Camping Lighting Ideas: How We Light Our Pitch, Awning and Campervan After Dark
Updated: 3 days ago
Late August at the Italian lakes. Warm evenings, dinner outside, and by nine o'clock, properly dark. That is when you find out whether your camping lighting is up to the job.
By Carina · Nest Nomad & Beyond · Last Updated September 2026
Gifted products. Kilos Gear kindly sent us the Rover Camping Light X free of charge, and Lepro sent us their solar festoon lights. We bought the retractable string lights and the LED strip lights ourselves. Nobody paid us, and no brand saw or had any say over what we have written here. As always, these are our full, unfiltered thoughts, the good, the bad and the ugly.
The best way to light a campsite is to layer it. You want one bright, adjustable light for cooking and eating. You want soft string lights inside the tent or awning so it is lit whenever you need it. You want solar festoon lights outside so you come back to a welcoming pitch rather than a dark one. And if you like, add something purely for atmosphere, like the LED strip we rigged around the van's pop top. That is exactly the four-light setup we used every single night across two weeks of family camping at Lake Maggiore, on the Swiss side, and Lake Garda, in Peschiera del Garda. Here is how each one earned its place, what we would change, and how we would set it up again. This is our blog on the best camping lighting ideas
At a Glance | Job it does | Power | Best bit | Watch out for |
Main light for cooking, eating and the awning | Rechargeable, USB-C, doubles as a power bank | Telescopic, magnetic, endless positions, floodlight to soft glow | Water resistant, not waterproof | |
Soft light inside the awning | Rechargeable, USB-C | Wind back into their own case, and a remote so lights off from bed | Some rigging, and can get in the way if you are tall | |
Lighting the outside of the awning and pitch | Solar, plus USB-C charging and power | Kept going under trees and through a 24-hour storm | Screw each bulb in firmly before first use | |
Lighting the underside of the van's pop top | Battery pack | Cheap, easy to stick on, fun colours | Aesthetic more than practical |
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Why Camping Lighting Matters More Than You Think
I have always felt that lighting can help make or break a camping trip, that and the weather. There are the obvious practical reasons: cooking, finding things and not tripping over guy ropes. But it goes further than that. Good lighting is what gives a pitch that cosy, homely feel once the sun goes down, and that feeling is a big part of why we camp in the first place.
It surprised us how much it mattered on a summer trip. Our European trip ran through the last couple of weeks of August. The evenings were already drawing in, and from around 9pm onwards, good lighting went from a nice-to-have to essential. With two girls, dinner outside every night and an awning to get ready for bed in, we used every one of these lights every evening.
The Main Light: Kilos Rover Camping Light X
Let me start by saying the Rover is a really smart bit of design. It is a telescopic camping light that packs down tiny, no bigger than a water bottle. Yet it can be set up in what feels like endless positions. It is the Swiss Army knife of outdoor lighting. It will flood your whole space with bright, diffused light, or give you a gentle, warm, low-level glow. It is a night light and a street lamp in one.
It stands on its own tripod base on the ground or a table. The base is magnetic too, so it will stick to the side of your camper, or you can hang it up inside your tent or awning. Extend it and four separate light panels open out, each on its own jointed arm. That gives you real control over where the light goes. You can angle it down towards the ground or up towards the sky, depending on what you need. Kilos also include three ground pegs in the box, so when it is standing on the ground it does not blow over. It is the little thoughtful touches like that which make us love Kilos Gear.
Below the panels, the body of the light has its own coloured lighting, with full control over warmth and brightness. You can stick with one colour, or have it fade through the colours every few seconds like a gentle rainbow. That is the part we used for softer, ambient light in the evenings. On the practical side, it charges over USB-C and doubles as a power bank for your phone. Kilos rate it water resistant rather than waterproof, so it will shrug off rain but should not be left sitting in a puddle.
Without fail, we used it every night. It stood on the table at dinner, it lit the cooking area, and it went inside the awning when we were settling down for bed. It is a brilliant bit of kit, and we will be giving it a full review of its own.
Outside the Awning: Solar Festoon Lights for Camping, and Do They Work in the Shade?
Our globe festoon lights were Lepro's 25ft G40 solar festoon lights, and they are brilliant. They are easily the most robust and well thought out solar bulb lights we have used.
They arrive very well packaged. There is a foam insert that holds each globe separately, a spare bulb, and a drawstring bag for storage, which keeps the bulbs protected between trips. That is the part of festoon lights that usually gets broken. Before you switch them on for the first time, make sure each bulb is screwed in properly. That keeps them watertight and working as they should.
One of the most impressive features is how they are powered. Unlike many solar lights, they have built-in USB-C charging and power. Plug in a portable power bank, like this one from Anker and not only can you charge the lights, you can run them when the sun has not been out. The solar panel is a really good size and weight, and it also has different settings, including flashing and wave modes.
We strung them along the outside of the awning. On the evenings we walked into the local town or village for dinner, it was lovely to come back to a lit pitch. The alternative is fumbling about in the dark trying to find things. It feels far more inviting, and it is genuinely practical. They were bright, but still with that nice warm feel.
