A Virgin Guide To Surviving Your First Burning Man 2024 Edition

It’s been exactly a decade since my first trip to Black Rock City and I’m pretty sure that I’m no longer carrying any playa dust on my body. In 2020, Burning Man went virtual and then in 2021, it went rogue. 2022 was the year that Burners were hoping Burning Man will return to form – and it did not disappoint. And then 2023 came with its crazy storm, blockade, and grueling exodus. What an adventure always. No matter what happens, Black Rock City will survive and it will return, here’s a guide for first time burners preparing early.

When Is Burning Man Happening In 2024?

Burning Man 2024 will take place from August 25 – September 2, 2024. The Man will burn on August 31st and the Temple will burn on September 1st.

How Much Are Burning Man Tickets?

Burning Man main ticket sale prices are $575 each plus applicable taxes and fees. Vehicle passes are $150 plus applicable taxes and fees. You can only buy two (2) tickets and one (1) vehicle pass. Tickets go on sale April 24, 2024. There will be 15000 tickets and 5000 vehicle passes available for sale.

Can You Still Buy Burning Man Tickets Last Minute?

You can buy tickets being sold through the STEP (Secured Ticket Exchange Program) platform by logging into your Burner Profile and going to the Tickets page. Tickets are available until August 24, 2024 12:00 pm PST.

Alternatively, the OMG Sale is a last minute sale that starts on July 31, 2024 at 12:00 pm PST. You will need to login to your Burner Profile and register for the OMG sale between July 24, 2024 at 12:00 pm PST and July 26, 2024 at 12:00 pm PST. There will be 3000 tickets available at $575 each plus applicable taxes and fees. 1500 vehicle passes will be available at $150 each, plus applicable taxes and fees.

So What Is Burning Man?

Here’s my newest film about Burning Man to give you a small, tiny taste of what to expect. Believe me, you stay awake the entire week doing as much as possible and there will still be things you didn’t know happened. The best part is that most things will not be captured on film anyway.

Burning Man Is Not A Festival

Black Rock City is a temporary metropolis that is erected once a year in the desert near the town or Gerlach, Nevada. It is built by a dedicated community of burners and an organization that guides the manifestation of Burning Man each year. More than that, it is a collaborative effort by all the participants who come and share their art, music, knowledge and much more. Burning Man is the collective effort of whatever people contribute each year. And you are a part of that. It’s not a zoo or a museum or an art show where you just show up to observe. Participate.

For me to try and use even a handful of words to describe the experience of my first burn would only be an attempt that falls short of everything that it was and is. There were times I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else and times when I struggled. And that was ok too. It was all a part of the ride and I had the help of veteran Burners to get me through it.

So in the spirit of giving back, here are a few things I’ve learned during my week out on the playa that may be useful as a guide, and only as a guide, if this is your first time heading to Burning Man. From one previously-a-virgin burner to a bunch of new ones. Ultimately, it is your burn.

Don’t Be A Sparkle Pony

Come prepared. You don’t necessarily have to get it all right, but make the effort. Radical Self-Reliance is one of the core principles of Burning Man. That means you come with everything you need. Whatever else comes your way to make your experience more special is gravy.

What Is A Sparkle Pony?

The term “Sparkle Pony” was created to describe someone who comes to Burning Man unprepared and ends up relying on the generosity of others, purposefully or otherwise, for basic things like food and water and sometimes even more. I took that from Urban Dictionary in case you’re wondering.

It’s great to be free-spirited and just letting the universe sort things out for you, but that might mean that the universe will send you to a camp that gives out free shots of whiskey and bacon when all you want is some water.

Logistics and planning may not always be fun, but it’ll allow you to enjoy your time out there with one less thing to worry about. At the very least, read Burning Man’s Own Survival Guide. Remember: the only things you can purchase with money at Burning Man are ice and coffee. Everything else, you must bring in. Burning Man at its core is about self-reliance and community.

Participate

Take part. Burning Man is a week-long buffet of experiences and a firestorm clash of art, music and anything you can think of. Some are measurably within your comfort zones, while others may challenge you to the core. If there’s ever a place to take part in a class on Japanese suspension bondage without judgment or to open up to a complete stranger sitting on top of a giant metal coyote at 3 am, this is it.

Embrace the culture, whether that is self-expression or gifting. Do it as little or as much as you’d like, but do it. Participate instead of just spectating. This is a cornerstone of what makes Burning Man so special. Leave your inhibitions at home. If you want to get naked and run blindly in a white-out, go for it. If you see a cool art car, chase it down, ask to get on and then enjoy the ride. Just remember where you left your bike.

Put The Camera Down

This is quite a statement coming from a photographer and maybe a bit hypocritical considering that I put together the video above to capture a small part of the experience that is Burning Man. I’ll try to justify myself at the end of this paragraph.

