Glamorous Camping Aka Glamping

When English model Kate Moss was caught on film knee high in mud at the Glastonbury music festival donning casual clothes and rubber boots at her glammed up camp site a few years ago, young Brits wanted to know what was up with the notorious party girl. She appeared to carefree, aloof, and certainly not her high profile self which usually entails strutting her stuff in designer clothes, heels, makeup and looking fabulous for the cameras.

The natural beauty was attempting to rough it in style by catching her Z's in a $12,000 a night luxury tent, complete with sheepskin rugs and down comforters that looked more like something out of a fairytale then a massive piece of heavy duty canvas set up in the beautiful English countryside. Foregoing many of the amenities that the rugged camper frequently goes without were not part of this elaborate camping adventure on any level. This rather unfamiliar phenomenon for what Kate Moss was indulging on herself and unknowingly passing on to curious bystanders has since been termed "glamping" or "glamorous camping."

Glamping is not the rustic style camping that has been portrayed in movies like "The Parent Trap" with Lindsay Lohan at summer camp, nor is it eating out of tin cans heated over a red hot campfire circled and contained by huge rocks. It is not the ultimate cheap getaway that it once was. That type of camping was ritualistic in that you and nature bonded while you absorbed the entire serene effect of the clean air and tranquil mode while setting up a small camp site by a stream with basic items that could be hauled in a backpack up a hill without having cardiac arrest from doing so.

The fun part was setting up the tent before nightfall and catching some dinner from the nearest hole that contained clean water. You were roughing it, and the total adventure, a full tank of gas included didn't cost more then fifty bucks. Glamorous camping is camping with a whole lot of pizzazz. There is no constructing the tent or decorating the interior, the masters of luxury and glamorous camping aka glamping have taken the time and done it all for you. Just bring your toothbrush.

Glamorous camping takes sleeping in the elements to a whole new level and plainly ditches the older more inexpensive and familiar version of "roughing it. But that's o.k. if you can afford it." Bugs, dirt, and rain are not part of the deal when you sleep in a luxury tented estate in the wilderness. The white canvas shelters are perched on raised wooden platforms instead of hard cement or dirt. Portraits, oil paintings, heirloom china, sculpted knick-knacks, ornate oil lamps, and expensive, but comfortable furniture and bedding are all a part of the make-up of the luxury sleeping and living quarters.

Wood stoves controlled by thermostats keep you warm, candles lure you to sleep and personalized special touches make you feel right at home. ABC describes glamorous camping as "where wild meets refined." The dinner entrees are prepared and served like something out of a fine cooking magazine's cover picture and the table setting is nothing less then fine china, silver, and the sharpest cutlery known to man. Silver candlesticks, aged fine wine, lace tablecloths and fresh flowers are part of the ambiance as well.

Many of the high end fancier resorts in the world do not charge the extravagant rate of $12,000 a night for a tent, but they still can be a bit pricey. The Resort at Paws Up in Montana, a 37,000-acre getaway in Big Sky country has tents for around $600.00 per night. The notion of a dude ranch and Persian rugs offers something for everyone. This luxury camp site leaves out nothing so that you can sit back and truly relax. The food is prepared by professional chefs with specialties like Bison rib-eye and mountain trout sautéed with herbs. Other favorites at the Paws Up are found at the breakfast table and include french toast topped with huckleberries.

The Today show featured a segment on glamorous camping and how to budget shop when looking for luxury vacations in the woods. 1. Bargain shop online. Google the key words: "luxury, camping, glamping, cheap, and budget. The United States has several lower priced glamorous camping resorts. Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California offers luxury tents for around $200.00 a night. 2. Do it yourself. Bargain shop for fancy camping items like fluffy pillows, expandable cots, a camping stove, pots and pans, nice dishes, an area rug that can be easily transported, and clothes napkins. The Dollar Store offers a full variety of these items at a fraction of the cost.

USA Today recommends that you ditch the smelly sleeping bag in favor of glamping, and The New York Post has also covered the glamorous camping phenomenon by mentioning an article on glamping in a website for luxury travel, www.globorati.com.

Celebrities have grasped the idea of glamping and actually enjoy testing their skills while braving the wilderness. Paris Hilton, Sean Penn and Tom Hanks love the concept and can obviously choose their destination with ease. The Clayoquot Vacation Resort in Tofino, British Columbia fits the needs of these first class guests. The famous and refined glamping resort starts at $4,750 for 3 nights, but offers activities from horse back riding and kayaking to cooking classes and fly fishing. Massages, yoga and the sauna are top rate and are found at the Healing Grounds. http://www.wildretreat.com/About_Clayoquot_Wilderness_Resort/index.asp

Sources: http://www.lightsandknives.com/blog/glamping-is-this-your-idea-of-the-great-outdoors-2007-06-11

http://honeymoons.about.com/od/vacationswithadifference/g/glamping.htm

http://www.hotelsoftherichandfamous.com/articles/glamping-the-art-of-glamorous-camping.cfm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-glamping.htm

http://www.globorati.com/the-new-fab-four/

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31414112/ns/today_technology_and_money-10_tips/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003852600_glamcamp25.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3294418&page=1

http://pawsup.com/