Basecamp Terlingua looks like something on another planet.
New resident Texan, Elon Musk, promises that humans will land on Mars by 2026. If you can’t wait that long, you can spend a few nights at Basecamp Terlingua, an other-worldly glamping experience that integrates the future with the past, giving its visitors the impression of luxury camping in the cosmos.
Spend a night in the stars at Basecamp Terlingua. Located minutes from the Terlingua ghost town, and a few miles west of Big Bend National Park – the second best stargazing spot in the United States – the Basecamp is straight out of a sci-fi comic. Retro-fitted radio trailers and panoramic pods punctuate the grounds. The latter, their piece de resistance, come in three different models, capable of accommodating 2 –4 adults. Each is fitted with boho-style decor and hooked up with WiFi, A/C and heat, indoor shower, commode, coffee maker, mini fridge, outdoor seating area, and a private fire pit. The Bubble X2, X3, and X4 include an additional outdoor shower and hot tub.
In addition to their trailers and bubble pods, Basecamp Terlingua offers additional camping options in the form of Lotus Tents, Tipis, Casitas, and good old fashioned campsites. Their 16-foot-high Lotus Tents are made by hand and feature most of the amenities of the bubbles, save for the shower and commode. Instead, Lotus Tents will have access to a large shared bathhouse.
The Tipis in Terlingua come in two forms: Nomad (accommodates 2 guests) and Luxury (accommodates 4-6 guests). All Tipis come with Wifi, a mini-fridge, coffee maker, outdoor seating and private fire pit, as well as access to a shared bathhouse. Notice, tipis are tipis, so interested visitors ought to take the following into account:
“The tipis are not a sealed environment. Critters can get into them—including scorpions, crickets, and other things with lots of legs. And yes, we share this beautiful landscape with snakes, though we’ve never had an issue. Believe it or not, it actually rains in the desert. A lot. While we do have long dry spells, we also have a monsoon season as well as occasional unseasonal, unexpected rain showers. And when that happens? Well, if you’ve never been to a tipi before, you may not realize it, but there is a big ol’ hole in the ceiling. No, there’s no way to seal it and rain does come in—the same goes for the front door.”
Terlingua Basecamp’s Casitas are adobe-like abodes, emulating the area’s surrounding architecture. A variety of luxury Casitas are available at the Basecamp, with one and two-bed options, capable of accommodating 2 – 6 guests.
Rates for overnight stays at the camp vary. Prices start at $45 to crash on their campsite, whereas a night in their Deluxe Bubble runs for $399 a night. The site does not allow pets but does allow children. For more information, visit the Basecamp’s website here.