Nowadays, many of us are used to documenting every aspect of our lives because technology makes it so easy. You’ll look so cool in your outfit, you’ll shine, you’ll glitter.  Is that a giant octopus shooting fire out of its tentacles? Look at the giant art Rubber Duck art car. Oh and that soft hazy lighting at sunset will make just about anything and everyone look magical.

It’s hard to not want to capture that, but I advise you to resist.

Enjoy it for what it is. Sear it into memory. The Temple, the Man and Black Rock City, as it exists each year is ephemeral. It is there for a week and then it is gone. It’s that way for a reason. Take pleasure in this. Personally, I deliberated long and hard about bringing my camera before the week started. Ultimately, I felt like I had to do some kind of project because that’s just what I do. As a rule, I only set aside an hour or so, twice a day, when I would take out my camera and shoot what I saw.

The rest of the time, I would keep it protected away from the playa dust and enjoy the experience. It worked for me. And for every cool moment that I did capture, there were countless more that I didn’t. Thinking about those “lost” moments makes me smile even more than seeing it in stills or on film. Because, even if I did grab the sight and the sound, I would still be missing the smell, the touch or the taste part of it. I’d miss everything that happened just out of the frame or the reaction of the people behind or beside me.

I’m not telling you to not to take any pictures, but try to take less than you normally would. And if you do take pictures of other people, ask first if possible. And definitely if they are nude.

Ignore The FOMO

Here is a fact. There is just so much happening at almost every hour of the day that it is impossible to experience it all. Fear Of Missing Out? Yes, it will happen. Even when you are experience something incredible, you are probably missing out on five other things that could have been equally mind-blowing. Remember how I said Burning Man is a buffet of experiences. Employ the same strategy you would at a real buffet. Eat all your want, but take only what you can eat. In other words, don’t be greedy and overdo it.

There’s a booklet with all the planned activities by camps. There’s even an app for it. You can plan to head from the Slut Olympics to the Slave Auction and leave early to get to the free Ramen before it runs out, but you could easily end up skipping everything if you find yourself enjoying that nice quiet ride out in the deep playa or want to take a “quick” nap after staying awake for 39 hours. It’s OK.

Those camps will forgive your absence. Burning Man will forgive you. I forgive you. Instead of fearing that you are missing out, instead consider focusing on what’s in front of you. Stop and be curious. See where it takes you. I can’t remember all the things I missed out on, but I can remember the things I did experience. And they were awesome. True story.

Get Some Sleep

This ties in nicely with the last advice about missing out. It’s tempting to partake in all the daytime activities and then dance the night away to Robot Heart and then grab a coffee at Center Camp and start over again. Give it a go. Then get some sleep. I managed between 4-6 hours of sleep a day, broken up into multiple sessions. Little as that is for me, paired with the energy of being out on the playa, I felt awake and refreshed most of the time.

Figure out what it is that you really want to do and find some time in between to sleep. For me, that was roughly from 3-6 am, 8-11 am and sometimes from 3-5 pm. I couldn’t shake my habitual afternoon siestas. Or you can just crash whenever you body gives up, like my friend below.

Wet Wipes Are Your Friend

Maybe your RV has a shower. I’m happy for you. Maybe you found one of the camps that offers free showers. Where the hell was that? Maybe you just love how you smell after not showering for 7 days and you think the dust gives your feet character. For everyone else, wet wipes are a godsend.

These are my favorite types of wet wipes, that I use for endurance races, and they work great for the playa. Your hands and feet will thank you and your campmates will thank you. Playa dust is not friendly. On that note, wear closed toe shoes. That alkaline dust wants to make your feet look like the playa. Don’t let it. It may sound cool, but you don’t want playa feet.

Don’t Miss The Sunrise and Sunset

There is just something enchanting about that first light and last light of day. Physically, the smoke and haze from the fires and the dust storms create a unique atmosphere, but there is something more. You will want to experience it. Just try to be awake for it or wake up for it. And dress accordingly. The daytime can get quite hot, and while the evening is pretty moderate, the temperature can drop considerably in the early hours of the morning.

Light Up

Drugs are illegal on the playa, but I’m not even referring to that. Despite all the fire and bright lights coming from the art cars and sound stages, Black Rock City is still a dark desert at night and it’s BYO lights. El-wire is the light source of choice. Blue, red, green, slow blinker, or seizure-inducing blinkers, there’s plenty of options.

Just make sure you light yourself and your bike up at night. There’s nothing worse than riding towards a bright art installation with the wind in your hair and getting T-boned by another bike because you weren’t visible in the dark. The same applies when you are off the bike and walking. Light yourself up and avoid unnecessary collisions.

Express Yourself And Accept Others

There’s no right or wrong way. I think. Wear whatever you want or nothing at all. There are those with extremely elaborate costumes. You don’t have to meet and exceed. Unless that’s what you want to do. Have you always wanted to wear a pair of lederhosen to tan that upper part of your thigh? Have you? Don’t lie. Do you want to show people what Bruce Lee would have looked liked if he wore his Game of Death yellow jumpsuit while on 12 foot stilts? Maybe you’ve always wanted to wear cool aviator goggles despite your fear of flying? You’re welcome.

