Glamping is short for glamorous camping. You still get a campsite among the trees, but instead of pitching your own tent you’re staying in a bell tent, cabin, treehouse or pod that’s already made up with a real bed, proper linen and, usually, power.
It’s not just camping with a new name stuck on it. It’s a genuinely different way to do it: less packing, less setting up, and a lot more comfortable once you get there.
What actually makes something “glamping”?
Three things, generally: a proper bed instead of a sleeping mat, a structure that’s already set up for you, and at least some of the comforts you’d get at home; think linen, lighting, and sometimes an ensuite or a fireplace. Beyond that, it covers a lot of ground. It might be a canvas bell tent on a working farm, a timber cabin by a lake, or a dome with a clear roof for stargazing.
Glamping versus camping: what’s actually different
Both get you outdoors. The difference is in what you’re carrying and what’s waiting for you when you arrive.
- You don’t bring or pitch a tent. It’s already set up.
- You sleep on a real bed, not an air mattress or the ground.
- Bathrooms range from a private ensuite to a shared amenity block, depending on the property.
- Most sites have power, and plenty have heating or air conditioning.
- You’ll pay more than a standard campsite, but usually less than a hotel room of similar quality.
Why is it called glamping?
It’s a mash-up of “glamorous” and “camping”. The word started turning up in the UK around 2005 and made it into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016. The idea itself is older than the word. Safari camps and hunting lodges have offered camping with proper comfort for over a century. The word just gave it something people could search for.
What types of glamping can you find in Australia?
Australia has a huge amount of variety, from beachside bell tents to high-country cabins. The main types you’ll come across:
- Tents, safari-style and bell tents, usually with a real bed and often an ensuite
- Cabins, fully enclosed and the most hotel-like of the options
- Treehouses, raised off the ground and usually the pick for a view
- Pods and domes, compact, and often with a clear panel for stargazing
- Tipis, a step up from a tent, with more headroom and a distinctive shape
- Caravans, restored or purpose-built, and parked in one spot for you
- Tiny homes, small but properly fitted out, the closest thing to a self-contained house
We’ve listed all seven types by state and region, so you can see what’s actually near you.
Is glamping expensive?
It costs more than pitching your own tent at a caravan park, and less than a hotel room with the same view. Exactly how much depends on the type. A canvas tent with shared facilities sits at the affordable end. A private cabin with a spa and a hamper on arrival sits at the other. Price also moves with the season, so a weekend in school holidays costs more than a weeknight in the middle of winter.
Do glamping tents have toilets?
Sometimes. It depends entirely on the property. Some tents have a private ensuite built in. Others share a nearby amenities block with the rest of the site, and a handful of more remote or bush-style setups use a composting or drop toilet. If it matters to you, check the listing or ask the operator directly before you book.
Is glamping worth it?
If the appeal of camping is being outdoors, and the bit you could do without is an hour of wrestling a tent in the wind, then yes. You’re paying for someone else to have already done the hard part before you arrive.