Glamping: The New Way to Travel

Daphne talks about her experience starting a travel podcast and delves into the rising trend of glamping, a luxurious form of camping appealing to those seeking comfort in nature. She discusses the appeal of glamping for various types of travelers, its sustainability, and its global popularity. Daphne highlights top glamping destinations like the UK, Australia, Canada, Thailand, and South Africa, each offering unique experiences in beautiful natural settings. She expresses particular interest in exploring glamping in the UK and Thailand, while expressing reservations about Australia due to its diverse wildlife. Welcome back to Travel Talk Show! This is Daphne, your host, and we are actually on our 16th episode. Hard to believe that we've made this many thus far. We just started back in March of 2025, and since then I've been very busy getting the website up, getting all the social media rolling, and just kind of figuring out this whole new world of travel podcasting. I do have previous travel experience, so this is over 25 years, and things have changed so much over those 25 years since I started back in the day. My original travel experience, I owned a company that specialized in national park reservations. We had that company for about four or five years, and we ended up selling that and semi-retiring for a few years. But since then, I've gone back to work for Corporate America, saving hard for retirement, and hoping we can do it right the second time. So today's episode is about something that I've been wanting to look at for a while, and it's kind of a newer concept, and it kind of sounds interesting to me, because as I get older, the idea of camping itself just does not appeal to me anymore. As you get older, the aches and pains are real, and it just isn't something that I just want to do anymore. But then on the other flip side of it, if you go to RVs, then you've got this big contraption that you have to drive in precarious places around the country, and that doesn't really appeal to me either. And they break down all the time, and no thank you. So I started looking at glamping as kind of a good middle ground kind of thing to do, and it's actually exploding. The idea of glamping in itself, the industry is growing crazy, leaps and bounds everywhere. So I started doing some research, and I've got some good info for you guys, and I thought I'd share it with you today, so I can just kind of enlighten your knowledge about what this glamping thing is, and where it's going, and where the good places are, and what kind of things you get with it. And I mean, some of the stuff that you see on social media, or when you're searching the internet, it looks pretty darn fancy. It's a whole lot better than camping, that's for sure. And the thing about hotels and motels, or whatever you want to call them these days, or Airbnbs, they're fine, but they kind of get old. They all feel the same, they have the same happy hours at 5 o'clock, they've got, you know, maybe a pool or a hot tub that you may or may not want to sit in with other strangers, and they just don't have that unique travel experience. And so with glamping, I'm finding that people are taking advantage of beautiful scenery, and in places that aren't, you know, stacked next to other people, like typical hotels and motels and Airbnbs can be. And so with the idea of glamping, you can actually get to places that most people would never go to, that out of the way kind of thing, and really get a good experience with it. And I've been noticing a lot of travel influencers lately doing war glamping as well. So I think it's really taking off. And also the economical side of things. Glamping is actually quite economical, for also not just cost, but for the ecology and for the environment. So if people are environment conscious, this is a great way to travel and feel better about yourself not taxing on anything that will have anything to do negatively on the environment. So as I start digging in here a little bit, I'll tell you some great stuff that I found. I am going to actually start looking for places like this myself, in some of the travels that I do, because I think you could really get a unique experience. Like if you think about this for a minute, you're in one of these luxury, what do you call them tents, I guess. And you just walk straight out and have your cup of coffee right there with the scenery right around you, literally wrapped around you. And that to me is a true vacation where I can totally unwind, get back to nature, and just recharge my batteries through and through. And so this sounds amazing to me. So I'm just going to be reading some stuff off. I'm trying not to read too much in these, because then it sounds like I'm robotic and I don't want to be robotic. I want to be a conversationalist. I want you guys to be entertained and learn some fun facts along the way. But like me, when I start researching things, it piques my interest more and more. And then you may go off and do your own research after you listen to this episode. And that's what I want. I want people to get enlightened and encouraged and want to travel and get out there and see and do different things that they wouldn't normally do. So glamping. So what exactly is glamping? Picture this. You're surrounded by the beauty of nature, but instead of roughing it in a sleeping bag under a flimsy tent, you're relaxing in a luxurious safari-style tent, or a treehouse with floor-to-ceiling windows, or even better, a geodome with panoramic views. Glamping combines the best of both worlds, the serenity and the adventure