsite

Choosing the right place to stay overnight may turn out to be a key issue for everyone who is to some extent afraid of taking a campervan to winter areas for the first time. Mainly because the better infrastructure the campsite has, the fewer things you have to remember.

The year-round campsites located close to ski resorts offer everything you might need during a winter trip to the mountains. There is a drying room for storing clothes, shoes and sports equipment, there are heated toilets and baths, and even swimming pools and saunas. It is possible to purchase a gas cylinder or even connect directly to the gas installation.

If the campsite is not located directly next to the slope, it is certainly very well connected to the resort by skibuses or a shuttle bus belonging to the campsite or ski resort, which will take you to and pick you up from the slope for a small fee.

Some resorts allow tourists using camping sites to leave their winter equipment in heated boxes "under the gondola". This means that when you take the ski bus to the slope, you don't have to carry all your equipment with you and wear ski boots.

Infrastructure and amenities at the campsite

Before leaving, you can check which of these amenities the campsite offers. Perhaps there are some elements you care about the most:

• a place to store ski equipment. Sometimes you need to take your padlock - find out
• a place to dry clothes and towels
• room or playroom - sometimes out of season there is no care for children in the playrooms
• connection to the gas installation
• gas cylinder rental service
• swimming pools, baths, saunas
• shop with basic equipment. If there is no shop at the campsite, check where there is a shop nearby

See the article: " 5 winter campsites with a swimming pool in the Alps " and find the best campsite for your next winter caravanning holiday.

Transport to the slope

When choosing a campsite, check what the transport to the nearest ski resort is like. What are its opening hours and is it free of charge? In many ski resorts, when you buy a stay in a given town, you get a ticket for public transport that runs directly to selected ski stations.

Our recommended winter campsites

Our two favorite European campsites perfect for a winter trip:

• Caravan Park Sexten (Italy): This 5* campsite offers not only picturesque views of the Dolomites, but also excellent facilities such as heated toilets and ski drying rooms. You can get to the Drei Zinnen slopes via a ski slope straight from the campsite. Sexten is also an ideal place to spend time outdoors, even if you don't ski, as the region offers ideal conditions for winter walks. this campsite is also an ideal place for sauna and wellness fans. Some plots have heated service poles on their premises, so you can perform camper service without moving the camper from the plot.

• Sportcamp Woferlgut (Austria): Known for its excellent infrastructure and access to ski slopes, this resort in Austria is an ideal place for winter caravanning. At this campsite you can connect to the gas installation.

You can find other year-round campsites in our campsite finder

Did you know that, for example, in Austria, campsites are more crowded in winter than in summer? In the most popular resorts, plots must be reserved well in advance. If you want to spend the holidays at a winter campsite in Austria or Italy, it is recommended to book up to a year in advance.

Heating and ventilation in a camper - everything you need to know

If you rented a car with gas heating, you must take with you enough cylinders to last the entire trip. During a week-long trip in winter, you can use up to three 11 kg cylinders, but if the temperatures are very low, you may even need a fourth cylinder.

Why do you have to transport these cylinders from Poland? Why can't you exchange an empty gas cylinder, e.g. in Austria? No exchange point will accept a Polish cylinder because it is a different type of cylinder. Therefore, you will have to buy an additional cylinder with a deposit, but you will not be able to return the cylinder itself in Poland.

Speaking of cylinders, a quite convenient option is to use composite tanks for self-refueling.

Read the article: " Gas in a camper - gas cylinder replacement in other countries " to learn more about gas cylinder replacement systems in Europe and a simple alternative to them.

If you are going to Austria, for example, many campsites offer gas connections directly on the pitch. If the campsite you are going to offers such a facility, there is no need to carry many extra kilos. Therefore, it is worth asking about it before leaving.

In winter, it is worth ensuring proper ventilation in the camper. Leave the windows slightly cracked or air the camper from time to time, and dry wet clothes or towels in drying rooms.

Additional tips

Be sure to take chains with you, because even a small hill with ice may prove insurmountable for such a heavy vehicle as a camper. Additionally, in many mountain regions it is mandatory to have chains in your vehicle. Before such a winter trip, it is worth practicing putting on and taking off chains so as not to do it for the first time, e.g. during a snowstorm.

It is worth purchasing thermal mats for the windows , because a lot of heat escapes through them. Better insulation also means less gas used to heat the vehicle.

A winter camper should also have one. I do not recommend going on a winter trip in a camper that is not equipped with such heating. This may result in the water in these tanks freezing and, in addition to making it impossible to use the shower, washbasin or sink, repairing the damage after leaking pipes or tanks may be huge.

It's a good idea to take a snow shovel and a ladder to push snow off the roof. Although some campsites have a place to throw snow off the roof.

Maybe a house?

Most year-round campsites offer not only pitches, but also holiday homes, apartments and rooms for rent. So you can sleep in the comfortable conditions of a cozy house and use all the amenities that the campsite has to offer. See our article: The best year-round campsites with cottages in Austria and choose the best campsite for your next winter break.

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