There’s a good chance you’ve heard the term glamping getting thrown around if you’re fond of camping. The thing is:
You might not know what glamping is or the differences between glamping and camping. But that’s why we’re here today.
Glamping provides people with a more luxurious experience than traditional camping. So, if camping with the bare minimum doesn’t appeal to you, this article might be the place for you.
Throughout this article, I’m going to be explaining everything you need to know about glamping, so don’t go anywhere:
What is Glamping?
Some people find the appeal of going camping great until they have to sleep in a tiny tent with a smelly sleeping bag on the floor. And then it starts to feel a little less appealing.
But this is where glamping comes in:
Glamping has been around for a while and was mainly used during African Safaris, but it’s recently become increasingly popular throughout the United States.
And this is because it’s a perfect blend between camping and staying in a luxury hotel. While glamping, you’ll have all the benefits of being outside with nature while enjoying your modern luxuries.
With that being said, let’s explain the differences between camping and glamping.
What Is The Difference Between Camping and Glamping?
Some people find it difficult to tell the difference between camping and glamping. So, in this section, I’ll explain what turns a camping experience into a luxurious glamping holiday.
To do this, I will split this section into 11 categories and explain what you can expect from camping vs. glamping.
I’d also like to point out that these differences are aimed more towards glamping rentals than glamping with your own equipment.
Sound good?
Great, let’s start with what you’ll be staying in:
1. The Tent You’ll Be Staying In
One of the most significant differences between camping and glamping is the style of tents you’ll be staying in.
You’ll have a relatively small tent that you have to set up when you’re camping. Depending on your local laws, this will either be done at a campsite or in the wild.
Glamping, on the other hand, is a little bit different. The tents are huge and pre-built for you, so you don’t have to do anything.
Not only are they premade, but they’re huge, so you’ll have far more room inside than a traditional camping tent. And this means you can live in a lot more comfort than you usually would.
2. What You’ll Be Sleeping On
One of the worst things about sleeping in a traditional camping tent is you don’t have a proper bed. You’ll have an air mattress at most, but most people either use a roll mat or nothing at all, and I can tell you now that it’s not very comfortable.
You’ll also be using a sleeping bag to keep yourself warm. And while a sleeping bag can do a great job, you often feel too wrapped up, which can lead to an uncomfortable night’s sleep.
But things are different if you go for a glamping rental:
A yurt tent will often come with a huge queen-sized bed for you to roll around in. Not only is it more comfortable, but you have a lovely thick duvet to keep you warm at night.
And this is one of the things that makes glamping stand out above camping for many people.
3. The Toilets You’ll Be Using
Another thing that really puts people off camping is the toilet situation. But how bad it gets really depends on where you’re camping.
Most campsites will have a public toilet for you to use, but it’s usually shared between the whole camp, so it gets pretty smelly.
The main issue people have is when they are wild camping. Because you’re out in the wild, access to toilets is limited. And this means peeing on a tree or digging a hole to do your business.
And let’s face it… it’s not for everyone.
The good thing about glamping is you’ll always have access to toilets; in fact, some glamping rentals come with private bathrooms, so you don’t have to share with anyone.
To make things better: Thanks to their woodsy-themed design, they often look and smell better than traditional campsites.
4. The Showering Solutions
One of the misconceptions about traditional camping is they don’t shower. Of course, people shower when they go camping; it can just be a lot harder than usual.
Again, if you’re camping at a campsite, you’ll have showers available… most of the time. The issue is:
You have limited spaces for the whole campsite, so you could be waiting a while in line to get your shower. You also never know if the water will be hot, which can be a bit of a bummer.
And things get worse:
If you’re wild camping, there’s pretty much no chance you’re going to be able to get yourself a proper shower.
And this means you either have to rely on local rivers and streams or take a portable shower with you on your trip.
Another option is to use baby wipes, but this takes a lot of effort to give yourself a good wash.
So…
I suppose the good thing about glamping is that you don’t have to worry about this. You’ll have a shower you can use, and most of the time, they can look nicer than the ones you have at home (but of course, this will depend on which rental you choose).
5. Your Cooking Experience
Cooking marshmallows over the campfire is one of the reasons people love to go camping. But it’s not easy to cook an entire meal on a campfire unless you have some experience.
Even with the little gas stoves, you’ll find it tricky to get everything going. This is why most campers will tend to eat boil-in-the-bag food. There’s a lot less needed to get a good warm meal down you.