The bit that impressed us most was the solar performance. We were pitched under trees all trip, which was a blessing given how hot it was (for how we coped with the heat inside the awning, see our EcoFlow Wave 3 camping review). We have used cheaper solar lights before that really struggled whenever the panel was not in direct sunlight all day. These showed no sign of struggling at all.
They are tough, too. At Lake Maggiore we had some huge thunderstorms and heavy rain, including over 24 hours of torrential downpour, and the lights kept working throughout.
Lighting Inside the Awning: Retractable Camping String Lights
This is the one that solved the most annoying problem in camping. There is nothing worse than needing to pop into the tent or awning for something and having to juggle a torch and the zip while also hunting for whatever it was you went in for.
We rigged a set of retractable camping string lights inside the awning and simply left them on once the sun went down. Whenever anyone needed the space, it was already lit and inviting. No torch, no fumbling. The string itself is a very thin wire that winds back into its own case, so it takes up next to no space in the kit bag and there is no tangle to fight at the start of the next trip.
There is a little rigging involved, but ours came with some very handy hooks. We threaded the wire between the storm straps of our Vango awning to create a star effect across the roof. They are rechargeable over USB-C, so you can top them up from a power bank, and they came with a remote. That turned out to be really useful when we finally wanted to sleep. No more getting up to turn the lights off, just a quick reach under the pillow and a press of the remote.
One honest note. We are not hugely tall people, and having the lights strung across the living space worked fine for us. If you are on the taller side, you may find them getting in the way when you are changing and waving your arms about. The easy fix is to rig them inside the sleeping compartment instead.
If you are working out campervan awning lighting ideas, this is where we would start. It is cheap on space, it lights the whole awning, and it makes it feel like a room rather than a tent.
The set we used came from Amazon, Kilos Gear also make their own retractable string light, though we have not tested it.
Campervan Pop Top Lights: Battery LED Strips With a Remote
The cheapest thing we took, by a long way, was two sets of KINGCOO battery-powered LED strip lights. We stuck them along the bottom edge of the van's pop top so it lit up at night.
Honestly, this is more about looks than practicality. But they look really good, and again, it is nice to come back to a well-lit pitch. It adds to that homely feeling. We went for a multicolour set so we could change the mood from one night to the next, which the girls loved.
They were easy to fit. There is a sticky backing with a paper strip that you peel off like a plaster. We gave the surface a quick clean before sticking them on, and they have stayed perfectly in place.
We fed the battery pack inside the van through the pop top zip, and they came with a handy remote control, so you can switch them on and off from inside without going out. No complaints at all.
If you have been searching for campervan pop top lights and finding mostly hard-wired 12V kits, this is the no-drill, no-wiring alternative. It takes about ten minutes to fit and costs very little.
Camping Lighting With Kids
If you camp as a family, lighting does a second job: it makes the dark less of a thing for children. The coloured modes on the Rover were a hit with our girls. Most evenings they happily created their own bedtime disco inside the awning before settling down. With the string lights on inside, nobody had to wake a parent for a torch to find a teddy or a water bottle.
For families, we would prioritise three things. Lights that can stay on softly all evening. Something the kids can play with that is not a torch pointed in everyone's eyes. And lights that charge easily, so you are not burning through disposable batteries.
If the dog comes camping too, the last loo trip round the site happens in the dark. Here are the dog lights we use on night walks, which work just as well on a campsite.
Campsite Lighting Etiquette
Good lighting on your pitch should not become your neighbours' problem. A few things worth keeping in mind:
• Point bright lights down and towards your own space, not across into the next pitch.
• Once quiet hours start, drop main lights to a low or ambient setting.
• Warm white is easier on everyone than cool white, and it tends to attract fewer insects.
• Switch festoon and strip lights off when you go to bed, rather than leaving them glowing all night.
• Keep flashing and disco modes for inside. The rest of the campsite does not want to join an all-night rave.
Final Verdict: How We Would Light Our Pitch Again
Final Verdict |
|
THE MAIN LIGHT | |
ONE NOTE | You do not need all four. Start with one good main light and one set of string lights inside, then add the rest as you go. |
Layering is the whole trick. One light cannot do every job well, but two or three lights, each doing one job properly, turn a dark pitch into somewhere you actually want to spend the evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to light a campsite?
Layer it. Use one bright, adjustable light for cooking and eating, string lights inside the tent or awning for general light, and solar festoon lights outside so the pitch is lit when you come back. A decorative light is optional. Spreading the jobs across a few lights works far better than relying on one very bright lantern.
How do you light a drive-away awning?
Treat it as two spaces. Inside, rig string lights across the roof and leave them on all evening. If your awning has storm straps, as our Vango does, you can hook the wire between them and there is nothing to attach. Outside, run solar festoon lights along the awning so you can find the zip and the guy ropes when you get back after dark. Then a single rechargeable main light does the cooking and eating, and moves inside at bedtime.
Do solar string lights work in the shade?
