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Stay in a Yurt!

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 7 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #78 in Travel, #5092 overall

Rated G. (Control what you see)

For a New Camping Experience, Stay in a Yurt

 

Yurts were invented thousands of years ago by nomadic Mongols, but the circular homes are seeing a modern resurgence with campers. You can now live like a Mongol and stay in a yurt at private and state parks throughout the country.

What is a Yurt? 

Merriam-Webster describes yurts as, "a circular domed tent of skins or felt stretched over a collapsible lattice framework and used by pastoral peoples of inner Asia; also : a structure that resembles a yurt usually in size and design."

Traditional yurts are homes built by nomadic herders of Mongolia. They have a lattice-wall framework with a covering of felted wool.

The modern canvas yurt is an adaptation of the traditional structure that incorporates nontraditional elements, but keeps the traditional flavor.

Rent a Yurt! 

You don't have to visit the steppes of Mongolia to sleep in a yurt.

Yurts are becoming popular as alternative camping structures. Here are a few places you can spend a night in a yurt:

Oregon State Parks

Washington State Parks

Delaware State Parks

Idaho State Parks

Kachemak Bay State Park in Alaska

Ocoee Yurt Company - Tennessee

Idaho State University

Books About Yurts 

If you're thinking about buying a yurt for a vacation home or regular home, here are some books that can help you decide whether the circular life is for you.

Yurts: Living in the Round

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 10/07/2008)

The Complete Yurt Handbook

Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 10/07/2008)

Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 10/07/2008)

Tipis & Yurts: Authentic Designs for Circular Shelters

Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)

Family Portrait Outside Summer Yurt in Kyrgyzstan 

A traditional yurt

Yurt Videos 

Learn more about yurts with these videos

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Suburban Yurt

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Kazakh Yurt

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Yurt Up!

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Hooe's Yurts - The Yurt Palace...

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Yurt, My Obsession

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Mongolian Ger (Yurt)

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Sustainable Green Buliding: Yu...

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Yurt Stories

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Turan Yurt - Kaya Kuzucu

 


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More Unusual Hotel Options 

If a yurt isn't quite exotic enough for your sleeping pleasure, you might want to consider one of these places.

Out 'n About Treehouses in Oregon will let you spend the night in one of several (pretty fancy) treehouses.

At Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida, you can sleep in an underwater hotel - if you're a certified scuba diver who can dive 21 feet underwater to reach it.

In Idaho, you can bed down in a beagle. Yes, a beagle. Dog Bark Park Inn is a hotel shaped and painted to look like a giant beagle. Just don't tell your cat where you spent the night.

Yurt Photos 

Don't know what a yurt looks like and whether you'd really want to sleep in one? Check out these photos for some yurt pics that'll show you what to expect.

Hampshire Yurt still standing by redjar

Hampshire Yurt still...

DSC04041 by RJL20

DSC04041

Room with a view by timtom.ch

Room with a view

Rest stop by Irene2005

Rest stop

Yurt ceiling by Irene2005

Yurt ceiling

Another Yurt by Irene2005

Another Yurt

Yurt by Irene2005

Yurt

Babayurd Yurt Camp by indigoprime

Babayurd Yurt Camp

The Yurt by wka

The Yurt

Sky! by Jamie McEwan

Sky!

yurt (29) by Jamie McEwan

yurt (29)

Rough plywood door by Jamie McEwan

Rough plywood door

Nice at night. by Jamie McEwan

Nice at night.

yurt (28) by Jamie McEwan

yurt (28)

Night time by Jamie McEwan

Night time

Tono ring by Jamie McEwan

Tono ring

Kamalashila and Yashobodhi by Akuppa

Kamalashila and Yash...

Kamalashila and Yashobodhi by Akuppa

Kamalashila and Yash...

Kamalashila by Akuppa

Kamalashila

Yurt by Akuppa

Yurt

Have You Stayed in a Yurt? 

If you're a yurt fan, please sign the guestbook!

ngio64

I have loved the idea of a Yurt for years. Good lens. I will check out your links!

Posted September 25, 2008

Tiddledeewinks

As Eelkat mentioned, our town won't allow us to have them, but we were forced to live in the back of a pick-up once when Eelkat was just two years old!

Posted September 23, 2008

EelKat

I lived in a tipi a while back, more recently I lived in a shelter made out of a tarp and some cinder blocks. I'd like to live in a yurt, but the town says yurts are illegal here :(

Posted September 20, 2008

EverythingMouse

I am hoping to find a yurt for my next vacation - just need to find the right one! Your lens really helped with resources. I will check out tree houses too.

Posted July 27, 2008

WesJefferson

My crazy uncle had one of these things. He was just an old hippy and we never went out to visit him. However, he dragged us out there one day and we absolutely loved it. It was way back in the woods and he could set it up and take it down very quickly. Great lens!

Posted July 11, 2008

 
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Two kids, two dogs, four cats, and a web addiction. I also run Collectibles 4 World Hunger.com, a site which donates money to a nonprofit organization fighting hunger and poverty.

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