Glamorous camping — or “glamping” for short — is a more sophisticated form of traditional camping. It removes the ruggedness and discomfort of sleeping outdoors and introduces the comforts of home, including electricity, running water and a proper shelter.
This experience is enjoyable and can bring many health benefits. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Improves Mental Health
The greatest health benefit glamping can provide is improved mental health. Spending just 120 minutes a week in nature can significantly boost your well-being. It releases dopamines and other endorphins that interact with your brain’s opiate receptors, which reduces your stress levels and can even fight against depression.
Nature also generates positive emotions, from calmness to joy to creativity. Humans are supposed to spend their lives outdoors, not huddled together inside looking at screens. Glamping provides a much-needed digital detox and puts you in your natural environment.
Promotes Physical Fitness
Glamping promotes physical fitness in several important ways. Being in nature can boost immune system function by exposing you to microorganisms that prepare you for more serious infections. The exposure to fresh air also helps you breathe easier because you’re not exposed to concentrated indoor contaminants.
Of course, any type of camping is also a great way to stay active. Exercise is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. Glamping often involves many fun and challenging activities, including hiking, swimming and fishing.
Provides Better Sleep Quality
Glamping creates the perfect environment for a good night’s sleep. Campgrounds are quiet and secluded, with no light pollution or loud cars driving by. At the same time, you’re not sleeping in a cramped store-bought tent. Glamping only includes comfortable types of lodging, such as RVs and large inflatable canvas tents.
Develops Important Life Skills
Although glamping is more luxurious than regular camping, it’s still a great opportunity to develop important survival skills and become more self-sufficient. You can learn how to make a fire from scratch, filter water, tie knots, cook basic meals and administer first aid. These abilities will pay off if you ever find yourself in a challenging situation.
Strengthens Relationships
Glamping is one of the best outdoor activities for strengthening relationships with family and friends. The leisurely aspects of glamping allow your group to relax and unwind, while being outdoors helps you bond through hardship. This unique dichotomy creates an ideal environment for people to come closer together.
How To Start Your Glamping Journey
If you’re interested in glamping, the initial preparations are more extensive than a typical camping trip. Remember — this outdoor experience is supposed to lean toward luxury, not simplicity. Follow these steps to start your glamping journey on the right foot.
Get Yourself A Camper Trailer
Camper trailers are the perfect shelters for glamping. They’re portable, spacious and have all the amenities you need for a relaxing outdoor experience. The most important amenities are proper bedding, electricity and running water. Campers with full kitchens are especially desirable because you can cook inside instead of over a campfire.
Ensure you choose a camper trailer that your truck can comfortably tow. The hitch might be strong enough, but that doesn’t always mean your vehicle is. For example, if your truck has an 8,000-pound towing capacity but the hitch can support 10,000, you can’t exceed 8,000.
Find A Suitable Location
Next, you need to find a suitable glamping location. Not just any public campground will do. If you want to have the comforts of home, you need to find a site with power supply boxes for your camper. It should also be near a store or supermarket in case you need to buy more supplies during the trip.
The most popular glamping destinations are private resorts and tourist spots such as tropical islands and desert stargazing sites. These places often include guided tours of the local area and special accommodations, such as spa treatments. You can also participate in traditional camping activities like hiking and fishing.
Add Touches Of Home
The third key to a successful glamping trip is to add touches of home wherever possible. You can bring your own bedding, reorganize the kitchen and make other decorative changes in the camper so it feels more comfortable. Just don’t bring anything fragile that might break during the commute.
The same principle applies to the rest of the campsite. Set up stations where people can play yard games, help themselves to adult beverages or enjoy homemade snacks. An organized site is crucial for a good glamping experience.
Start Planning Your First Glamping Trip
Glamping can bring you many mental, physical and social benefits, but only if you remember the “glamour” part of the equation. A typical camping trip, while beneficial in its own right, doesn’t provide the same comfort and relaxation. Use these tips to build a solid glamping foundation and plan your first excursion.
Author Bio
Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about health, fitness and more. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for regular updates on his work.