Camping is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the world; one of the reasons for this popularity is the fact it can be enjoyed just about anywhere. It is also one of the cheapest and most scenic ways to enjoy a few days away in the countryside or a long summer holiday abroad. If you’re a regular camper you may feel the need to spruce up your tent or find a campsite with a bit of a difference from time to time. The following are 20 of the craziest places to camp and the coolest tents money can buy. If you want to stand out from the crowd on your next camping trip, you’ve come to the right place!
20. VW Camper Van Tent
The VW Camper Van is one of the most iconic camping vehicles in the world. If you’ve always wanted to own one but have never been able to afford the retro vehicle, then the next best thing is now in reach: The VW Camper Van tent! The amazing looking tent comes in a number of different colours and is actually more spacious than it looks. The tent measures 3.88m long and 1.82m high and has enough space to sleep four adults. Whether camping at a festival or on a campsite, you’re bound to turn heads with this tent.
19. Camping on a Cliff Face
If you’re afraid of heights you might want to look away now. When attempting to scale a sheer cliff face, many climbers don’t have the luxury of choosing a good camping spot and just have to pitch up whenever and wherever they can find an opportunity. This was certainly true for a group of climbers attempting to scale the Great Sail Peak on Canada’s Baffin Island. The climbers were in desperate need of a rest so decided to hang their tents off a cliff face over 4,000ft height! This was definitely one camping site where you don’t want to need a toilet trip in the middle of the night!
18. Tentsile Stingray Tent
If you’re looking for a tent with a bit of a difference, then the Tensile Stingray should tick all the boxes. The 3 birth tent can be pitched on the floor, but its best feature is the fact it can be fastened to surrounding trees and suspended in the air. The interior contains three ‘hammock’ beds and a floor hatch with a drop-down rope ladder for easy access. If you hate pitching your tent on the damp floor, worry about bugs creeping in while you sleep or just want a camping trip with a bit of difference, the Stingray is the perfect choice.
17. Arches National Park. Utah, USA
If you’re looking for a campsite with unlimited possibilities and stunning surroundings, then Arches National Park in Utah should fit the bill nicely. The park is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, providing a beautiful setting in which to pitch your tent under. Arches are also home to incredible wildlife, including peregrine falcons and technicoloured lizards, making it the ideal spot for nature lovers. The park also offers the possibility of hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and canyoneering, so visitors should never get bored.
16. London Underground Tube Tent
If you like your tents to stand out from the crowd, then the London Underground Tube tent should certainly help you turn a few heads. The giant tent is capable of housing up to 72 people and can comfortably accommodate 16 people in its numerous sleeping compartments. The tent is modelled on a Northern Line tube carriage and has two side doors and a drivers door for extra authenticity. The ‘carriage’ measures 15.5m long, 2.5m wide and 1.9m tall and, best of all, there’s no waiting in queues before you can jump on board!
15. Sahale Glacier Camp. Washington, USA
If you’re looking for a campsite with a view, grab your tent and head for Sahale Glacier Camp in Washington. The incredible site offers views of snow-capped peaks as well as alpine meadows, lakes and the breathtaking Sahale glacier. Campers are able to wake up to fresh mountain air and some of the most stunning views in the world. A short walk from the camp and you can also discover glacier lilies in the summer, mountain blueberries in the autumn and even a local population of marmots!
14. Orange Solar Tent
Most tents are not renowned for their cutting edge technology but the Solar Tent from Orange hopes to change all that. The strange sun-roof looking strips on the top of the tent are actually solar panels and are capable of providing power to a wireless control hub that can heat the tent to the desired temperature. And best of all? Orange have even included a mechanism that makes the tent glow orange when you send a text. The days of searching for your tent in the dark are over!
13. Eco Camping. Patagonia, Chile
If you think that traditional camping feels a bit too much like ‘roughing it’, then eco camping in Patagonia Chile may be more your cup of tea. Ecocamp is situated in the middle of Tor- res del Paine National Park and offers guests all the luxuries of a hotel but with the more natural feel of a campsite. Guests are able to explore the incredible surroundings of the national park during the day before cosying up in their eco domes and watching the stars through the clear glass ceilings in the evening. It’s the best of both worlds!
12. Fully Booked Tent
Many people enjoy a good read while they’re away camping and now you can express your love of a good novel by buying the Fully Booked tent. The unique looking tent was designed by Field Candy and, if nothing else, is sure to be a good conversation starter with your fellow campers. Field Candy do a number of similar novelty tent designs, includ- ing a sandwich box, a garden shed, brick wall and even ‘The World’s Smallest Pub’. The interior of the tent sleeps two adults but, when the exterior looks this good, why even bother going inside!
11. Lake Myvatn. Iceland
Iceland might not sound like the ideal location for camping, especially with it’s bitterly cold winters, but in the summer months it can provide a breathtaking and beautiful place to stay. Lake Myvatn provides campers with a stunning playground where they can hike, mountain bike, take a dip in Iceland’s famous hot springs and even enjoy some whale watching. If the weather conditions are right there is also the possibility of enjoying stunning views of the northern lights; a real once in a lifetime experience.
