What is glamping and how do you get the most out of the experience? How is it different from regular camping and how do you choose the best glamping sites?
We have the answers to all these questions and more in this FAQ!
The word “glamping” is a shortened form of the combination of two words: glamorous and camping. It’s as simple as that. The term glamping refers to camping in any type of accommodation that allows for the fitting of beds, heaters, and other camping equipment that aren’t usually found in regular camping tents. In other words, glamping is just camping but with luxury, relaxation, and comfort in mind.
There were other accounts of luxurious camps being set up dating farther back, but the idea of modern-day glamping started in the 1920s. This is when an influx of American and European tourists flocked Africa for its scenic landscapes, mountains, rivers, desert, safaris, and just about everything in between.
The only problem was that luxury hotels are nowhere near the places that the rich tourists wanted to explore and enjoy, and the safari tents pitched in the middle of nowhere are not as comfy and as homey as the tourists wanted them to be.
So, African tour guides and accommodation operators did the only reasonable thing, and decided to give the tourists what they wanted: comfy beds and dressing tables.
Soon enough, the demand for these luxury fittings grew, and the safari tents were made sturdier and more spacious, and more hotel and home fittings were added into them. The modern comforts offered by these new types of lodging options marked the beginning of glamping.
It may have taken more than a few decades, but glamping became an international travel and holiday sensation around 2010.
Well, the main difference lies in the comfort level and luxury factor. When you’re camping, everything is usually DIY. Wherever you go, you’ll pitch your own tent, cook your own food, bring your own sleeping bag, and clean up after yourself. With glamping, some or all of these are being taken care of for you.
Some glamping accommodations do have all the fittings of a luxury hotel suite, while some will just offer bare lodging that gives you a sturdy roof over your head, and protection against the elements.
You may be familiar with glamping tents, but there are so much more to glamping than just pitching glamping tents in glamping grounds. Around the world, you can stay in yurts, tree houses, cabins, teepees, pods, igloos, caves, castles, caravans, cara-boats, beach houses, and even hobbit houses.
You can lie down in bed and look at the stars overhead inside a literal glass bubble. You can have a relaxing spa session in a literal tree house in the middle of a lush rainforest. You can wine and dine (and sleep) like a king inside medieval castles.
The types of glamping accommodations available depend on the when and the where of your glamping trip.
There are literally tens of thousands of glamping sites and locations around the world. When you’re looking for glamping locations to visit, you can use glamping directories to narrow down your search and your choices to just a few handfuls. The activities that you enjoy can also help you pick a glamping site, so it all depends on your preferences.
You can enjoy hiking, sight-seeing, biking, swimming, and many other mountain camping activities during the day, and sleep in a warm and comfortable cabin in the mountains.
You can set up camp among the dunes and go fishing, hiking, and horseback riding during the day, and lounge and stargaze at night in a luxurious glass pod in the middle of the desert.
Glamping offers an infinite number of ways for campers to enjoy and immerse themselves in nature, without foregoing the comforts and the luxuries of home and modern living.
Glamping tents aren’t your regular camping tents. Though there are many other types of glamping accommodations, many people stick to glamping tents, especially for their first glamping experience.
Glamping tents come in many shapes and sizes. They could be bell tents, teepees, safari tents, dome tents, and some more. But let’s talk about the most common glamping tent which is the bell tent.
Bell tents usually have circular bases, and a pole in the center of the tent gives it its pointed shape. Bell tents used for glamping are usually made with weatherproof materials and are open-air tents. They can also be closed entirely, but they’re usually kept open with meshes for the windows and entrances.
Glamping is a trend that gained worldwide traction in 2010. The appeal of glamping has always been due to the comforts that it can offer.
Camping has always been an activity that many individuals, families (especially children), couples, and friends look forward to. Camping gives people the chance to experience new things, create new memories, and immerse themselves in nature.
However, camping is all about roughing it out. Camping is challenging as it can make you feel that you’re really on your own in the wild. So, for some people, what’s meant to be a time for relaxation can easily become another stress trigger.
Glamping is like camping, but with the added benefit of not having to worry about how comfortable your bed is at night and how you can take a bath or go to the toilet. You won’t have to worry about pitching your tent when you arrive and packing it up when it’s time to go. Glamping can make you feel like you’ve brought your home with you on a trip.
Glamping is worth it. Yes, going glamping isn’t cheap, but glamping on a budget is possible and you can’t put a price on the chance to relax, de-stress, and have fun by yourself, with your friends, with your significant other, or with your family. The many benefits of glamping far outweigh the drawbacks, which is usually just glamping costs and expenses.
Glamping is camping without the roughing it out part. You get to immerse yourself in nature and do fun camping activities, then come home to a warm, safe abode and sleep in a nice, cozy bed. Glamping is everything you love about camping and more.
If you’re looking for a way to spend any free time, any holiday, at any season, at any place in the world, try glamping and experience firsthand the reasons why it has helped evolve the travel and tourism industry.
This depends largely on what you enjoy doing and what you appreciate more. Not all people can appreciate the desert, and not all people want to spend their glamping tour on a beach. In short, the best glamping location for you may not be the best glamping location for others, so there is not one best glamping location for everybody.
When you’re choosing a glamping location, you’re choosing the glamping experience that you want to have. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to help you pick the best glamping location.
Glamping is for everyone. It’s for the solo traveller who wants to disconnect themselves from the world. It’s for the family who wants to leave their worries and spend their holidays together. It’s for the group of friends who wants to reconnect and bond on a different level. It’s for the couple who wants to spent their days and nights to make new memories with each other.
