Our Tips for Glamping

Eager to try sleeping outdoors, but not really liking the idea of doing so in a small tent on a hard sleeping mat? Then maybe glamping can be your type of outdoor life. When you "glamp" you get the whole experience of sleeping out in nature, but you get to do it in a comfortable, soft and freshly made bed – the best of both worlds!

Yes, we may not all be enthusiastic about primitive tent life, but sleeping on the ground when the hike requires an overnight stay, has always been part of the experience. And obviously, it is a very special feeling to crawl into a tent and fall asleep to all the sounds and smells of nature, and then wake up in total freedom with only the beautiful expanses surrounding you.

But no matter how romantic and wonderful some people think it is to set up a tent and roll out sleeping mats, there are others who like things a little more comfortable.

Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is for those exact people that the option of glamping was invented – for those outdoor enthusiasts who want to camp, but at the same time, not really.

All photos in the articel are from Fejan Canvas Hotel.

Photographers: David Kvart, Samy Dahlman & Niklas Veenhuis

Glamping (a compound of the words glam + camping) means just as the name suggests – “glamorous camping”. You sleep in stationary, slightly larger tents equipped with proper beds, mosquito nets, cozy light sources and soft rugs.

It is a bit like living in a pretty luxury hotel room, in the middle of nature.

Sometimes there is even running water and you have the possibility to prepare and cook food in simpler kitchens, and if you do real hardcore glamping, you can snuggle up properly with your own fireplace in the tent and a three-course menu (which you do not even have to cook yourself).

The purpose of glamping is to make the special experience of sleeping outdoors available to more people, and make the whole thing much easier. Those who may not be able, or willing, to carry a heavy load, can avoid that.

Those who think it is too uncomfortable and cold to sleep on the ground, can avoid that. And those who want to be able to go to a semi-proper toilet can do so.

This way you do not have to go around worrying about the night, but instead fully enjoy the hike during the day, and then arrive at a freshly made bed and perfectly chopped wood that is just waiting to be thrown into the already lit fireplace.

Okay, so when you glamp you will not get the “real” tent experience, but truth be told – that is not what you want anyway, right? And even though you may never become a hardcore outdoor person, this is a good start, and an opportunity to enjoy nature on your terms:

• You do not have to carry heavy loads.
• Everything is prepared when you arrive.
• You can sleep warm and comfortably.
• You do not need to check that the tent, sleeping bag, etc. is complete or functional.
• The sleeping area is already set and prepared.
• You probably have running water.
• There is access to some kind of toilet.
• You can get hot food served.

Only you and your own preferences and budget decide the arrangement – there is glamping for all tastes and budgets. You can choose to sleep among mountains, in forests, in the desert, on the savanna, or on completely "ordinary" campsites.

Maybe you want to inspire someone you know to try sleeping out in nature? Or maybe you’re the one who’s refrained from longer hiking trips because you are not that super excited about sleeping in a wet, crowded tent?

Try glamping, it might be your new thing – after all, it's the best of both worlds!