Posted on

Glamping for the Disabled Now Enabled by Thoughtful Resort Operators

For those with disabilities, the world is slowly but surely becoming more accommodating- in public spaces, in work places, and finally in vacation destinations. Cruises and mega resorts are popular vacations for disabled individuals. But what if you want a little adventure? More and more boutique resort operators are creating an extra luxury tent or two that accommodate. Here are a few glamping options for those who have special needs.

White oak Treehouse - The Mohicans

Glenmont, Ohio, a charming hamlet of 272 people halfway between Columbus and Cleveland is home to The Mohicans, a small resort famous for treehouses designed by owner Kevin Mooney and architect/craftsman Pete Nelson, featured on The Discovery Channel show, “Treehouse Masters.” How do you get a wheelchair into a tree, you might ask? “Take the gravel path, directly to bridge that takes you to a platform, cross the bridge to a double front door that has plenty of room that a wheelchair can go in,” says Kevin. He’s describing the White Oak Treehouse, with an accommodating large deck and a bathroom with grab bars. It goes for $195/night to start, with two bedrooms and a “fully stocked kitchen.”

Walhonding

If you’d rather stay ground based, and you have a large party, the Amish-built Walhonding cabin may be more to your liking, a wheelchair accessible dwelling with “rustic upscale decor, cathedral split log ceilings, covered front porch, back patio, leather furniture, radiant heat floors,” and sleeps up to 14 guests.

Turtle bay

Longing for Hawaii? Along the west shore of stunning Turtle Bay at the Turtle Bay Beach Resort in Oahu are clusters of beach cottages, one of which is an “ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Accessible Oceanside King Cottage. With its ADA automatic door, multiple access ramps, and spacious ADA accessible bathroom with all the right provisions, you will spend less time worrying about mobility and more time enjoying warm ocean breezes while your exclusive cottage concierge tends to your every need. Average daily rate is $394.

eco tent1

For a cheaper view of the sea, consider the Concordia Eco Resort on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Travel blogger Tiffiny Carlson of The Mobility Resource raves about Concordia’s accommodating accommodations stating, “If you’re looking for a low cost way to enjoy the jungle and ocean without any hindrances, this is it.” Starting at $195/night, choose one of the four “eco-tents” with accessible features nestled on an ocean-facing hillside, or splurge for the Premium Eco-Tent (which has some minor restrictions, so please call ahead with questions). Two of eight eco-studios planned for the near future are slated to be handicap accessible as well.

Moose3

Glampers with disabilities who want a taste of the Old West will want to check out the luxury glamping tents at Moose Creek Ranch in Victor, Idaho. A mere 30 minute drive from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, guests can “enjoy a day there, come home to the ranch, rest, then set off the next morning towards West Yellowstone and the west entrance to Yellowstone Park.” In addition to having handicap accessible luxury tents (which may have limitations, so call ahead), Moose Creek Ranch is pet and kid friendly as well.

Etosha1

Venture off to Namibia, Africa for a once-in-a-lifetime experience African safari and stay at the Etosha Village, which provides “wheelchair friendly units designed with a ramp instead of stairs, a more spacious bathroom for easy wheelchair access and the room has a different interior arrangement for easier access.” The operators of Etosha Village pride themselves on their commitment to the conservation of wilderness areas, constructing their luxury canvas suites to ensure minimum impact on the natural habitat.

etosha safari

For quite some time, travelers with mobility issues found it difficult to imagine such outdoor adventures as a stay in a treehouse or on an African savanna. Now many of those amazing outdoor experiences, thanks to thoughtful resort operators, are finally within reach.

Posted on

Glamping the Scottish Way at Inshriach

When you think of traveling to Scotland does staying in castle accommodations immediately come to mind? What if you’re an off-the-beaten-path traveler who enjoys the nature experience? Then the quirky glamping choices at Inshriach in the heart of Cairngorms National Park will be just your style.

