Guys, I’ve reached that point in my life where I’m (slightly) less interested in sleeping on the ground.
Where is this hallowed middle ground, friends? Where can I sleep in a bed but still get that self-congratulatory feeling of being all Paul Bunyon-y?
Yurts, guys. Yurts are the answer to this age old question.
And what, pray tell, is a yurt? As defined by Wikipedia it’s a “a portable, bent dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia as their home.” So basically – fancier than a tent, less fancy than a cabin.
In a word: perfect.
3. T/F Sleeping in a queen-sized sleeping bag on a futon with my partner is both fun and romantic!
4. T/F A total lack of cell phone signal, gps, and internet is awesome and freeing! No, this doesn’t not need to be Instagrammed!
5. T/F Seeing a mother moose on your half-mile walk back to where you parked the car is a great way to start the day.
6. T/F It’s pretty nice to have a little lake all to yourself.
7. T/F I enjoy boiling water to wash my dishes!
8. T/F Outhouses are grreeeat!
9. T/F Mosquitos and wood ticks are no big deal. Complaining is for wussies.
10. T/F Falling asleep to the sound of rain, 20 miles from the nearest town is lovely.
Did you answer true to most of these statements? Then you should probably rent a yurt in northern Minnesota.
Have you ever stayed in a yurt? How do you feel about camping?
P.S. 8 awesome things to cook over a campfire and How to be a happy, laidback traveler.
I once lived in Kazakhstan, and while I didn't get to stay in a yurt (they didn't exactly have them to rent out or anything) I did once go to a cultural festival of sorts where I got to eat the traditional Kazakh dish beshbarmak (noodles and mutton you eat with your hands from a communal dish, full on with the sheep's head in the middle of the table, which they had me pick meat off of) in a yurt. It was an impressive structure! I would love to stay in a westernized version of one.
So jealous!
True, true, true – this looks amazing!! 🙂
I've always wanted to stay in a yurt, too, especially after these tempting photos: http://aurajoon.blogspot.com/2010/10/arriving-at-y-u-r-t-scolorado-part-two.html (start in the middle of the post). Looks so beautiful.
I, too, would like a 1:1 ratio of tent to bed. I went camping as a child all the time. The novelty has worn off. My husband *never* got to go camping as a child (fancy parents) and therefore missed out on nearly two decades of dirt, bugs, and campfire. He loves to go primitive, canoe out to a spot (free–that's a bonus), and do that, and it's all fun until you realize you have to dig your own holes. No thanks.
Sarah M
I really like what I call 'lady camping' :
Day 1: Drive for 2-3 hours and stay in a hotel
Day 2: Drive to a trailhead, hike in 2-3 hours, spend the rest of the day reading/swimming/cooking things over a fire
Day 3: Hike out, eat a huge brunch somewhere
I think this hallowed middle ground also goes by the name of "glamping!" Love it.
I wish I'd heard of Yurts before. They sound amazing! I'm not a huge fan of roughing it, but I do like to experience the wilderness every once in a while. Perfect happy medium.
I stayed in a yurt on a beautiful little river outside Kampot on Cambodia. It was AMAZING!!!! It had it's own little wooden dock and pretty charming furniture for a nomadic dwelling. It was also near a Cham village (a Muslim minority group in Cambodia) so we could hear the call to prayer. It was probably one of the coolest experiences of my life so far 🙂
That sounds totally amazing!
I adore camping but I have a lot of back problems, so it doesn't bode well for me if I spend multiple nights on the ground. I think staying is a yurt (according to this) would be the perfect middle ground for longer "camping" excursions, but I think I can still handle a single night on the ground for the occasional traditional sake of camping. 🙂
I WANT TO STAY IN A YURT SO BADLY.
The middle ground could also be sleeping in a "normal" sailboat (not luxury yacht). You get to do all the outdoorsy things without pitching a tent.
The biggest con is sharing the boat with people who snore, or if someone forgets to close the mosquito net at night.
this looks so amazing, i love camping so i definitely feel the need to try sleeping in a yurt also! i love how you make a list of what you want to do each year, i find that when i make them at the beginning of the year i feel so much more motivated and inspired 🙂
one girl one book