Camping in style

15 Jul 2015

Love the great outdoors but not keen on roughing it? Now you can go ‘glamping’ to enjoy nature but with the added benefits of luxury and comfort.

When some people hear the word camping, they cringe and think of long days and nights without a shower, the constant buzz of flies and mosquitoes, dodgy tinned meals and worst of all – outdoor dunnies. 

But the good news is that camping and luxury have finally merged into ‘glamping’, where holiday-makers can spend time in the outdoors but in style. Glampers can either choose to purchase a luxury tent to travel with or stay in glamping accommodation around Australia and the world. 

“Glamping has all the modern comforts of home, rather than roughing it and sleeping in a tiny tent. It’s much more comfortable and luxurious,” explains Stephanie Pajic, owner of Homecamp, an online store offering luxury bell tents. 

“You’re still connecting to the outdoors, but at the same time, you’re not struggling because you’ve got the comforts of home. It’s the best of both worlds.”

While staying in a hotel can be a lovely experience, sleeping under the stars and enjoying nature in a glamorous bell tent is a unique experience, she adds.

Don’t think that glamping is necessarily for princesses. It’s a great option for those who are older and require more assistance when on holiday, or even those who are mobility-impaired. When it comes to staying in glamping accommodation, guests do not require all the gear and know-how when it comes to setting up a tent – that’s already taken care of – and helpful staff are available to offer service, just like at a hotel.

The comforts of home

For some people, trying to assemble a tiny tent and then sleeping inside its cramped quarters is their worst nightmare. However, the new breed of tents are spacious and made from durable, high-quality materials.

“People can take a lot of their comforts from home and apply that to the camping setting,” says Jarrod Wade, Managing Director at Jackaroo Caravans.

“These days, you can now take fridges, slow cookers and stovetops onto a campsite with you, as well as a traditional campfire and gas. Comfort levels have increased dramatically.”

For example, Homecamp’s roomy tents are made of strong, quality canvas and about four or five metres in diameter.

“They’re beautiful to look at and they’ve got a romantic feeling to them. You can stand up in them, put in two double beds and fully deck them out like your bedroom. My partner jokes that they’re even nicer than our rooms,” says Stephanie. “You’re not holed up in a tiny space, you can walk around and even put in a mirror and get changed.”

While the humble tent has undergone a dramatic makeover in recent years, glampers can also enjoy a wide range of luxury accommodation in the outdoors, like a fancy teepee in a national park in Montana, an eco-lodge in Ecuador or a treehouse in Bali, complete with outdoor bathtub and spectacular views. Websites like glamping.com or glampinghub.com can help you find the best accommodation to suit your tastes and sense of adventure. 

A luxury home on wheels

Caravans have also evolved over the years and now, holiday-makers can choose from a wide range of mod-cons to add to their home on wheels. Lovely vintage-style caravans are also on-trend at the moment, too.

“People can order any type of caravan to suit their needs and take what they have at home and put it in their caravan, like washing machines, dishwashers, full kitchens, barbecues, televisions, DVD players, satellites, solar power – the whole lot,” explained Jarrod.

“It really has evolved from your traditional caravan set-up. You can pretty much do whatever you want. It's quite limitless and a lot of manufacturers are now customising caravans to suit the needs of the consumer.”