Camping Vs Glamping [Which One Suits You More?]

Camping vs Glamping, which option appeals to you more? Even though the two words seem very much alike, there’s no telling that they are way different in meaning. While camping is the conventional way of staying away from comfort and getting down and possibly dirty with nature, glamping, on the other hand, is the more glamorous way to go about camping.

Glamping is gradually becoming the trend lately. Who says camping outdoors and enjoying the bliss of nature has to involve inconveniencing yourself? In fact, with glamping, you can get to bring the comfort of your home outdoors, as you explore nature. Sounds nice right?

Now, how do you figure out which of them will best fit the goal you have in mind? In this post, you will get to understand the difference between camping and glamping. Hence, be better informed to know which to settle for.

The 6 Main Differences between Camping and Glamping

1) Sleeping Arrangement

The traditional camping often involves you going to a remote location with your tent, set up a makeshift shelter, and then crash in a sleeping bag. This way, you are connected with nature; feeling the breeze and hearing the sounds of nocturnal insects at night.

However, with glamping, you don’t have to pitch your tent in the woods for camping. Instead of setting up a tent or sleeping in a bag, you could choose to make yourself at home in an RV, hotel/motel, trailer or cabin. And yet, you are still enjoying all that nature has to offer.

2) Preparing Meals

While camping, you get to enjoy meals after setting up a fire possibly made with woods, and then using a makeshift stove or grill to prepare your delicacy. Usually, campers can hunt for games, fruits, or vegetables. To them, the rigors involved in making their dinner add spice to their overall camping experience.

It’s not uncommon to see campers congregate around a campfire; chanting songs, as they place a game on fire. Their meals are usually makeshift and don’t compare to ones prepared at home. But again, it’s for the experience and fun.

Glamping involves camping with all kinds of assorted meals stuffed up in your trailers; hence you still get to eat home-cooked food; missing nothing at all. Some trailers and RVs have fridges installed. You can preheat your meal in a microwave and settle down to a sumptuous meal while in the woods and admiring nature.

You can even turn on music from your favorite artist or a soft rock beat, as you settle over a glass of champagne. Wow… don't you just love glamping?

3) Security

When you camp in a tent in the wood, there are no doubts that risks are involved. The tents you set up can barely act as a barricade to some of the furry animals that may be moving around in search of food. Even though campers try to take precautions such as disposing of remnants of food to keep these beasts off. There are no guarantees that they could be restrained.

Glamping is way more secure, as your vehicle acts as a secure bridge against all forms of predators that may be scouting for food. Wildlife critters and nosy neighbors can hardly get to intrude into the affairs of glampers, as they would with campers.

Even in cases of heavy downpours, glamping also provides more shelter than camping in the wild. Natural occurrences such as heavy rains, snows, and extreme heat will see those camping in tents running for alternate shelter.

Getting a good quality tarp may help improve the overall shelter during camping but of course, in terms of the high level shelter, glamping wins hands down as it provides a shield against some of these occurrences.

4) Wi-Fi Availability

Not sure whether you are glamping or camping? This is one way to make sure. If your campsite has access to Wi-Fi, such that you are still active on social media, make calls, receive SMS, and do all you would do when exposed to urban life, then you are glamping.

In traditional camping, you are away from the usual hustle and bustle of city life. You get to concentrate on any other thing but work and keeping connections with friends on social media for a while. The idea here is to enjoy nature and take a break from most of the busy terrain your life is submerged in.

If you still enjoy all the comfort of chatting with friends on WhatsApp, Facebook, and possibly give updates on Instagram, then you are glamping, not camping.

5) Taking Baths

Glampers often get to use a bathroom after a long day of hiking or hunting in the wild. It’s part of their treatment, and they get to make sure of that. Some glampers can drive out to make sure they have a suitable bath; to them, there’s no room for inconveniences.

However, campers most times don't have the luxury of using a shower or settling for a cold or warm bath. If there isn't water in the camp as a result of poor rainfall, they have to hit a lake, river, or swamp to have a bath. Alternatively, they could bring along a portable shower for camping in case there is no water source nearby. In cases where they need hot water, they might have to consider bringing along a portable water heater.

6) Bathrooms

Campers have one way to answer nature’s call, and that’s by burying it into the earth, and away from water. Glampers are too “civilized” to dangle their waste in the wild, so they use proper toilets.

Why Choose Camping?

Traditional camping exists for a reason, and sometimes campers indulge in building a form of ruggedness. They deliberately stay away from comfort and getting their hands dirty so they can appreciate the blessedness of nature.

In truth, the bonding and team spirit generated during hunting in the wilds, swimming in stagnant waters, congregating around a campfire, setting up tents, sleeping in bags, staying off social media and constant beeping of phones, etc. all these experiences form memoirs that cannot be wiped in a lifetime.

This is one way to feel nature, and getting dirty doing so is welcome. The joy of camping is even better after the camping ends. Looking forward to returning home, knowing how much you've stretched yourself makes you feel like you are different. And that's entirely a sweet feeling.

Why Choose Glamping?

Many people love and have often fancied the idea of exploring nature. But the mere thought of sleeping in the wild and inconveniencing themselves have stalled their commitment of making this happen.

But glamping has come to the cry of these folks, as they can get to embrace the glamour of their everyday lives while romancing nature. Those who have health conditions and still desire to enjoy nature would embrace glamping as a welcome treat.

Instead of the usual kayak camping, you could be glamping in a ship, yacht or speed boats. Oh…yea, those are some of the perks glamping brings to the scene. So, while enjoying nature, you are embracing comfort as well.

Camping vs Glamping: which is better?

In the end, the choice to settle for glamping or camping is dependent on what you intend to achieve as an individual or a group. They both have their pros and cons, and you may want to settle for the one that best suits you as a person.

As we have already established, camping appeals to ruggedness and adventure, while glamping is more about convenience while sightseeing. Whatever you choose to settle for, you can be sure that you would have beautiful stories to share.

Conclusion

Camping vs Glamping, whichever one you choose to settle has a role to play; even though glamping seems to be slowly but gradually taking over the world of traditional camping, and with good reasons. You can’t argue that traditional camping has also succeeded in creating an indelible mark in some folks, so much so that it has become a favorite pass time.

So, it's usual to find individuals who embark on sea voyages, camping trips, and hunting games in the wild because it was a tradition handed down to them by their ancestors. With these guys, glamping is far from fun, and they aren’t wrong.

The way we see it is simple: Glamping and Camping are two sides of the same coin, and both should be a part of your life’s routine. The adventure, hands-on experience, exposure, bonding, etc. that come with camping cannot be traded off in a hurry, and everyone should have a feel of it, not just hearing it in a story.