The long-awaited Glamping weekend away in the countryside is finally here! But what to pack for Glamping? If you are new to Glamping or just want to minimise what you need to bring with you, here is a list of the essentials to pack for your next glamping weekend.
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Glamping Packing List
Download the Glamping Packing List by clicking on the button below the image, so that you won’t forget anything. I go into more detail for each item in this article.
What is Glamping?
Glamping is camping, but with comfort.
Forget about this “2 minutes set-up” tent that you still can’t get to stand after 30 minutes of trying. Forget about the rain liking inside your tent and your sleeping bag getting wet. Forget about your air mattress deflating in your sleep and waking up on the cold ground.
Glamping is the solution to all your tent camping worst nightmares.
So what exactly is the difference between tent camping and glamping?
- You have a roof above your head. Whether literally or not, glamping provides you with better accommodation for the night than traditional tent camping. You can rent a landpod or a bungalow or even a bell tent – but those ones are luxury tents where you can stand up inside and they have an actual bed.
- No more peeing behind a tree. Glamping sites have toilets and showers with running hot water for you to enjoy the beauty of the countryside and smell good at the same time. Some sites will offer individuals bathrooms, some others come with shared washroom facilities.
- If you don’t like the dehydrated tasteless camping food pouch, well you will be glad to know that Glamping sites have kitchen facilities. You can cook your own meal, or order at the restaurant/canteen on site and enjoy a warm meal after a whole day in the great outdoors.
- Trying to fall asleep when you are freezing cold is always difficult. Glamping has the solution: heating! What a nice feeling to snuggle by the wood-burning fireplace with a warm drink (or a glass of wine) under the tent!
So now we looked at what made Glamping glamorous, let’s dive into what you need to pack for a glamping weekend.
Related Content: Wild Camping Packing List
What to Pack for a Glamping Weekend?
Stay glamorous while glamping and get to know what to pack for the weekend.
Clothes
Let’s start with the most important (I mean who wants to enjoy the countryside naked, right?). To learn more about what to wear when hiking, check my article What to Wear on a Day Hike. However, when it comes to having a sleepover at a glamping site, there are a few additional pieces of clothing you need to carry with you.
Thermals
Leave the PJs at home and bring thermal with you instead. Even though glamping sites provide you with more comfort than a tent and a sleeping bag, it does get cold at night. Thermals keep you warm and regulate your body temperature during the night. They can also be worn under your day outfit if you are going on a glamping weekend during the cold seasons.
Icebreaker is a good brand for thermals and they are really light and packable.
Socks
You don’t want to walk in the countryside for 2 days in a row in the same pair of socks, do you? So if you are going on a glamping weekend you need to bring an additional pair of socks for the second day. And for those who are sensitive to cold, take 3 pairs of socks with you: 2 for walking and 1 for sleeping.
For walking, Feindeer is the go-to socks brand. I walk a 42 km hike marathon in them and did not get a single blister!
Underwears
The same goes for the underwear: 2 days = 2 pairs (or kind of). Let’s be honest ladies, we can walk for 2 days wearing the same bra. However, we need fresh panties for day number 2. So don’t forget to pack an extra pair of knickers! Always think of comfort and not ‘sexiness‘ when choosing the perfect underwear for spending the day in the great outdoors. Avoid cotton knickers as they absorb sweat but do not dry easily and opt for seamless panties to avoid rubbing against your skin.
Gear
To know what gear to pack for a walk in the countryside, please refer to my other article Day Hiking Packing List. However, for a weekend away in the countryside with a sleepover at a glamping site, here are a few additional items that you would need to pack.
Flip Flops
What a nice feeling at the end of a long day to take off your hiking boots and let your feet breathe! For that to happen, don’t forget to pack a pair of flip-flops. They also become really useful when going for a shower. Many glamping campsites come with shared bathroom facilities so you may want to avoid going in the shower barefoot.
If the temperatures are too cold for wearing flip-flops around the campfire in the evening, take a pair of campsite shoes with you. Lightweight and packable, they will make all the difference at camp without adding too much weight to your backpack.
Backpack
When going glamping for the weekend, all you need is a day pack. What I mean by that is that you need a pack of around 25L to 30L. There is no need to carry any bigger as everything is provided at the glamping site: food, bedding, cutlery and cookware. Therefore, all you need to bring is what you need when out during the day.
