Mont-Orford National Park, Dominic Boudreault, Sépaq
Tempted by the adventure of wild camping without having to worry about the equipment and installation of the canvas shelter? Try the ready-to-camp formula.
Two bedrooms with very large beds, fully equipped kitchenette, dining table… Admit that this description is more reminiscent of a stay in a hotel than a vacation on a campsite. However, this is indeed the interior of the tents dedicated to ready-to-camp that are found in all the parks, reserves and tourist centers of the Société des establishments de plein air du Québec (SÉPAQ) .
Since 2008, these tents known as Huttopia and Hékipia have been wildly successful. From 60 at the start, there are now nearly 325 (249 Huttopia and 75 Hékipia). And their occupancy rate regularly approaches 90% in July and August.
These tents, the rental cost of which is less than $110 per night, can accommodate up to five people. Only the sleeping bag and the cooler filled with food are required. In short, this is camping that gives you the leisure to relax, or on the contrary, to increase the number of hiking, canoeing and cycling activities for longer.
The craze for this type of accommodation coincides with the emergence of glamping (combination of the words glamor and camping) on a global scale. This new way of enjoying the outdoors is recruiting a category of campers who want to get closer to nature without having to carry tons of equipment…and compromise their precious comfort.
Mind you, some destinations have highly refined the concept of glamping. In Dubai, the forty suites at the Al Maha Desert Resort, set up in Bedouin tents in the middle of the desert, are all equipped with satellite television, DVD player, high-speed Internet, and a spacious bathroom with shower. walk-in size and a private swimming pool. The three meals, as well as the camel ride, are included in the package which starts at more than $800 CDN per night.
That said, it is in the Mont-Tremblant national park that we find the large number of ready-to-camp tents in Quebec, i.e. 35. The national parks of Plaisance, Bic, Hautes-Gorges-de- la-rivière-Malbaie, Oka as well as the Lac Simon Tourist Center, in Outaouais, have more than twenty.
It’s up to you to choose where to camp.
