7 TRICKED-OUT CAMP SITES THAT DON'T REALLY COUNT AS CAMPING AT ALL

7 tricked-out campsites that don't really count as camping at all
By Kathleen Wong, Mashable, 15 June 2015.

Glamping takes your marshmallows and sleeping bag to the next level.

The portmanteau of "glamorous" and "camping" is a revolution in enjoying the great outdoors. This leisurely trend has emerged over the last decade or so, according to the New York Times. Guests enjoy luxury accommodations in beautiful, natural settings - we're talking butlers, heated floors and electricity.

Check out a few glamping locations that give you the best of both worlds.

1. Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado, USA

Image: Dunton Hot Springs

This exclusive resort is a reconstructed ghost town located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The former mining town features a restaurant dressed as a saloon, hiking trails and steaming hot springs - and you can't forget high-speed Internet, of course. Thirteen cosy cabins (with bathrooms) occupy the resort. Some cabins are built around hot springs or reside by waterfalls, so it's not a wonder that they start at around US$1100 per night. Feel free to reserve the entire resort for events, too.

2. Whitepod Resort, Switzerland

Image: Whitepod Resort

Located in the Swiss Alps is a series of 15 geodesic domes known as the Whitepod resort. These low-impact pods are fitted with wood-burning stoves and fully-equipped bathrooms. Guests can visit the sauna and go skiing or paragliding. For a little less than US$900, you can book a pod for two adults for two nights, and the program will include an excursion to the Bains de Lavey thermal baths, a breakfast buffet and tea time.

4. Longitude 131 Degrees, Australia

Image: Longitude 131 Degrees

Explore the vast Australian Outback by lodging at Longitude 131 Degrees. This glamping destination overlooks the UNESCO World Heritage site Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which is famous for its vivid sandstone monolith. But maybe a little bit less natural is the outdoor swimming pool and movie and video game library. The tents resemble those that old-fashioned explorers would pitch, but we're not sure pioneers had rain showers with moving walls. The rates start at US$1,200 for one person for a single night.

5. Greystoke Mahale, Tanzania

Image: Nomad Tanzania

Nomad Tanzania, one of the first East African safari companies, has set up camp on the pristine beach of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. Called Greystoke Mahale for the Mahale Mountains behind it, this sustainable luxury campsite comprises of six wood and thatch beach huts with running water and most of all, amazing views. Guests can hike, swim in waterfalls and watch chimpanzees.

6. The Resort at Paws Up, Montana, USA

Image: The Resort at Paws Up

This sprawling luxury ranch resort offers multiple luxury campsites in the picturesque Montana. But despite which camp you choose, you'll get a chef and butler at your service. (Who else is going to start the bonfire?) Its newest and most luxurious campsite out of the five is Cliffside Camp, which, like the name implies, sits cliffside over a river. These tents are perfect for a romantic getaway, including air conditioning and clawfoot bathtubs. A tent at this camp starts at US$1555 for a two people per night.

7. Chobe Under Canvas, Botswana

Image: &Beyond

These mobile tents with ensuite bathrooms at the Chobe Under Canvas follow African wildlife around Chobe National Park. The mornings start with your butler waking you up for a safari drive and ends with cocktails over an open fire. Only a maximum of 10 guests get to experience the secluded but personal encounters with graceful African elephants. The rate for one person starts at US$540 per night.

Top image: Longitude 131 Degrees Luxury Tent. Credit: Longitude 131°.

[Source: Mashable. Edited.]