Everything you need to know about Burning Man, from someone who’s been three times

16.07.2024 - 16:57 / lonelyplanet.com

Jul 16, 2024 • 9 min read

Burning Man can be one of the most magical, surprising, mind-blowing and simultaneously challenging experiences of your life.

I should know. I’ve been three times.

There really is no place like “the playa” – as the dried-out lakebed where the sprawling music festival–immersive art exhibition–pageant–spiritual revival takes place each year is universally known.

First started in 1986 with 10 people burning an 8ft wooden effigy of a man on San Francisco’s Baker Beach, Burning Man is now a massive art and music event attended by some 80,000 people every year in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert around Labor Day (from August 25 to September 2 in 2024). “Burning Man used to be cool” is something people have said for decades.

I’m here to tell you it remains unquestionably amazing.

It’s vital to know that Burning Man isn’t an event you just spontaneously decide to attend. You’ll need a ticket (which you probably should have by now, as they sell out almost instantly every year) and enough supplies to survive the week. All this costs a lot of money: $575 (plus taxes and fees) just for the ticket, followed by the costs of getting to the playa, accommodation, and many days’ worth of food, water, sunscreen and other supplies.

Coming from someone who’s been and will certainly go again, it’s worth every penny. If my enthusiasm is contagious, here are some key tips as you prepare for Burning Man 2024. 

You might have read reports in recent years of celebrities and tech billionaires living it up in luxury on the playa. Yet flying into Burning Man and staying in a fancy RV with gourmet food is not only frowned upon: the organization now forbids third-party deliveries of trailers and supplies, and has previously booted some “plug-and-play” camps that provide everything for a usually high fee. Expect to rough it – at least a bit. 

Whether that means staying in an RV or a tent is up to you. I’ve done both: an RV is definitely more comfortable, but they are expensive, and rentals get booked up quickly. If you’re going to sleep in a tent, make sure you have one with deep stakes, as they tend to blow away in dust storms.

Before you set off, read Burning Man’s official Survival Guide.

A great way to participate fully in the experience is by joining a camp; there’s one for anything and everything. For instance, my camp, Electric Cheese Land, hosts cheese-focused events – say, Swiss raclette with yodeling in the background. Others put on live concerts, provide free showers or pour endless booze in Old West–style bars (bring a reusable cup with a lid if you wish to partake). In one day, you can go from having a portrait taken of your genitals to playing in a hockey tournament to grabbing poutine at midnight. Truly,