Good ones do. We were pitched under trees for two weeks and our Lepro solar festoon lights charged and ran every night without trouble. Cheaper solar lights we have used before struggled whenever the panel was out of direct sun. Solar panels still charge without direct sunlight, just more slowly, so panel quality makes a big difference.
Can you use solar lights for camping?
Yes, and for the outside of a tent or awning they are the easiest option, because there is nothing to charge or plug in. The catch is a run of grey days. If you can, choose a set with USB charging as a backup so a power bank can top them up when the sun does not come out. Ours have that, and it is the feature we would not go without now.
Can solar festoon lights be charged by USB?
Some can, and it is worth looking for. Our Lepro G40 solar festoon lights have built-in USB-C, so you can charge them from a power bank or run them directly from one when there has not been enough sun. Many cheaper solar lights are solar only.
Are solar festoon lights waterproof?
Ours have proved it. Our Lepro lights kept working through over 24 hours of torrential rain and thunderstorms at Lake Maggiore. Check that every bulb is screwed in firmly before first use, as that is what keeps the seal watertight.
Will LED strip adhesive stick to a campervan?
In our experience, yes. We stuck a battery LED strip to the underside of our pop top after a quick clean of the surface, and it has stayed perfectly in place. A clean, dry surface is the key to a good bond.
How do you light a campervan pop top without wiring?
Use a battery-powered LED strip with a remote. Stick it along the edge of the pop top and feed the battery pack inside through the zip, so you can switch it on and off from inside the van. There is no drilling and no 12V wiring.
Are battery LED strip lights waterproof?
Most are splash resistant rather than fully waterproof, so check the IP rating before you put them anywhere exposed. Ours sit on the underside of the pop top, which is sheltered from direct rain,and they came through the Lake Maggiore storms without a problem. Keep the battery pack inside the van, as that is the part water will get into first.
How many lumens do you need for a camping light?
Less than you might think. As a rough guide, 100 to 200 lumens is plenty inside a tent or awning, and 300 to 600 lumens lights a cooking and eating area comfortably. Anything brighter mostly lights your neighbours' pitch as well. What matters more is being able to dim it and point it, which is why we would choose an adjustable light over a very bright fixed one.
Is a telescopic camping light worth it?
For a family pitch, yes. Raising the light above head height and angling the panels down gives you even light across the whole table without anyone being dazzled, which a lantern on the table cannot do. The magnetic base is the other half of it. Ours sticks to the side of the van, so it doubles as an outside light with nothing to rig.
Can a camping light charge your phone?
Some can. The Kilos Rover X has a built-in 10,400mAh battery that doubles as a power bank, and it recharges over USB-C. It is a useful backup on a pitch without hook-up, though a dedicated power bank is still the better tool for a whole family's phones.
What are the best camping lights for families with kids?
Look for lights that can stay on softly all evening, have fun modes the children can play with, and are rechargeable. The coloured modes on the Kilos Rover X kept our girls entertained, and string lights inside the awning meant nobody needed a torch at bedtime.
What colour light attracts the fewest bugs?
Warm white, amber and yellow light generally attract fewer flying insects than cool white or blue light, because many insects are drawn to the blue and ultraviolet end of the spectrum. If bugs are a problem on your pitch, switch to a warmer setting.
Is the Kilos Rover Camping Light X waterproof?
Kilos rate it as water resistant rather than fully waterproof. It will handle rain and splashes outdoors but should not be submerged.
How do you stop camping string lights getting tangled?
Buy a retractable set. Ours wind back into their own case, so they come out of the kit bag ready to hang. For festoon lights, a foam insert like the one Lepro supply keeps every bulb separate and stops the cable knotting between trips.
Can you use camping lights at home?
Yes, and it is one reason we like buying kit that does more than one job. Solar festoon lights are the easiest answer to a patio or garden with no plug socket, since there is nothing to wire in. A rechargeable camping light with a power bank built in, like the Rover, is also a very good thing to have charged and in a cupboard for a power cut. Ours lives in the van between trips.
Product Specifications at a Glance
Figures below are manufacturer specifications. Check the brand sites for current pricing and availability.
Specification | Detail |
Battery | 10,400mAh, doubles as a power bank |
Charging | USB-C |
Brightness | 600 lumens |
Mounting | Telescopic tripod base, magnetic, hanging hook, ground pegs included |
Modes | Main light, ambient colour light, breathing mode |
Weather rating | Water resistant, not waterproof |
Price | £84.00 |
Brand | Sinzau |
Charging | Rechargeable, USB-C |
Fitting | Retractable reel, hanging hooks included |
Control | Remote control |
Price | £14.99 |
Length | 25ft, about 7.6m |
Bulbs | 25 sockets, 26 warm white G40 bulbs supplied, so one spare |
Power | Solar panel, plus USB-C charging and power |
Modes | Four, including steady, flashing and wave |
Sensor | Dusk-to-dawn, switches on automatically at night |
Weather rating | Waterproof (manufacturer) |
Price | 34.99 |
Brand | KINGCOO |
Power | Battery pack |
Colours | Multicolour, remote control |
Fitting | Peel-and-stick adhesive backing |
Price | £22.99 |
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