Camping in the mountains is an adventurous idea, but there is one thing that you must always remember- you can never predict the weather. Of course this is true everywhere, but especially in the mountains.

Sometimes when you are ready to embark on your trek and you are gearing up for the journey at your campsite, the skies decide to make your worst nightmares (or dreams) come true. Before you know it, it’s pouring cats and dogs.

The day’s plans suddenly become very different on such occasions. There’s an air of panic and disappointment all around. Most of the campers crawl back to their tents and cozy themselves up in their sleeping bags, dozing off in no time. Others who cannot sleep are left dismal sitting inside the tents for long hours with nothing to do. They either curse the rain god or curse the one next to them for being able to sleep like a baby.

On one hand, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that such times can be heartbreaking and boring. However, you should really think and question yourself if wasting away time at the camp is really worthwhile. Is being grumpy about the weather going to be of any help? Can you control the weather in any way?

The only answer you’ll find will be a big fat NO. So the next question that comes up is, what can you really do when you are stuck inside a tiny tent to make things a little more interesting?

The first and foremost thing to keep in mind is that, sleeping through the afternoon in never a good idea. It neither helps you to acclimatize nor helps the person who is stuck in the tent with you. There is no upside to sleeping whatsoever.

Now that we know sleeping is off limits, we need a list of activities which are fun as well as engaging so that you see this rainy afternoon for what it really is an opportunity.

Here are a few rainy day camping activities.

We all have very busy and monotonous daily lives. While running in the rat race of our lives, we often forget to talk and interact with others. We get so stuck in the rut of life, that we barely open up about ourselves or make any new friends. So when you are sitting inside the tent with nowhere to go, use this time as an opportunity to talk. Talk about anything that comes to your mind, relate to the other person, make new friends. You never know what you might learn and take back from such conversations. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time lifelong friendships are made on the trails.
No matter where we are, we always have our smartphones with us. There might be zero networks around the campsite, but we never ever leave our prized possession behind. So why not use it for something exciting and enjoyable? Make memories. Take pictures with your fellow campers, make funny videos, take pictures of the beautiful nature around you. Let the rainy afternoon become the best story you can tell through the memories you capture with your phone.
As long as you have your smartphone or tablet (and a power bank to keep them charged!), you can always spend time watching movies or videos that everyone around can enjoy. Some ready to eat snacks and a good movie can really make the afternoon relaxing as well as enjoyable.
Some people love reading and some absolutely hate it, so here’s the middle ground. The ones who love reading can recite a book to others. You might earn the author a new fan!
There will always be that one person on the trek who carries playing cards along. If you do not have cards, you could always play a game like charades that requires for you to bring nothing but enthusiasm. Playing any game can make time pass easily. It is a great bonding activity too. Playing games can help build a better team understanding, which can be really helpful during treks.
Everyone has hidden talents. So, let the singer, dancer, actor, comedian, writer, performer etc. inside you put on a show. It will be great entertainment as well as a chance to show off the talents that you never really got a chance to show the world. It’s never bad to have some people appreciate you, and can be a real confidence booster as well.

When it is raining outside, all you can really do is let it rain. So don’t let a little shower from the sky ruin your adventure. Instead, make great memories, cherish each moment as it passes by, do anything that you love (except sleeping of course!).

Someday later in life when you sit and recollect the trip, you might find the rainy day adventure stories on top of your list among all the stories from the trip.