Buzz
As summer fully arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, many adventurers are gearing up to explore the great outdoors through camping. Typically, this involves packing a tent, sleeping bags, and finding a scenic spot near a river or nestled in the mountains to unwind. Most campers will savor a campfire meal, complete with beers, roasted marshmallows, and engaging stories under the stars.
Yet, there are those who crave a more distinctive and daring experience when it comes to camping. Instead of the conventional setup, they might choose to camp while suspended in a treetop, hanging above a canyon on a wire, or even snuggling inside a giant beer can. Here are some of the world’s most unconventional camping locations.
10. Spend the Night in a Treetop in Bavaria
Do the thoughts of 'creepy crawlies' slinking across the ground and into your tent at night make camping unappealing? Perhaps setting up camp higher off the ground is the answer. A unique campsite in Germany offers just that—a tent suspended from a tree branch, perched high in the forest canopy.
At Waldseilgarten Hollschlucht, part of the adventure experience involves learning the ropes of climbing, so campers can make the 45-minute journey to reach their treetop beds for the night. Due to the climb's duration and the height of the treetop accommodations, campers are allowed only a light and a book as their nighttime companions.
Picture waking up at dawn, gently swinging among the trees, surrounded by the sounds of birds. You might even find yourself sharing a branch with a couple of owls for the evening. If sleeping while swaying in the treetops proves difficult, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views across the Bavarian forest.
Pack light for this camping adventure, and make sure to limit your water intake before bed. The amenities are a very long way down.
9. Spend the Night in a Giant Bird’s Nest
Interested in some birdwatching during your camping getaway? In California, there's a campground where you can sleep in a human-sized bird’s nest made from twigs and branches.
Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California, is among several unique campsites worldwide that allow you to spend the night in an oversized bird’s nest. After climbing into your ‘nest’ for the night, you’ll sleep as if you were a bird. However, don’t be surprised if you encounter the occasional bat, raccoon, or other wildlife during your stay.
While these nests offer a chance to relax and gaze at the stars through the branches, they aren't entirely weatherproof. If rain is expected, you may need to set up a tent and bring along wet weather gear just in case.
8. Sleep Inside a Giant Beer Can
Having a few beers around the campfire is a typical camping experience. However, at a Danish music festival, you can actually climb into a giant beer can and camp for the night.
At the Smukfest music festival in Skanderborg, Denmark, festival-goers have the chance to rent an enormous, four-meter-high (13 ft) beer can for an overnight stay. This unique camping option was created by a local beer manufacturer who sponsors the festival, providing several giant cans for attendees to relax in after a lively day.
Once inside your massive beer can, you'll find two levels for both sleeping and partying during the festival. When it's time to rest, simply climb the ladder to your sleep pod and open the skylight at the top of the can.
7. Camp on the Edge of a Cliff
Some campers don’t mind missing solid ground beneath their feet when it comes to getting a good night’s rest. Cliffside camping has become a thrilling and popular adventure for those seeking a different kind of experience.
Originally, abseilers and rock climbers began setting up makeshift beds on cliffs during their expeditions. This practice grew in popularity, and now several adventure camping operators worldwide offer the opportunity to sleep perched on a cliff’s edge.
Picture yourself abseiling down a cliff to a small bed suspended above the sea or a canyon. Spend the night taking in the incredible views from your cliffside spot. However, be aware that the bed is quite narrow and may sway in the breeze.
6. Sleep in a Tree Pod
Tree-hanging pods have gained popularity worldwide among those seeking a distinctive camping experience. In Wales, adventurers can stay the night inside a giant 'eco-bauble' suspended in the trees. These spherical 'tree tents' are crafted from a combination of hybrid aluminum and steam-bent ash, and they are firmly anchored in place by metal wires.
These spherical sleeping pods provide more luxury than many other tree camping options, offering a futon and a wood-burning stove to keep you cozy at night. However, since you're suspended from the tree branches, there's always a chance of a visit from local wildlife as you gently sway in the breeze.
5. Hammock on a High Wire
Suspended from a wire high above a canyon, sleeping has to be the most extreme form of camping. Each year, a group of Italian slackliners—tightrope walkers—gather to practice their daring stunts, walking across a 2.5-centimeter-wide (1 in) rope stretched from one peak to another. As night falls, they set up hammocks on the ropes, resting thousands of feet above the valley floor.
The Italian Alps offer breathtaking views, but the sleeping arrangements seem a bit precarious for most campers. Waking up and getting out of bed in the morning must also be quite the adventure in itself.
4. Cave Camping in Vietnam
In Vietnam, campers can spend the night in Hang Son Doong (also known as Son Doong Cave), the largest cave in the world. This guided camping experience involves a 22-kilometer (14 mi) hike through the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, including river crossings and encounters with leeches and snakes along the way.
Son Doong Cave stretches for 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) and reaches heights of 200 meters (660 ft) in its highest sections. It's so immense that it creates its own microclimate, complete with rain, clouds, and mist. Campers are led through grottoes and limestone formations to a campsite beside an underground beach. Your campmates for the night include monkeys, bats, and flying foxes.
3. Raft Camping
Boating enthusiasts have long enjoyed the soothing rhythm of the waves as they sleep in the safety of their cabin. But the rise of "floating tents" and "raft camping" has taken the concept of a night on the water to a simpler, more adventurous level.
In Belgium, rafting lovers can tie up to a 12-square-meter (129 ft) raft to camp for the night. While the raft is essentially a floating tent, it provides some shelter as you drift among the reeds. A US-based company has recently developed an inflatable raft with a built-in tent, allowing campers to set up on any lake or pond without the need for a traditional boat.
2. Camping in the Sahara Desert
For a truly secluded camping experience, consider spending the night in the dunes of the Sahara Desert. But be prepared to face sandstorms, fierce winds, and dung beetles. Several tour operators in Algeria and Morocco offer safaris, transporting you by four-wheel drive, dune buggy, or a slow-moving camel caravan, Lawrence of Arabia-style, to your campsite.
This adventure is best experienced with a knowledgeable guide to prevent getting lost in the vast sand dunes. You can opt for a simple tent with a thin sleeping mat on the shifting sands, or choose a more luxurious ‘glamping’ site with a bed and shower. Dinner is enjoyed on cushions around a campfire.
1. Camping in Antarctica
While most people associate camping with summer, ice camping has become an extreme adventure for tourists across the globe. In the Northern Hemisphere, countries near the Arctic Circle offer opportunities to camp in ice caves, glaciers, and on frozen landscapes, complete with polar bears. In the Southern Hemisphere, several Antarctic tour companies now let visitors experience what it was like for early Antarctic explorers.
A select number of campers on cruise expeditions are taken ashore to camp under the Antarctic stars for the night. After digging a small trench to sleep in, you'll spend a frigid night with just your sleeping bag and a bivouac to shield you from the icy winds.
If the thought of sleeping on ice isn't chilling enough, campers aren't allowed to bring food or drink ashore. The only time you're permitted to use a disposable toilet is in case of an emergency.