of camping with the comfort and elegance of a boutique hotel. It's no wonder this trend is picking up and speeding up across the globe. So why is it so popular? It's becoming the go-to choice for travelers. First off, it's perfect for those who love nature but aren't ready to sacrifice their creature comforts. That's me, 100%. Think plush beds, private bathrooms, gourmet meals, and sometimes even Wi-Fi. Glamping is also incredibly versatile. It appeals to couples seeking a romantic getaway, families looking for unique vacations, and even solo travelers yearning for peaceful retreats. Plus, it's sustainable. So there's that sustainability thing again. Many glamping spots integrate eco-friendly designs and practices, making it a win-win for both the travelers and the planet. So this is sounding good to me. So where is glamping taking off? So this is some of the parts of the research I like to do. I like to figure out the where, the who, the locations they're in, all the good things. Because sometimes you're maybe planning a trip already and going to plan A to point B. But between A and B, you want to seek out little spots along the way. And as I looked up a lot of these locations, this definitely fits the bill. So you can get your bookends where you start your vacation one way and end it another, but kind of put this in the middle so it's kind of a good transitional vacation of sorts where you're not feeling like you're getting uncomfortable, but you're mixing it up enough to make it more fun and interesting. And so here it is. So where is it picking up steam? Okay, so from the lush forests of North America to the stunning deserts of the Middle East, yes, the Middle East, glamping destinations are popping up everywhere. The key to finding places that combine breathtaking natural beauty with innovative and luxurious accommodations. Glamping is hugely popular worldwide. I didn't know that. So that was interesting to me. I thought this might have been just like a North America thing. Nope. So it is especially in regions with stunning natural landscapes. Some of the top destinations for glamping include, listen to this, United Kingdom, the UK, known for luxury safari tents, luxury houses, and countryside retreats. I do have a dream to go over there someday because I have been to London, but I have not been out to the countryside there. I would 100% do something in the countryside there. If you've watched all the movies and read all the books and you hear about UK's countryside, it would just be absolutely relaxing and just get you back to your zen with that quiet kind of old countryside look. I could just, in the rolling green hills with the trees and some of the features of the properties, I bet it would be just amazing. So next on my list is Australia. Australia offers coastal and outback glamping, including eco lodges and luxury tents. Okay, so here's the thing about Australia in my mind, and I know a lot of you are thinking about this at the moment. They got a lot of creatures over there, or down under, shall we say. I'm a little bit iffy on the Australia glamping, so I'm not going to lie. They've got like bugs and creatures and things that you can't see everywhere. So I'm going to table that one for a second, but maybe it appeals to you. Maybe you're adventurous in that way and all in. Who knows? Next is Canada. So this is my home country. This is where I'm from. Beautiful, beautiful places in Canada. I can't even begin to tell you. So they feature wilderness lodges, of course, and lakeside glamping in places like British Columbia. Funny they say that because I'm going to be actually staying somewhere in a lake area in Alberta in a few weeks. But yes, I 100% could see that with Canada. Wilderness lodges and lakeside glamping. Thailand is another place. They do jungle and beach glamping. Now that's more my style. I would totally do that. And it says often with spa services. Interesting. I like that. Spa services and me, I'm down. Okay, and then the next and last one I have for the most popular countries for glamping is South Africa. So since I started doing this podcast back in March, I've done a lot of research and podcasts, and I have had a lot of tie ins with South Africa. And I do have some good dear friends of mine that I've met through work a few years ago, and they're from South Africa. And it is on top of my list now. And I'm hoping to go there next year. The more and more I look into South Africa, I have no idea. So many things that they have there to do. And it's just sounds amazing. So listen to this for the glamping in South Africa, home to luxury safari glamping with wildlife experiences. So as we all think of South Africa, you think like elephants and lions and all the things, all the unique animals that we don't have here in North America. Actually, kind of be game for that. The only thing is kind of like Australia. And it has all the dangerous stuff and the things you can't see. And oh, so I I'm kind of getting there. But we'll see. Will I do glamping if I go next year? We'll see. We'll see what what options are open and what happens. But great. And this five minutes, it's probably a little bit of a no at the moment until I've done it in a couple of other places. Maybe I'll feel more comfortable to do and seek a little bit more adventuresome as I get used to the idea. Okay, so now I'm going to talk about top glamping resorts worldwide. So I wanted to kind of do a download of that. So if people were going to certain places, and I call it out, then you can jot it down and go back to look for it. And I'm probably going to butcher these names. But