Look, Burning Man has started to look more like Coachella and not everyone agrees with it, but part of what makes Burning Man unique and special is that it’s not just a festival. It’s a city that rises up for a week for a community that makes it what it is. One of their core principles is radical inclusion. So love it or hate it, everyone’s welcome, even *gasp* influencers and billionaires.

This applies to your bike as well. It’s an extension of you. When everyone has abandoned you out in the deep playa, your bike will still be with you. Hopefully. Otherwise, it will be a long walk back. Your bike will be with you everywhere and there are a lot of bikes out on the playa that will look the same. Make it easier for your inebriated self to recognize it day and night. Paint it. Dress it up. Add a basket. Add a watergun. I added a seat with a space for my balls.

Give And Receive

Aside from money for ice and coffee, the only other currency for tender at Burning Man is generosity. I wasn’t exactly quite sure what to gift, but I have a much better idea now. Every camp “gifts” something to the community, be it booze, massages, a party, or all the above. Burners gift things they make. Sometimes they gift things they never intended to give away just because someone needed it.

But beyond all the material things, a gift can be in the form of a hug, a compliment or a helping hand. The best things I received were the willingness of strangers to smile for me when I asked to do a video portrait for my film. Don’t stress about this as a first time burner. You’ll get it just like how I got it, and then you can come back and do your part in contributing and helping to pass on the values to new burners during subsequent burns.

Get Your Affairs In Order… Or Not

You will be unplugged for a week. I loved it for the first 3 days. On the 4th day, I was a little drained emotionally and it would have been nice to see a text from the real world. Then I got some sleep and I was good to go again. After the exodus, I was connected again and saw the hundreds of emails in the my inbox. I left it for a few more hours unread. It was a nice feeling.

Luckily, there were no immediate emergencies, but the part that might surprise a lot of people is that the world didn’t grind to a halt because they were disconnected.

Sort out what you need to. Turn on the auto-reply. Or do nothing at all. You don’t get the chance to disconnect so easily nowadays. Pretend you’re in a post-apocalyptic world without internet. Accept and embrace it. Then get into the Thunderdome. Two man enter. One man leaves.

Leave No Trace

After the week has transpired and the Man has burned and every last car leaves Black Rock City, all that remains will be a wonderful set of memories. And MOOP. That’s Matters Out Of Place. In other words, trash. Not just your empty ZICO coconut water containers or cans of baked beans. Not just YOUR used wet wipes. But anything that’s left behind.

A loose feather, a piece of your bike that fell off, and even the ash from your cigarette. That’s MOOP. Nothing that wasn’t there before should be there after you leave. That is how you ensure that the playa is there next year. Respect the land. Think about what you bring in and make sure you carry everything out. And the port-a-potties are not trash cans.

Come Prepared

I end with the first bit of advice again. More than just getting your packing list in order, surviving and enjoying Burning Man is as much about coming in with an open heart and no expectations. I had the help of veteran burners to sort out the logistics and all the things we needed.

For my part, I tried not to read too much about other people’s experiences or ask about what I had to do or see while I was out there. I was wanted to be surprised, for better or for worse. I didn’t want to have any expectations. And course, bring plenty of water and your open self. I can’t wait to go “home” again.

When You Should Leave?

A lot of people leave right after the Man burns. Expect the exodus to take some time and try not to get stressed if you’re trying to leave right away. There will be a bit of a lull the next morning if you want to leave before the Temple burn. Most people who are still there, will leave after the Temple burn, so there will be another bottleneck then.

Where To Stay Before and After Burning Man?

San Francisco, Sacramento, and Reno are popular spots to stay before and after Burning Man. Gerlach is the closest “town” to Black Rock City.

If you are planning to fly in, I recommend Sacramento and Reno over San Francisco. It will be easier and cheaper to rent cars or find accommodations. It takes about 4.5 hours to drive from Sacramento to Black Rock City without traffic and 2 hours to drive from Reno without traffic. Both will have plenty of stores and markets to get all the supplies you need.

Reno

Reno is like a little Las Vegas, so it’s a fun place to spend the night before heading into Black Rock City. This is easily my recommendation if you are flying in for Burning Man, since you can find plenty of accommodations and stores all in a concentrated downtown area. It’s a much shorter final drive to Black Rock City than San Francisco and in my opinion, a slightly safer place to park your stuff for the night with all the security cameras in a casino parking garage.

If you can still find a room, your best options downtown are the Silver Legacy Resort Casino or the J Resort.

If you prefer not to be in a casino, the Aloft by Marriott or Element Reno Experience are both by the Reno Tahoe airport and do not have a resort fee.

It is highly recommended to book well in advance, because everyone will have the same idea. If you do not need major supplies, Carson City and Truckee are great options close by with cheaper hotels.

Looking for more travel inspirations? Scroll through some of the 450+ experiences on my bucket list. Maybe you’ll find your next adventure on there.

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Updated on July 14, 2024