When thinking about glamping, an image that likely comes to mind is a lavish tent set up with all the bells and whistles as well as hotel-like amenities one could hope for. While this is undoubtedly an option, there are ways to create a similar experience while staying closer to nature. One company aiming to make strides in this area is BaseGlamp ReVivify.
Tucked within a beautiful forest on the banks of Washington’s Yakima River, the glamping destination strives to offer the screen-strained person a convenient and comfortable way to unplug from the digital world and reconnect with nature.
“As humans, when we disconnect from that plastic, screen-driven world and get out in nature and have real food, it has a very restorative, reviving effect on people,” Mark Kirkendall, BaseGlamp’s founder, told Modern Campground.
The 27-acre property highlights almost 340 feet of riverfront and emerges from a steep riverbank, providing a genuine paradise off the beaten path.
A respite for anyone seeking an elevated camping experience, BaseGlamp has about 2,500 to 3,000 feet of elevation gain from where the Yakima River is to the very top of the property.
In offering an upscale camping experience, BaseGlamp features seven spacious safari tents installed on wooden platforms with creature comforts that eliminate the stresses of traditional pitch-your-own-tent camping. There are also primitive campsites from the rustic campers, bell tents, and three cabin tents for groups.
It goes without saying that some people believe that being out in nature is a good thing, but the “bad” that hinders people from camping, Kirkendall noted, involves the hassle of setting up the site.
“We got to pack it all up, we got to take it all out there, we got to set it all up, we’ll forget something’s broken, we can’t get the fire started, [or] my kitchen is inadequate. There’s all that kind of [things that let potential campers say] ‘let’s just stay home,’” he said.
The beauty of glamping is that the site is already prepared. All that glampers have to do is throw some clothes in a bag and go, he added.
Because the property is entirely off-grid, campers will surely be able to reconnect with nature, and BaseGlamp is offering more than just accommodations.
The glamping village also hosts nature connection retreats designed to bring a holistic experience of reconnecting with mother nature. During each retreat, glampers are treated to guided excursions and lessons on foraging, mindfulness, nature connection core routines, and more.
Still, memorable experiences are not only limited to the confines of the property.
Describing the local area as an “outdoor mecca,” Kirkendall said being located in Cle Elum, Washington situates the glamping property on the east side of the Cascades, where it is sunny and surrounded by mountains.
The area is rich in outdoor recreational activities such as trout fishing, rockhounding, mountain climbing, skiing, and more, making it an ideal getaway destination for city folks living in Seattle, which is only about 90 miles away.
Challenges of Building an Off-Grid Glamping Village
As relaxing as the experiences at BaseGlamp can be, the process of building the park was far from it. Asked what challenges they encountered while building the site, Kirkendall said that supply chain bottlenecks made it difficult to acquire lumber at a cost-effective price.
“They absolutely just went through the roof, literally to a point where it was cost-prohibitive,” Kirkendall told Modern Campground. “It was out of the budget. There was no way we had the money to build what we wanted to build because of the cost of the wood,” he added.
As a business owner, the best and budget-safe option for him was to be resourceful. To address the lumber problem, the team identified problem trees and some trees that were not going to be missed when they came down.
“We didn’t go clear cut,” he said. “We just tried and maximized the money for the lumber.”
In addition to the deck board, some of the cuts were used to build the outdoor shower, and wood chips were also used to finish the campsite.
“So we got a ton more resources, and it was literally a third of the cost of what the lumber was going to be,” Kirkendall said.
Another roadblock that most off-grid businesses face is how to power their sites. For BaseGlamp, the solution was going solar. The property uses a number of solar panels and solar battery packs that drive its water pumps and provide all the electricity the campground needs.
Meanwhile, an underground spring provides water for the property. Water from the spring gets filtered using a system and is then utilized as a water supply to run the glamping village.
What Makes BaseGlamp Unique
Aside from being off-grid and solar, what makes BaseGlamp one-of-a-kind is that it is completely mobile. From its construction alone, the glamping spot is designed to be packed up, put in a shipping container, and relocated to warmer weather in the winter.
“We’re going to the really beautiful, maybe hard-to-get-to-access land that’s out there and coming in with a very light footprint, setting up enough of the creature comforts so people can be there and enjoy the property,” Kirkendall said.
For the colder months of this year, BaseGlamp is already looking for a location to call its winter home. At the moment, the company is considering some properties in Arizona and Southern California. As for its offerings, the glamping village is considering having some tree houses in the future.
BaseGlamp ReVivify is now open to accommodate glampers. For more information, visit https://baseglamprevivify.com/.
Isn’t it intriguing how BaseGlamp ReVivify revamps the glamping scene? Picture this: cozy tents with all the trimmings, communal campfires under the starlit sky – a touch of luxury in the wilderness. How about unwinding in style by the fire pit, swapping tales and gazing at the stars? It’s the perfect recipe for a nature-filled retreat. Sounds like a dreamy escape, right?