Burning Man, a temporary paradise that brings all walks of life to what looks like a harsh desert and turns it into a mystical dystopian paradise. “Burners,” a name given to the folks that make their way to Black Rock City Desert (aka the “Playa”), come from around the world to experience the phenomenon that is Burning Man. This once-a-year event spans around 10 days and houses over 80,000 people according to recent statistics. A city from the ground up constructed for temporary use and when the event ends and all the burners migrate home, it’s as if not a soul was there, despite the grandeur that happens across the Playa.
The event houses creative souls and those looking for an area of non-conformity and instead focus on love, self-expression, and the general caring nature a human has for their community. The community is definitely one that welcomes all (although acquiring tickets is difficult).
Burning Man is famous for its versatile events and for its various art presentations from talented participants, including famous musicians and artists trying to leave their mark on the history of the Playa. How would you like to express yourself without borders, create in reality your fantasies and ideas, and reimagine yourself as a person and test it in the Playa? Instead of using their real name, most individuals tend to use a “Playa name.” Which name would you choose for yourself?
Benefits of Choosing an RV Rental for Burning Man
We at Advantage Caravans are faced with great demand every year for RV Rentals, including motorhomes and travel trailers, to this party in the desert. There are a number of benefits to choosing an RV for living vs living in a tent.
Firstly, the desert is a harsh environment, with all the dust storms, heat, and even rain. Due to the acidic nature of dust storms, your skin can be harmed and crack when exposed to dust storms for an extended period of time, making an RV the best option for a getaway during the day from the environment.
Secondly, when coming from abroad or a different state, RVs provide you with more opportunities with logistics and the whole experience. Ability to get full accommodations for your best time in your stay in the Worlds’ Best Artistic Party.
Our Experience Renting RVs for Burning Man
For the past 16 years, we have offered RV rentals for Burning Man. With the experience of past mistakes and learning on the go, we have the veterancy to call ourselves a legacy burner and have the proper equipment in our camps for all problems one may face in the Playa. We go above and beyond to provide our customers with the best experience.
We have built our clientele for years and adapted the necessary equipment to supply our customers on the Playa. We advance in it every year by being mindful of our customers’ needs. Looking back on every year devoted to the Playa, we’ve gained a handful of memories through hard work and compelling communication. Burning Man became a part of our life, and we carry it as a legacy.
When we initially began offering RV rentals for Burning Man in 2005-2006, we didn’t consider RV delivery as an option. Customers did not want to drive the distance from Sacramento, where our RVs have been stored, and drive the 8 hours one-way to Gerlach and an additional 10 hours in line. It was funny and sad at the same time – we didn’t know what we are doing.
First, we considered standard delivery but didn’t realize that we would need to go through the desert, pass the greeting gates, and find somewhere in a desert to park an RV, getting lost along the way, all while doing this in a timely manner for several of our RVs and meet with the clientele to show their abode during their stay at Burning Man.
Another problem we encountered was getting lost in the desert – without knowing how the city works and its rules. Especially in a dust storm, we could be stuck there for the whole day. There were numerous instances where we got lost and stuck. We were puzzled. Along with day and night being completely different worlds, you could be standing at the same spot and not know it due to the complete difference in environment.
Years later, after we figured out how logistics should work, we started leasing a property at Gerlach, and it helped us a lot. It was a brilliant decision to store the units closer to the event as to lessen the workload of driving over 20 hours for just 1 RV unit.
Another brilliant improvement was made by the Burning Man Administration, in 2012 when they introduced the Vendor’s Program for RV rental companies. Small businesses and RV dealers were given a chance to obtain a permit for a fee for a separate entrance just to deliver RVs to customers. It was a great innovation for burners and all of us were in good management as well as a better financial position. Everything worked well for everyone. It happened because the festival population was already 50,000-60,000 people, compared to the 2000s when the festival population was around 20,000-30,000 people. With all that in comparison to the 2022 statistics of 80,000 people.
So, this Vendor’s Program (Outside Services) eased us from a lot of trouble, accidents, time consumption, and operating costs, even with the additional fee.
Then, the pandemic of 2020 brought many challenges to vendors, customers, and event organization. In 2022, Burning Man officially canceled the Outside Services Vendor’s Program, and now, RVs are only allowed to be brought to the Playa by the renters, i.e., burners…
Travel Trailer Rentals for Burning Man
After 2 years of the event being canceled (Burning Man 2020 and 2021 were canceled, with only true burners still attending, as it had become a tradition for those who have attended for over 10 years), the Vendor’s Program for RV rentals was discontinued, and we were not allowed to deliver RVs to the Playa as we had been since 2012, leaving this option for customers only. That made us switch gears to a different model of renting travel trailers for Burning Man.
Travel trailer rentals require a pick-up truck to tow them. Thus, we accommodated an RV lot in Gerlach for our customers’ convenience. Renters, at their convenience, can pick up a trailer from our Gerlach RV hub that is located 12-15 miles away from the Playa. This system works perfectly for those who don’t have experience with hauling, as it is only a 12-15 mile distance to tow with the speed limit restriction of up to 20mph.
We had a successful year of renting travel trailers from Gerlach in 2022, where 20 customers hauled travel trailers to the Playa and back to Gerlach yard with no issues. We met our customers at the yard, provided full guidance, conducted a walkthrough of the RV, and helped them load their personal items.
There is a significant advantage in renting a travel trailer over a motorhome for your Burning Man experience. The pick-up truck along with a travel trailer has more space for personal items, and large items like bikes, luggage, camping gears can easily fit on the truck. Another huge convenience in renting a trailer with a pick-up truck is the easy drive while shopping before heading to the desert.
Requirements for a pickup truck to tow a travel trailer are provided below:
Reliable Stores & Locations for Pickup Truck Rental:
- Enterprise Truck Rentals (not Enterprise Car Rentals)
- Home Depot
- U-Haul
Recommended ½ Ton Truck Models:
- Ford F150
- RAM 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Recommended ¾ Ton Pickup Truck Models:
- Ford 250
- RAM 2500
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Attention: Please make sure your truck rental has a receiver hitch, as we will provide hitches on a first come, first served basis. The truck rental location of your choice will more than likely have some that can be rented. You will need a 2-5/16″ size ball hitch.
Contact Us
Choose Advantage Caravans to elevate your Burning Man experience! With various motorhome and travel trailer rentals to choose from, you are sure to find the model that fit you and your group’s needs. Contact us today by calling (916) 832-8824 or request your reservation online.