Walter Micklethwait has transformed his family’s 200-acre estate into a glamping haven. After restoring the Edwardian country house (for those who need a touch more in their lodging experience), Walter set out to create a quirky assortment of glamping choices.

out-to-the-door_cs_gallery_preview

You’ll find yurts available throughout the glamping world. But the yurt at Inshriach includes Walter’s special touches like a Victorian double bed and woodstove. Secluded in the woods, the yurt has a view of the Monadliath Mountains with wildlife as your only neighbors. Bath facilities are 600 meters away at the farmhouse.

open-sesame_cs_gallery_preview

But why stay in a yurt when you can experience sleeping in a fire engine? Yes, you read that right. Walter has transformed a 1954 Commer fire lorry into The Beer Moth, cozy accommodations complete with parquet floor, wood stove and that all-important Victorian double bed. Guests have the option of opening up the sides to be that much closer to nature. Again, bath facilities are located at the farmhouse.

inshriach-shepherd-s-hut_exterior_cs_gallery_preview

If a shepherd’s hut appeals to you, enjoy a bit of Sweden on a Scottish estate. The hand-built hut sports a raised oak bed with plenty of cushions. A private compost loo is close by or walk the 600 meters to shared facilities at the farmhouse. And be sure to amble down to the river for a soak in the wood-fired horsebox sauna.

side-view-bothy-project-inshriach-scotland_cs_gallery_preview

The Bothy Project rounds out this glamping menagerie. Used half the year as an artist’s residence, the sleeping hut is available to guests in the summer. And just maybe some creative influence will rub off on you.

For meals guests self-cater — yes, you cooking on top of the woodstove is allowed — or visit a local pub. But Walter doesn’t leave it completely up to you. Eggs are available in the farmyard and during the growing season, salads and vegetables are supplied from the Inshirach’s gardens.

Now all you have to do is enjoy the adventures of Cairngorms National Park knowing that comfortable sleeps await you at Inshirach’s glamping choices.

Posted on

Saving Wildlife and the Wilderness

In the world of glamping — which inherently is a culture of excess out in the wild — it’s always nice to give back. Sure, you can donate money directly to conservation groups, but you could also support properties that already strive to preserve the animals and wilderness of the regions where they’re established.

save the rhino trustImage Credit: Save The Rhino Trust Namibia

For example, Desert Rhino Camp in the Palmweg concession of Namibia, is a collaboration of safari operator Wilderness Safaris and the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT). It’s the base of operations for rhino tracking tours, where guests are led in vehicles and on foot to encounter the elusive and endangered black rhinoceros — a species whose population has been decimated over the decades from illegal poaching. When the tours are over and you’re sipping a gin and tonic on the porch of your canvas cottage, the SRT continues to dedicate itself to the protection of the rhinos and their habitat.

africat cheetahImage Credit: AfriCat Foundation

With a customized safari through Namibia by outfitter CW Safaris, you can drive just a couple hundred miles away to Okonjima, home of AfriCat Foundation, which strives to work with local farming communities in their rehabilitation programs for misplaced cheetahs, leopards, and wild dogs. They also sponsor school trips to educate future generations on the importance of conservation. Guests can visit the big felines as they are reconditioned to their natural environment by day, while sleeping in camps with luxury amenities by night.

mustang monumentImage Credit: Mustang Monument Wild Horse Eco-Resort

Meanwhile in Nevada, a similar effort is being done by the folks at the Mustang Monument Wild Horse Eco-Resort, which is not just a place where you can camp in a tipi fitted with hardwood floors and cosy beds. Founder Madeleine Pickens and her team of cowboys are committed to the Saving America’s Mustangs foundation, which aims to protect the mere thousands of wild mustangs left in America with a permanent preserve for them to roam free.

Precious ecosystems are also being supported by glamping destinations. The folks at EcoCamp Patagonia, in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, are committed to sustainability with green energy practices in conjunction with their inventive design of sustainable — and comfortable — dome tents. They share their innovations with the Corporacion Fomento & Producción (CORFO), so that other local businesses can follow suit in this region increasingly affected by climate change.

maasai wilderness cons trustImage Credit: Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust

At Kenya’s Camp Ya Kanzi, in Hemingway’s “Green Hills of Africa,” the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) works with Maasai leaders to educate the local communities on best practices to co-exist with wild animals, and to maintain their ecosystem wisely. While the MWCT USA office president and acclaimed actor Edward Norton may not be there during your stay, you can rest assured — in tented cottages so luxurious that they even have bidets — that part of the money you spend goes to their conservation efforts. After all, the environment, and the indigenous animals within, are the real celebrities in these parts.