bear with me. In Canada, there is a resort called Cleo cat wilderness resort. It's a remote luxury retreat on Vancouver Island with tented suites, fine dining and adventure activities. I'm guessing that one's probably not the lower budget style pricing. But I will do a blog to follow up this podcast. And I will put some of those details in there. And I'll link it to their website. So you guys can go and check it out and see if it's for you. But I'm kind of high maintenance. Sometimes I get in those moods. That one kind of sounds interesting to me and anything on Vancouver Island to me would be amazing. You can really do really good orca sightings there the orcas that you see at SeaWorld and whatnot. Yeah, I would love to do that. Actually, that one's going to be on my list. I that would be very easy for me to get to. I could do I'm going to look it up. I'll loop back in a follow up podcast and let you know the things if I go ahead with that one. Oh, that sounds amazing. Okay, so the next one for top glamping resorts worldwide. This one is in Australia, and it's called longitude 131 degree. It's a desert a desert desert. Oh my goodness, a desert glamping resort near in the room, offering luxury tents with panoramic views. I bet that would be beautiful. I wonder if that's anywhere near Ayers Rock. But when I hear the desert and the panoramic views, for some reason that comes up in my mind. Hmm, interesting. Okay, number three of the top glamping resorts worldwide. Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia. This is a jungle glamping resort with waterfalls, zip lining and eco luxury tents. I'm so down for that. That's all my favorite thing. Wow. See, I'm pleasantly surprised. I downloaded all the info and everything and I've kind of glanced over it but I didn't really zero in on this until I read it. And I know Cambodia has been picking up with the tourism industry lately. And wow, jungle glamping, waterfall views, zip lining, eco. I bet that would be neat. That would be an amazing experience. Okay, now I'm moving on to number four. Now Viva. It's a four seasons resort apparently in Mexico. I don't I'll have to figure out where I should have done better and that exactly where this one is. But again, I'll follow this up on my blog on my website. So you guys can see into all the links and everything. I'll have all the info for you. It's a tropical glamping escape with private plunge pools and open air luxury tents. Open air luxury tents. Hmm, trying to envision that. Are you in the jungle? Because that might, I'll loop back and do a follow up podcast on this. I think I'm going to do some more research, do the blog, and then come back and fill in the blank for you. I definitely need to do that. Some of this stuff sounds interesting. I want to like define what all these different terminologies in the glamping mode is because private plunge pools and open air luxury tents. I just I'm still stuck on that for some reason. Moving on to number five, Amman Camp Serica. It's in the US. It's located in Utah. This resort offers dessert. Oh my gosh, what's with the dessert in the desert? The desert glamping with private pools and spa treatments. So again, that sounds a lot like the earlier one, which was number one on So that's the top five. They all vary widely in price depending on location, amenities, and exclusivity. Here's a general comparison of luxury glamping costs across different regions. So I did do a download of pricing just to kind of get a good idea of what you're looking at per night. So budget friendly glamping can be anywhere from $100 to $300 per night. So you know, it's in line with the lower type hotels and motels and Airbnbs that you can get for your very basic rate. And so here's some examples of ones in the budget friendly zone. Taramore Outdoor Resort in Maine, USA. It's got luxury tents with electricity and Wi-Fi. And Zion has some glamping adventures in Utah. It's deluxe tents near Zion National Park. I would probably be nice for somebody who could handle a little rustic. And then there's Westgate River Ranch in Florida. It's a cowboy themed glamping with horseback riding. That sounds kind of cool. And then we have the mid range. So that was the budget friendly one. Now we're going to mid range. They're $300 to $800 per night. This is probably mostly where I probably travel just to have a little bit more comfort and ease. Kunstoga Ranch in Utah. They have luxury wagons and tents near Bear Lake. That kind of sounds interesting. Naviva, a Four Seasons Resort. So it popped up again. This is one of the earlier ones that I said was the top one. It's tropical glamping with a private plunge pool. So it pulled in there. So that's the price range of that particular one. And then the Longitude 131 degree in Australia that I mentioned earlier as well is also in the mid range to $300 to $800 per night. And that's the glamping new year roof with some panoramic views in Australia. And then we move on to the luxury views. $800 to $250 per night. So this is US dollars. So you can translate that to whatever currency you're in. So the luxury one, Clio Cat. That was the one in Canada by Vancouver Island. So that one's in that category clearly with remote luxury retreat with fine dining. Then we have Dunton River Camp in Colorado again. And that one's the same with the mountain river tents with soaking tubs. And then mentioned to Manny Wild, the Cambodia one. Of course I like the luxury one. Okay, so maybe I'm not mid. Maybe I'm a little bit more luxury these days. Good grief, of course I am. Okay, so there's extra costs to keep in mind. So here's the thing. So