Can I hide a cache while on vacation?

It’s not recommended

We recommend that you do not hide a geocache while traveling. Vacation/holiday caches are usually not published.

Geocache owners must visit their caches to maintain them. Log books fill up, cache contents get wet, or the cache can disappear. If you live far away from your cache, timely maintenance is impossible. It’s best to place physical caches in your usual caching area.

Any cache placed on a vacation needs to have the local person responsible for maintenance in a Reviewer Note - with their contact details so that they can be contact to confirm if needed. 

Multi caches starting in an African country with a final in a different country (e.g. the Cache Owners home country in Europe or Americas) will not be considered unless there are exceptional justifications. Grandfathered caches of this type will remain. 

Caches placed in restricted access areas (e.g. in Egyptian archaeological sites or slopes of Kilimanjaro) or events in very remote areas with few or no cachers will not be considered.

Maintenance plan

If you do place a geocache while traveling, you must have a maintenance plan. For example, a local geocacher agrees to maintain the cache in your absence. When you submit your cache, document your plan in a Reviewer Note. Include the local geocacher’s username, contact information, and written consent. Information in Reviewer Notes will auto-archive on publication and will not be available to other players.

Player Safety

Africa is unfortunately a fairly poor continent with a high rate of crime. Please consider safety before placing or finding a cache. What may have been a safe area when the cache was place - or may be safe in normal daytime hours, may be very unsafe a few years later - or after hours or weekends.