But what if you don’t want to eat boil-in-the-bag food?
Well…
Some glamping units will have a pretty functional cooking area to prepare food the way you like it.
And this means you don’t have to worry about charring your food or eating out of a bag, they have everything you need.
But don’t worry: You won’t have to sacrifice not being able to roast marshmallows when you’re glamping; they have fire pits outside for you to use.
6. Controlling Your Temperature
Controlling the temperature inside your tent isn’t an easy task. Of course, you have a few methods at your disposal, like opening the flaps on your tent, using a lighter or a thicker sleeping bag, or wearing more lightweight clothes.
But that’s pretty much all the control you get when you’re camping, which leaves little to be desired by many people.
But it doesn’t have to be that way:
Glamping gives you the chance to experience air conditioning or heating while you’re outside in nature. And this can make your trip feel far more comfortable than sleeping in a tiny sweatbox or getting frostbite on your little toes.
7. Storing All Of Your Gear
One of the most significant downsides of camping tents is that you don’t have enough space to store your equipment. And this often means you don’t get to bring all the things you wanted with you on your trip.
And that can be a real downer:
But that’s not a problem when it comes to glamping. You’ll be staying in something like a huge yurt tent, and most of the time, they come with plenty of storage options.
You can expect everything from dressers/drawers to store your clothes and refrigerators to store all of your food for the weekend. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
8. Making Your Morning Coffee
If you’re anything like me, you probably can’t function very well in the morning, which is where my cup of coffee comes into play.
Getting your morning coffee when you’re camping is entirely possible, but it makes things tricky.
You’ll either have to boil a pot of water over the campfire or use your portable stove to get the job done.
Depending on the glamping rental, you might have access to a coffee machine or a kettle, which will make your life a lot easier.
9. Getting Water
Again, if you’re camping at a campsite, there’s a good chance you will have access to clean running drinking water. And if you don’t, they probably have bottled water for sale somewhere close by.
When you’re wild camping, it can be a bit tricky. You’ll either have to rely on the water you can carry with you or hope there’s a stream nearby.
And even then, you’re going to have to boil and filter the water beforehand to make it safe to drink.
Glamping tents will have running water coming from a tap, or they’ll have a water filter for you to use, so you’ll always have water available.
10. Power Solutions
Having no access to power can be extremely annoying. And when you’re camping in the wild, it’s something you don’t usually have access to.
You usually have to rely on feeding power from your car or using portable power stations. And this can be pretty annoying.
But with glamping, you’ll be hooked up to power from the grid or renewable energy such as solar panels.
11. WiFi Solutions
And the final thing to mention is the wifi solutions. For some people, getting away from technology while they’re out in the wild can provide a welcome break away from work.
But if you do want wifi…
You’re going to struggle when you’re camping. The best you can hope for is that your campsite provides it, or you have some signal on your phone to make an open hotspot.
When you’re in a glamping tent, there’s a good chance you’ll have access to wifi, which is excellent if you want to connect with family or maybe stick a film on Netflix.
Do Glamping Tents Have Toilets?
We mentioned this earlier in the article, but I thought I’d make it an independent section just in case you missed it.
As it stands, yes, some glamping tents do have a private toilet for you to use… but not all of them. Luckily, the glampgrounds will have toilets to use, but you will have to share them.
Before you go on your glamping trip, you need to think about how important having your own toilet is to you.
Final Thoughts & Takeaways
Luxury glamping units are an excellent way to spend your weekend away if you love being out in nature but don’t like losing your creature comforts.
Many things put people off camping; things like toilets, sleeping situations, showers, and cooking spring to mind straight away.
But these are problems you don’t have to worry about when you’re glamping, which is why it’s taking the world by storm.
Of course, you have to find suitable glamping rentals to ensure it covers everything you’re looking for. But once you’ve found your place to stay, you’re set for the weekend.
You can also set out on a glamping adventure yourself, but getting everything sorted can be pretty challenging.
You’d have to set up the huge tent yourself, which is no easy task. And then you have to transport all of your equipment.
And this can take up a lot of room in your car, so for many people, it’s easier to get a glamping rental for the weekend.
Anyway, I hope this article has helped lay out the groundwork and explain “what is glamping?” But more importantly, I hope it’s helped you understand the differences between camping and glamping, so you know what to expect on your trip.