resort fees and taxes, that's always the thing for travel anywhere for any hotel, Airbnb and whatnot. So that's the extra cost. Meals and dining. So while some sites include meals, others may require separate meal purchases or offer gourmet dining at an extra cost, which is standard as well. I think that's pretty well known for travelers. And then we have activities and excursions. Another well known fact of when you travel, but those are usually not included unless you're staying in all-inclusive, which it's marketed that way. But these typically don't seem to be. So there's guided hikes, horseback riding, ziplining or wildlife safaris. They may come with additional fees. Okay. Then moving on to transportation. If the glamping site is remote, factor in rental cars, shuttle services or private transfers. That's always a given too when you're traveling. So that's not a big surprise for me. Equipment rentals like kayaks, bikes or fishing gear for rent. Again, not a surprise to me at all. They definitely have to make some extra. Unless you're in an all-inclusive, most all-inclusives have most things included in their price. Some places a little bit different, like the more, like for example, like scuba diving or something like that, they vary. So when you get into tropical vacations and all-inclusive, that'll be another podcast. But I've done a lot of that over the years and there's quite a varied way to go about that. What you think is included is not always included. So always remember that with all-inclusive, ask all the questions up front. Cleaning fees. Some glamping accommodations charge cleaning fees, especially for longer stays. This is actually becoming an industry standard. I've noticed, especially with Airbnbs and VRBOs, definitely seeing the cleaning fees popping up. And I think it's probably because they have to contract those services out. So I'm not surprised that they probably just add, you know, a la carte it. There it is. Insurance and security deposits. Again, not a shock. Most places nowadays have to have some kind of recoup cost to when people cancel and don't show up. So pretty standard with the travel insurance. Make sure you have a good credit card that has the travel insurance included with it. Always ask all the questions and always make sure you have it. Okay, so now I'm going to move on to the last part of what I was going to talk about today. Just hold one second. Okay, now we're going to talk about the top three glamping spots in the United States. They all have a mixture of luxury and adventure. The first one is called the Resort at Paws Up. This one is in Greeno, Montana. And Greeno, Montana is a small town located about 25 miles east of Missoula in western Montana's Blackfoot Valley. It has one of the pioneers of modern glamping. This resort offers six exclusive glamping camps, each with a unique experience. Guests enjoy a dedicated camping butler, gourmet meals, and activities like mountain biking and hot air balloons. That sounds nice, actually. That's actually a really beautiful part of Montana. I've been there many times and I can definitely see that for somebody that isn't familiar with mountains and all the things the mountains offer. That would be a great experience for somebody new to that whole environment. Okay, the next one's called Ventana Big Sur. It's in Big Sur, California. It's nestled in 160 acres of forest along the California coast. This glamping site offers heated blankets, king bed, private fire pits, and stunning views. It's actually a perfect blend of nature and comfort. Yeah, this sounds amazing. If it's by Carmel, this will be a beautiful area. I've been to that area a few times and it's absolutely magnificent. It's so beautiful there. If you've never been to that part of California, go. It's absolutely beautiful. And there's not as many people there as some of the other parts. And then the last one is called Dunton River Camp in Dolores, Colorado. It's set on 500 acre former cattle ranch. It's glamping retreat features mountain and river tents with king beds, en suite bathrooms, and soaking tubs. Guests can explore the nearby hot springs. Wow. So Dolores, Colorado is a small town in Montezuma County located in southwestern Colorado. It sits along the Dolores River and it's near the San Juan National Forest. That's actually a beautiful part of Colorado. I would totally do that too. Wow. So those are my options for glamping and what glamping is all about. I really hope you enjoyed this episode. I'm going to wrap it up a bit here, but I will follow up in the blog on the website traveltalkshow.com. And yeah, I think this is great. This sounds amazing. I'm going to have to do some follow up podcasts on this and deep dive in it a little bit more because this is such a newer concept to me that it's intriguing me. Cambodia just got on my list now. That one in Cambodia, 100% I'm going to figure that out. Hmm. Interesting. Well, you just never know what you're going to add to your bucket list, do you? Well guys, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. I hope you'll join us again for the next one next week. I will be doing these podcasts weekly. Hopefully next week I'll have an excellent topic for you. I'm trying to research and do things that are a little bit different and not the norm because I think it's fun and interesting to try and do exciting ways of travel and seeing places look and the experiences that you can have. I think it's just part of the charm of traveling in itself. So anyways, have a great weekend or great week depending on when you listen to this and I will see you back soon. Thank you.