Road trips through the desert are a lot of fun, but only if you’re prepared. Whether you’re driving in the desert for a day, a weekend, or several weeks, you need three kinds of essential supplies: supplies for your car, supplies for you and your group, and emergency items.
What your car needs when you drive in the desert:
You need to be ready for any kind of car-related emergency. When you’re planning to drive through the desert, don’t leave home without a small tool kit that contains generic tools as well as any car-repair tools you know how to use. Make sure you know how to change and/or repair a flat tire before you leave, and pack a spare tire, a tire jack, an air pressure gauge, and work gloves (heavy-duty if possible) for that purpose.
For other parts of the car, you’ll need to bring extra windshield-wiper fluid, jumper cables, a gas can, and additional water for your car’s radiator. You need the extra water because some deserts are mountainous, and when you climb one or two thousand meters above sea level, your radiator might malfunction, especially if you’re driving an older vehicle. Most importantly, visit your mechanic before you depart – get a complete tune-up and tire replacement or rotation if necessary.
What you need to bring when you drive in the desert:
You’ll have more than just your car in the desert: you also need to take care of yourself and any companions you bring along. Water is the most important. If you’re planning to go off the usual paths, take ten liters of water for each person traveling (including yourself) for each day you plan to be away from easily accessible service areas. If you’re staying close to the main roads, you should be safe with four liters per person per day. You need food, too: bring snacks that have high nutritional value and don’t take up a lot of space. For hiking and traveling, bring wide-brimmed hats and comfortable, durable shoes. Bring blankets and warm layers of clothing, too; deserts get cold at night.
Emergency supplies to bring when you drive in the desert:
Don’t get stuck without a way to get out of a bad situation. For emergencies in the desert, bring a signal mirror, flashlights with extra batteries, freshly stocked first aid kits, extra prescription medications, flares, and, in addition to your phones and GPS devices, bring old-fashioned maps and atlases.