For a good day pack, Osprey is always a reliable brand. The Californian label has built quite a reputation over the years to become one of the favourite brands for hikers and walkers. With the Skarab for men and the Skimmer for women, this Osprey day pack is perfect for a weekend away and stylish enough for glamping!
Read the full Skimmer backpack review here.
Towel
If there is one thing the glamping site does not provide (normally) is a towel. But when you are going on a weekend in the great outdoors, carrying your bulky bathroom towel is not the best option. Additionally, they also take longer to dry and having a damp towel in your backpack contributes to the growth of mould in your bag.
Prefers a microfiber towel. Lightweight and quick to dry, they are perfect for a glamping weekend.
Dry Bags
When you pack for the weekend, you need to maximise the space in your backpack. This is when dry bags become really useful. They allow you to keep your belongings dry (bear in mind the backpacks aren’t waterproof), organised and compact.
When using dry bags, you need to put some pressure using your body weight to let the air out and then seal the bag. As a result, your belongings are compressed and take less space in your pack.
Opt for dry bag sets as they are coming in different sizes. You can use the big ones for your clothes and the smaller ones for toiletries and electronic devices.
Cutlery
Glamping sites provide cutlery for your diner, but they won’t let you take it on the fields. So don’t forget to bring your own to eat when you are away from the campsite. They are a plethora of camping cutlery bunches out there, from the spork (spoon and fork all in one) to key ring sets.
When choosing your ideal cutlery set, packability and resistance are the most critical factors. You don’t want your fork to snap in two in your backpack. For that, one of my recommendations is to opt for a set with a case to protect the cutlery but also to make it easier to find in your backpack. When you are hungry, trust me, you don’t want to have to unpack just to find your fork!
Charging Cords
Going for a weekend in the great outdoors is a good way to unplug. Turn off the notification, disconnect from social media and simply enjoy the landscape around you. Your phone is useful on the trails for taking pictures and navigation, which uses a lot of power. So, when you get back to the glamping site, as they have electricity and plugs, this is the time to charge your phone to ensure that you have enough juice for day two!
Beauty
Because it is glamping and not tent camping, you may want to look after yourself and still remain pretty. So here is what you need to pack in your toiletry bag.
Shower gel & Shampoo
First, let’s speak about hygiene. After a long day of walking and roaming in the countryside fields when you arrive at the glamping site, you want to have a nice hot shower. Even though glamping sites provide you with the comfort of running hot water, electricity, heating and so on, there are no 5-star hotels with travel-size shower gel and shampoo bottles in the bathroom.
So pack your own travel-size shower gel & shampoo to avoid disappointment (and a nasty body smell).
Body Lotion
After the shower, moisturise your skin with a body lotion. Same as for the shampoo and the shower gel, opt for a travel-size bottle so it takes less space in your backpack but also limits the weight on the back.
Face Wipes
Whether you choose to wear make-up in the countryside or you prefer to walk bare face, you feel the need to clean your face a the end of the day. Dust, pollen, maybe sand or soil depending on where you go get in your hair and on your face. To avoid carrying too many products your best option remains the face wipes. They remove both eye and face make-up so you feel clean and refreshed.
Day Moisturizer
Cleaning your face with a wipe is one thing, but after you need to moisturise your skin. So don’t forget to pack a day/night moisturizer. However, leave the bulky and heavy pot of day cream at home and prefer samples (this is the opportunity to finally utilise them) or travel-size cream jars so you can keep on using your favourite face moisturiser.
Hair Brush
From wearing a cap or a beanie all day to the wind blowing dust and soil in your hair, it is easy for your hair to get tangled. Whether you want to refresh a bit when walking or give it a good brushing after the shampoo, you would need a hair brush. Chose a small and foldable hairbrush, which can fit in the hip belt pocket, so you have it at hand.
Sunscreen
This one is a MUST whatever the season or the weather. Even when it is cloudy, the sun can still cause damage to your skin. We don’t realise it on a daily basis because we spend our days indoors, working in an office or even from home nowadays, but when you spend the entire day outside, your skin can feel it. For the weekend, a travel-size sunscreen tube is sufficient.
