From wild camping to glamping i.e., it is good to travel by motorhome!

We are not alone with this dream! In recent years, motorhome travel has become more and more popular in North America, Europe, and even in Hungary.

"Today not only the retired Germans we know from our childhood travel by motorhome, who do not leave their favourite campsite all summer long. The movement is enjoying its heyday again, and the group of new-wave campers is very diverse in age, motivation and travel habits", we learnt from József Horváth, co-owner of Hello Lakóautó.hu. "Coming and going by motorhome on the roads, parking lots and campsites of Europe, we discovered the following strata: young people living in vans, wandering digital nomads, people on multi-month tours, seniors staying over the winter, camping families, occasional camper van renters. They all travel in different life situations and with different needs, but they have one thing in common: the love of nature. Accordingly, their parking lots and accommodations are varied, the palette is wide, from the simplest to the luxurious.”

We do not have to give up motorhome driving even if we do not have the latest model in the garage, because we have countless options for renting as well. According to experts from Euroleasing Zrt., the increased interest due to the coronavirus epidemic has been felt in recent years, for example, in 2024, many hundreds of families go on vacation with a motorhome financed by Euroleasing Zrt., whether it is a car leased for themselves or a car borrowed from a car rental company. Zsolt Hanczár, an expert at Euroleasing, tells us about what kind of motorhome is worth renting:

“If several people are going on the trip, it is worth paying attention to how many people can travel in the chosen car and how many sleeping places it has. Moreover, the size is strictly limited for the majority, because only motorhomes with a total weight of less than 3.5 tons can be driven with a category B license. On the other hand, the big advantage of these is that you can reserve a place in the campsites at a more favourable price, as well as the tolls are typically lower, and their consumption is also more favourable", says the expert. According to him it is very easy to fall in love with this lifestyle. “However, before we decide to buy, it is worth renting two or three times and trying out models from different manufacturers," he points out. "In this way, we can decide more easily what is important to us, what is absolutely necessary to have in the car, and what we can let go of: I am thinking here of the size of the storage space, the air conditioner, the equipment of the kitchen, the size of the refrigerator. As they say: the proof of the pudding is in the eating," he adds.

Wild camping

When we sleep out of doors - in a tent, car, caravan - we are wild camping. In Hungary, you can do this almost anywhere in nature, that is, where it is not specifically prohibited (e.g. private land, priority nature conservation area), but it is worth following the written and unwritten rules. For example, we can spend a maximum of 24 hours in a given place, do not litter or transform our environment. It is adventurous, but it requires a careful choice of location if you really want a peaceful and calm night.

“Stellplatz”

Halfway between the wild camping and the camping, we find the stellplatzs, or motorhome parking lots in Hungarian. These are areas surrounded by fences, with water intake and drainage facilities, often with electricity connection points, but their infrastructure does not reach the level of campsites. In these places, campers use their own kitchen and bathroom, there are no extra additional services. One of the newest such parking lots is the Somló Stellplatz, which awaits us at the foot of the mountain with an unparalleled panorama if we arrive by motorhome.

If you are near the Somló mountain, you are easily tempted to go for a wine tasting. Let's visit one of the traditional family estates - for example the Tornai Cellar - where, in addition to admiring the wine museum, you can also taste local specialties!

Classic camping

In recent years, many campsites have undergone a complete renovation and acquired their new, modern form. In our country, the campsites by the water and those connected to the thermal waters are the most popular, which provide complex services. Operating as a holiday village close to nature, they have their own restaurant, café, sports and entertainment programmes, and playgrounds. In their landscaped area, a private pool, a direct waterfront is also often available, or they are located at arm's length from the spa of the given settlement. An example is the Castrum Camping in Hévíz, through which the healing water canal of the famous Lake Hévíz flows.

If you are in Hévíz, visit the Hévíz Producers’ Market, where you can find cheeses, meats, honey, vegetables and fruits produced in the area using traditional technologies 3 days a week!

Glamping

Luxury camping, also known as glamping, combines nature-friendly, sustainable accommodation with the world of quality and pampering. Here, we do not have to go without anything that we expect from a hotel, but we can still feel in the lap of nature. Our accommodation is provided by safari tents, uniquely styled mobile homes, caravans, wooden houses, igloos or yurts, which are accompanied by wellness experiences and gastronomic specialties. In Hungary, the leader of the style is Homoki Lodge, located in the wilderness of Ruzsa, which awaits us with luxury yurts in an adult-friendly spirit.

The Homoki Asztal is a part of the complex, which is not only open to hotel guests. Its motto "peasant kitchen disguised in modern clothing" hints at true gastronomic adventures.