10. The Bubble Tent
If waking from your bed and staring up at the stars is your idea of heaven, then the Bubble Tent was designed just for you. The accommodation might have more than a passing resemblance to a ‘hamster-ball’ but it also offers guest a 360 degree view of the countryside surrounding them. The specialist tents can be ordered online and delivered to whatever location you feel like setting up camp. Once inflated, guests can enjoy the shelter of a warm bed with the feel of wild camping. Just don’t ask us how you’re supposed to get changed in private!
9. Tree Camping. Waldseilgarten, Germany
If your childhood dream was always to spend a night in a treehouse, a trip to Germany should be your next holiday destination. The Waldseilgarten Hollschlucht activity company in Kappel offers visitors the chance of spending an evening suspended from a tree in a hammock-tent, with stunning views across the German Alps. The only way of reaching the tents is by climbing a rope and, at a cost of £211 per night, it is probably a good idea to decide whether you are happy sleeping at such a height before making the climb!
8. Logos Modular Tent
Camping trips are often about spending time with friends and family and with the Logos Modular tent you can have enough room for aunties, uncles, grandparents and even long lost cousins! The Japanese firm designed the tent system as an ingenious way of increasing the sleeping birth of a tent without losing the intimate feeling. Campers can start with a single tent, small enough to fit into a backpack, and then slowly buy extra compartments that simply attach to the original tent. It’s the perfect solution to those big family camping trips where some relatives stay for different durations.
7. Underwater Camping
It may not be the best way to get a good night’s sleep but Chris Fietzer and Brian Wurster actually managed to set up a full camping site underwater. The pair accomplished the feat in Guam and succeeded in pitching a tent, camping chair, hammocks and even a ‘campfire’ at the bottom of the ocean. Fietzer admited to having to cut slits in the tent to stop it from floating back to the surface. An impressive effort but I can’t see the craze of underwater camping catching on somehow.
6. Canoe Tent
If you’re thinking of taking a long boat trip in the near future, then you might want to get in contact with the designer of the Canoe Tent, Mario Weiss. The industrial designer came up with the unique design as part of his thesis project at university. The boat allows the user to take shelter from bad weather and get a good night’s rest on long journeys. There is also no need for traditional camping poles as the tent fabric stays tight due to the tension between the two canoes. Unfortunately there is no use looking for the Canoe Tent in shops though as the design was just a concept and was never put into full production.
5. Camping in Antarctica
While the extreme isolation and freezing temperatures would put the majority of people off even travelling to Antarctica, there are some brave souls who choose to actually camp here. While Antarctic campers certainly don’t have to worry about traffic noise or rowdy neighbours, there are other problems associated with camping in such a remote place. Visitors are not allowed to bring any food or to even go to the toilet while camping at the ‘bottom of the earth.’ Antarctica is such an unspoilt location that visitors are not allowed to leave anything behind. Campers are only allowed to take water with them and, if they have to ‘relieve’ themselves, a portable potty must be used.
4. Bikamper Tent
Cycling and camping go hand in hand, and now there is even a tent to take advantage of this fact. The Bikamper is designed by Topeak and uses both the bike frame and front wheel to hold the shape of the tent, removing the need for poles. The Bikamper only weights 4 lbs and can be placed at the front or rear of the bike when not in use. The ingenious design is capable of sleeping one person and removes the need to carry around a hefty tent and poles on your cycle trip.
3. Car Tent
The ‘Car Tent’ is perhaps one of the most bizarre designs on this list as its purpose seems a little hazy. The tent features no windows and is shaped like a regular car, apparently ‘to allow people to camp in the city unnoticed’? Why anyone would actually want to do that is beyond us but it is certainly a unique design. So next time you’re walking down the high street and eye a good camping spot, don’t forget to bring your Car Tent!
2. Mount Everest Base Camp. Nepal
If you want to take your camping to the extreme then a visit to the base camp on Mount Everest should certainly test your capabilities. The camp lies at an impressive 17,598 feet and, while the temperatures are bearable in April, there is still the problem of altitude sickness to contend with. Even the fittest of individuals can suffer from the condition, which makes people feel dizzy, nauseous and have trouble sleeping. If you can cope with the altitude though, there are not more impressive sights than unzipping your tent in the morning and looking up to a view of Everest!
1. Jakpak, the Wearable Tent
If you’ve ever craved for a jacket that comes with a removable sleeping bag and tent (and who hasn’t), your prayers have been answered. The Jakpak is the response for all those hikers and explorers who are tired of lugging around heavy camping equipment. The jacket features a waterproof back, allowing the user to lie on wet ground and still get a good night’s sleep. The Jakpak also comes with both a removable sleeping bag and tent cover, enabling the user to quickly make a bed for the night, just about wherever there is space to lie down.
