{"id":521,"date":"2019-04-09T10:20:42","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T14:20:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/syderoad.com\/?p=521"},"modified":"2024-01-22T22:49:13","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T03:49:13","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-for-a-winter-yurt-camping-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/syderoad.com\/everything-you-need-to-know-for-a-winter-yurt-camping-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know for a Winter Yurt Camping Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I feel like my favourite local websites have really been upping their winter getaway posts (like this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, and this<\/a> ). Have you noticed it too? Because if you did, you’d probably have read about winter yurt<\/strong> camping <\/strong>and might have even considered doing it! Sites like Narcity and BlogTo have mentioned how great it is to take glamping into the colder months. We couldn’t agree with them more! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter yurt camping can be a fun way to start a winter adventure<\/strong>, have a mini romantic getaway<\/strong>, or be a fun way to live life unplugged<\/strong> for a couple of days.<\/strong> Yurts might just be the comfortable, easy, and relaxing experience that you’re looking for. Make it your best experience ever, and read up on things you need to know before booking your first winter yurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Angelo and I booked our first winter yurt camping experience this year and we had an incredible time. For the first time in ages, we spent a couple of nights completely unplugged from the rest of society. It. Was. Amazing. But, it wasn’t entirely without hiccups! I thought it would be smooth sailing with our combined experiences of summer camping and my one-time week-long dog-sledding experience. Turned out, we started our winter yurt camping experience with a lot of unanswered questions<\/strong> and learned quite a few lessons<\/strong> during our stay.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, we learned that when the host told us to stoke our wood stove often, they meant it<\/strong>. On our first night, we went to bed thinking we’d only need to re-stoke the stove every three to four hours. We set an alarm to wake ourselves up at the three-hour mark. Ahh, the optimism of first-timer wood stove users. Three hours later, lo and behold, our fire was out. <\/strong>To make matters worse, most of our embers had cooled completely too! Neither of us wanted to get out of bed and try to restart the stove in the darkness (the host set it up for us when we arrived, so we had to start it all from scratch at this point). We ended up huddled under the sheets waiting for enough morning light to restart it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some things you need to know before you book your winter yurt camp: <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is a Yurt?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Let’s start off with the basics. A yurt is a portable, large and circular tent traditionally used by nomadic groups as their primary form of shelter. Nowadays, modern yurts also act as spaces that provide temporary housing, guest lodging, meditating, and vacationing. A yurt has more room than a traditional tent. It generally comes with basic amenities to set you up for a more comfortable stay. Most yurts come with mattresses, a desk, and some chairs. As a vacation or camping accommodation, yurts are aimed to help campers reduce the amount of bulky gear you need to bring for your stay.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Everything you need to know for a Winter Yurt Camping Experience – Yurt Example image – photo by Annie Spratt, source: unsplash.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

For us, a yurt was like an oversized tent. They are similar to what a rustic cabin might offer, but… with slightly less comfortable amenities. We had everything we needed inside the yurt, with the exception of running water. So it definitely wasn’t a drab stay. Even without running water, we had a private insulated outhouse less than 20 meters away. There was even a chamber pot inside the yurt for us to use when the winter cold was too hard to step outside! Winter yurt camping is definitely a step up from my last winter camping experience of sleeping under three sleeping bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Make sure the yurt is available in the winter months (November – April).<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we were researching a yurt nearby Toronto, we actually found out that not every yurt location is available year-round<\/strong>. If you’d like to find out which yurt is the best place to rent in Ontario and which ones are available in the winter, here is a list of the 30 best yurt rentals in Ontario<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the description, or call to make sure that the location you’re interested in offers bookings in the winter months.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Majority of yurts are heated with a wood stove.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Angelo toasting our breakfast bagels using the wood stove in our yurt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most yurts available in the winter months use wood stoves for heat. Very few may offer electrical heating. This means that in order to stay warm, you must stoke a fire every couple of hours or less.<\/strong> This might not be for everyone. Remember our earlier story<\/a> about how the fire went out because we thought restoking every three to four hours was sufficient?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We took our first night as a lesson, and on our second night, Angelo woke up dutifully every 1.5 hours to check on our fire<\/strong>, re-stoking as needed. If you’re on stoking duty, expect short, periodic sleep<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your winter yurt camping experience will be the first time that you’re handling a wood stove, here are some things that you’ll want to learn before or during your stay:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. What size wood<\/strong> and how much<\/strong> could fit in the stove at once<\/li>
  2. How much air to let into the stove<\/strong> to ensure optimal heating and burning rate of the wood – especially when it comes to ensuring the yurt stays warm overnight, or if you’re going out for the day<\/li>
  3. How to clean the ashes in the wood stove<\/strong> to prevent it from smothering your embers<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Even if the yurt provides electrical heating, err on the safe side – pack your warmest gear<\/strong> – especially for nights that may drop below -10 degrees Celsius. Most electrical heaters are small and function like space heaters. Even running a small electric space heater 24\/7 would still be insufficient to warm the entire tent on the coldest days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Research what shower and washroom situation you have and pack accordingly.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Ah… addressing the needs when nature calls. Through my research for winter yurt camping locations, I’ve come across a variety of washroom and shower options. It ranges from nothing at all, to full indoor running water options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In general, provincial park yurts can expect the following options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n