Camping Pods or Wigwams?

Before glamping, there was camping.

Camping is great, and a favourite pastime here at Wigwam® HQ. That being said, it’s not for everyone, especially during the colder months. For those who like the finer things in life (or who  would simply want to have a proper bed on holiday), there’s glamping.

Glamping in the UK has revolutionised the camping market. With so many different glamping accommodation types, it can be hard to figure out the right one for you. Luckily, we have lots of content dedicated to the subject.

Today, we’ll take a look at camping pods and Wigwams®. Are they the same? What are the differences? Let’s get right to it.

Camping vs glamping - which one is right for you?

Do you associate camping with wet clothing and tent pegs that somehow contorted themselves? Or perhaps the best holidays you’ve had have been spent in a tent, enjoying the great outdoors and getting back to nature?

Either way, camping is like Marmite – you either love it or loathe it. 

Choosing traditional camping means you can do a very spur-of-the-moment getaway - simply throw your tent into the car and take off! You’re bound to find a pitch on short notice, or can even try wild camping and just turn up! (Though if an impromptu glamping trip is what you want, check out our last-minute glamping trips page.) Camping is highly flexible and can be quite inexpensive.

However, glamping can work out the same price if not cheaper if you have to buy a bunch of camping equipment. Much of glamping accommodation, especially something like a camping pod or Wigwam®, is weather-proof, warm, and suitable for all-year-round camping. It also gives you more space for kids and pets alike.

Whichever side of the camping vs. glamping debate you land on, for comfortable holidays in the outdoors, we now have glamping.

Types of glamping accommodation

There are many different kinds of glamping accommodation. You’ve got tipis, cabins, bell tents, shepherd’s huts… The list goes on. 

Arguably, two glamping types are the most popular – camping pods and Wigwams®. These words are often used interchangeably, and other associated terms include ‘cabins’, ‘lodges’ and ‘huts’. To the novice glamper, all these could be considered all the same,  yet there are significant differences between them.

What is a Wigwam®?

So where did it all begin? Well, the question should be, why did it begin?

Given the unpredictable nature of the UK’s weather, the varied school holiday dates and the availability of cheap flights abroad, the idea of a great holiday in the great outdoors here in the UK became a bit of a joke. Hands up if you have memories of disappointing summer weather and below-par holiday accommodation here in the UK.

Times have changed and now, thanks to Wigwams® and camping pods, a holiday in the great outdoors here on the British Isles is not only possible but also enjoyable, affordable and comfortable. Thanks to glamping, you can enjoy glamping breaks all year round.

Back in 1989, then student Charles Gulland dreamed up the first of many designs for a sustainable ‘lodge’ built from freshly felled trees and locally grown timber.

Strange timber pyramids or cabins appeared in Scotland’s countryside, looking like wooden tents, the first of many innovative designs that today include five Wigwam® models.

And so the ‘glamping cabin’ became a popular, year-round and affordable structure for the tourist industry. Other manufacturers soon started to take notice an so, the camping pod also arrived on the scene.

What is a camping pod?

In terms of design and durability, Wigwams® and camping pods have similarities. They’re both timber-built and insulated, and boast double glazed windows and doors, mattresses as well as decking.

Camping pods come in numerous shapes – including quirky ones like armadillo, hobbit, and cylindrical – and in a variety of sizes. Search ‘camping pods’ on the web, and countless matches will come up ranging from a yurt to a shepherd’s hut.

And yet the terms camping pod and Wigwam® are often used interchangeably. What gives? Well, camping pod is a bit of an umbrella term that is usually used to refer to wooden permanent structures designed for glamping. Meanwhile, Wigwams® are part of the Wigwam® Holidays brand.

The Wigwam® Holidays guarantee

Wigwams® were one of the first camping pods in the UK, and a real trailblazer in the UK glamping industry. There have been many imitators over the years taking inspiration from the “wooden tent” structure of Wigwam® camping pods.

As a registered trademark, Wigwam® sites are the recognised brand, built for people who like to have a comfortable place to rest their heads, whatever the weather. 

Wigwam® Holidays has a simple, unified mantra: ‘Great Holidays in the Great Outdoors’. Wigwam® Holidays boasts five camping pod models, including two with running water. There’s space for a kitchen dining area, a double and single bed too! 

Wigwams® are also expertly made, and choosing the Wigwam® Holidays brand means you can expect the same great holiday experience whether you choose a site in Cornwall or on the Isle Skye.

To round off…

So, what’s the score? Wigwam® or camping pod? 

Wigwams® are substantial and offer year-round, green holiday accommodation you can depend on. Meanwhile, a camping pod can be a dozen different things, so you have to do a bit more research to find a site that meets your needs.

Sustainably sourced timber, high-quality camping pods and the overall revitalised notion of  ‘the staycation’ make Wigwam® Holidays a great, reliable option for you UK staycation. And with over 80 sites in the UK, the Wigwam® experience is just waiting to be explored! So what are you waiting for?