The best thing about glamping is if you’re going together in a big party, it doesn’t mean that the whole party stays in one accommodation together. You can choose to split up rooms or tents, or you can opt for extra beds and mattresses.
Glamping costs can range from around $50 per night to more than $1,000 per night. It all depends on how luxurious the accommodation is and the sights and activities that the glamping site offers. It depends largely on the location of the glamping site as well.
For example, your $69 a night can get you a glamping dome near the coasts of Tulum, Mexico. For the same price, you can also rent a secluded, eco-friendly, tiny house in front of a lake in North Island, New Zealand.
If you’re really looking to splurge, there are more than enough glamping accommodations in the US alone that could set you back more than $1,000 a night.
Staying in a traditional Hogan dome in Monument Valley can cost you around $1,500 a night. A huge country ranch cabin in Texas charges around $1,960 per night.
The best thing about glamping is that there is always a glamping site or accommodation for every budget, and going on a budget glamping trip is 100% achievable. If you’re going on a glamping holiday and aren’t entirely decided because of your budget, there are some companies that offer travel loans too.
Glamping tents are usually made with thicker canvasses and insulated walls. They offer protection from the sun, rain, and strong winds. This is why they’re weatherproof. But protection from the cold of winter and the colder seasons needs more than just insulated walls.
Glamping tents may be fitted with additional heating like radiators, stove burners, electric heaters, and even air conditioners.
If you’re glamping in the winter, make sure you ask during booking if the glamping tents are fitted with a heating system. You can also pack extra blankets and heating pads to be sure.
How you pack for the glamping trip should depend on where you’re planning to go, the activities you’re planning to do, and the season you’re planning to go in.
During the hotter seasons, don’t forget to bring water bottles during hikes and other day activities. You might also want to bring a small first aid kit with you, as accidents may happen and glamping sites and trails are usually far from clinics and hospitals.
During the colder seasons, bring extra clothes and blankets. It may be difficult to sleep as not all glamping tents come with efficient heating systems. Not all glamping accommodations can provide extra complimentary blankets and sleeping or heating pads, but you can try to phone up ahead of time so you know what to bring.
You might also want to take emergency medicine, maintenance medicine, and supplements. Medicine may be hard to come by in some glamping locations. Don’t forget to bring extra medicine too for unforeseen circumstances that could prolong your trip or delay your return.
Again, you should consider the season, activities, and glamping location. You’re going to want to pack a nice and comfortable sleepwear no matter the season and the location. Though instead of pajamas, wear layers that you can remove or add on when it gets either too warm or too chilly.
For summer glamping, make sure you pack and wear clothes that are lightweight and comfortable. Make sure your underwear are breathable, and that you bring a hat or a visor that keeps the sun’s light and rays from your eyes and face.
Long-sleeved shirts and pants may be counterintuitive because of the heat, but they can actually protect you against sunburn and unfamiliar plants and bugs when you’re hiking.
During the colder seasons, make sure you pack enough layers of clothing to protect you from frostbites and other cold-related injuries. You can bring an extra heating pad in case your glamping accommodation doesn’t provide them.
Many glamping abodes, especially the ones that cost more to rent, come equipped with hotel-like amenities like air-conditioners and heaters. As always, know the lodging situation first so you know what extras to bring.
Again, you should consider the season, activities, and glamping location. You’re going to want to pack a nice and comfortable sleepwear no matter the season and the location. Though instead of pajamas, wear layers that you can remove or add on when it gets either too warm or too chilly.
For summer glamping, make sure you pack and wear clothes that are lightweight and comfortable. Make sure your underwear are breathable, and that you bring a hat or a visor that keeps the sun’s light and rays from your eyes and face.
Long-sleeved shirts and pants may be counterintuitive because of the heat, but they can actually protect you against sunburn and unfamiliar plants and bugs when you’re hiking.
During the colder seasons, make sure you pack enough layers of clothing to protect you from frostbites and other cold-related injuries. You can bring an extra heating pad in case your glamping accommodation doesn’t provide them.
Many glamping abodes, especially the ones that cost more to rent, come equipped with hotel-like amenities like air-conditioners and heaters. As always, know the lodging situation first so you know what extras to bring.
Not all glamping sites allow kids, so ask first when you’re booking. Some glamping sites offer retreats for couples and individuals, with activities centered on relationships with your significant other and yourself. Others simply don’t allow kids.
There are glamping directories that allow searches based on suitability, so make use of these while you’re looking for glamping locations. Categories usually include adult-only and child-friendly glamping sites.
Parents can get spas while children are treated to chocolate massages. Some camps are near beaches, while some build their own waterparks. Other accommodations even include huge yards and fields for kids to just run around and enjoy. Other kid-friendly activities include: picnics, campfires, nature walks, and animal feeding.
Not all glamping sites allow pets. If you want to go glamping but don’t want to leave your pets behind, look for glamping sites that also accommodate pets. Glamping spots usually just allow dogs though, so ask in advance and prevent any misunderstanding.
Also, glamping sites that allow dogs may require you to keep your pet on a leash at all times in public areas. Being in an unfamiliar location and surrounded by unfamiliar people may change your pet’s behavior, so it’s a good idea to leash your pet even if a glamping site doesn’t require it.
Most glamping locations are also surrounded by wildlife, so keep an eye on your pet if they tend to run after squirrels and other smaller animals.
Mind the weather as well. Apply pet sunscreens, hydrate, and provide shade if it’s hot. Bring your pet’s blankets and booties if it’s cold.