Hand Sanitiser
It had become an everyday essential over the past few years, and a day out essential too. From opening and closing gates on the fields, climbing stiles, petting horses, feeding alpacas and so on, your hands get dirty. So don’t forget you put your hand sanitiser in your backpack!
Bug Spray
From mosquitoes to midges, they are so many different bugs that you can encounter when in the British countryside. So to avoid waking up in the morning with bites all over your face, don’t forget to pack a bug spray!
Food
Whilst the glamping site provides food for their guest, you would need to take with you food for the day if you are going to explore the countryside. Below is what you need in your pack.
Energy Bars & Balls
Those little things are jammed packed in carbohydrates, essential when doing low-impact activities such as walking. When working out, your muscles convert carbohydrates into glycogen which is a source of energy. So when on a long walk, fuel your body with carbohydrates, which can be found in food such as energy bars, trail mix or energy balls.
To learn how to make energy balls at home, follow my step-by-step recipe here.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are another source of carbohydrates you can take on a hike with you. Use zip pouches to carry them as you want to avoid the use of bulky Tupperware and other plastic lunch boxes. Lightweight and easy to squeeze into your hip belt pocket, they are your perfect ally to stay on top when spending the day in the great outdoors.
Electrolytes & Collapsible Bottle
When you walk, you sweat, and this is whatever the temperature is outside. The problem when you sweat is that you lose salts. To compensate for the loss, think of drinking electrolytes. They come in tablets or powder, however for hiking and walking, prefer the tablet option. The powder sachets can become too messy when making the drink (think of the wind and the rain) and also leaves you with the packaging in your hand. “Leave No Trace”, they say, so you would need to put the packaging back in your bag and dispose of it when you reach the glamping site.
To make the drink, carry a separate bottle of water with you. You don’t want to put electrolytes in your main hydration system as you would be constantly drinking electrolytes. Keeping in mind that you need to maximise the space in your backpack, having a collapsible bottle is the best option. You can use it to mix the electrolytes with water, and it will deplete as you drink it.
Optional
They are always good to have but not necessary. It depends on taste, season and personal usage of electronic devices. So let’s take a closer look at these little additions to the glamping packing list
Gaiters
If it has been raining before the so long awaited weekend away glamping, you would need to pack a pair of gaiters and a plastic bag to carry them when they are dirty. Gaiters protect the bottom of your trouser and your shoes from the mud and the rain to get inside. A cheap investment, which makes all the difference when walking in the countryside on a perfect British weather day.
Sunglasses
On the other side of the scales of gaiters are the sunglasses. When the sun is shining, this is the accessory that you must have in your backpack. Even though fashionable sunglasses do an excellent job at protecting your eyes from the sun in the city, when going to the countryside, you need polarised sunglasses. They decrease the reflection of light and glare and reduce eyestrain and fatigue, so you can enjoy the day without getting a migraine.
Sleeping Bag Liner
This one depends on how pernickety you are when it comes to bedding. Even though the glamping sites provide bedding, they are nowhere near the standing of a luxury hotel. Therefore, if you are feeling anxious about the level of cleanliness of the bed sheets, I would recommend that you pack a sleeping bag liner.
Lightweight and small, a sleeping bag liner is that little extra which can make a huge difference to your night!
Beanie
Another weather-dependent accessory that you may want to take with you. If the temperatures are cold, of course, you would need a beanie to be outside and keep your ears and head warm. However, something that beginners intend not to take into account is that it also gets cold at night and wearing a beanie when sleeping helps keep you warm.
Power Bank
If you highly rely on your navigation app to find your way through the countryside, then your battery will be flat quickly. To make sure you have enough juice on your phone to find your way to the glamping site safely, don’t forget to back a power bank (or even 2). And remember to fully charge your power bank before the trip!
Final Thoughts on What to Pack for a Glamping Weekend
So now you know what to pack for your glamping weekend, all you have left to do is to figure out where to go. Of course, they are plenty of options in the UK, one of which is YHA. They have camping and glamping sites in the most popular hiking places such as the Lake District, New Forest, and Dartmoor National Park.
Looking for inspiration? Check my New Forest Walks, where you can stay glamping in a YHA overnight.
And you, where have you been glamping? Let me know in the comment below.
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