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The campsites are located in the middle of the old Schmidtburg castle ruins
Jörg Theimer

Adventure vacation in Rhineland-Palatinate 

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Simone Sever

Do tree tents, adventure nests and hobbit homes sound like adventure to you? But New Zealand and Australia are too far away for a short break, right? No problem, because if you are looking for such an overnight adventure, you just have to go to beautiful Rhineland-Palatinate. We have put together rest areas for the night in the Hunsrück, Rheinhessen and the Eifel.

Rest like Frodo Baggins!

Real forest adventures await in the Westerwald and in the Lahntal. The Outdoor-Zentrum-Lahntal, near Greifenstein-Allendorf, is an unusual rest area with a special overnight experience. Followers of Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy will certainly be happy to spend the night in the Hobbit house. Its floor-to-ceiling windows are also ideal for undisturbed animal observation.

Overnight tipis in the Outdoor-Zentrum-Lahntal in Rhineland-Palatinate
Sanni Diesner

There are also four tipis in the nearby Alte Wiese nature camp, which are reminiscent of old western films. Up to seven adults or ten children can be accommodated. If you prefer something more luxurious and are still a hobbit fiend, you can move into one of the three hobbit homes for two people. Wherever you set up camp, it is sure to be an unforgettable adventure.

Hobbit homes in Alte Wiese nature camp
Naturcamp Alte Wiese

Hanging out in the sea of ​​leaves 

Just imagine: a rope ladder takes you to the sleeping place, which dangles between two beech trees at a height of seven meters and looks like a kind of giant egg, spaceship or cocoon. Does that sound adventurous enough? If so, then head to the Rheinhessen outdoor park Lauschhütte in the pristine and extensive Binger Forest. Because there, visitors can not only expect an active experience of nature with a climbing forest, various themed hikes and the rustic restaurant in the Forsthaus Lauschhütte, but also the adventure nests with their wonderfully airy outdoor beds. Just lie down and let your gaze wander unhindered into the night sky. And if it should rain, a roll-out roof will keep you nice and dry.

Staying overnight in Rhineland-Palatinate: outdoor beds in the Outdoor park Lauschhütte
Gabriele Frijio

Floating tents in treetops 

Would you like to be lulled to sleep by the wind while listening to the rustling of the leaves? This is possible in the holiday and leisure park Eifel Adventures near Berlingen. There, you can snuggle up in your sleeping bag three meters up in one of the tree tents. In the morning, the concert of forest birds takes over the function of the alarm clock. Then it’s time to leave the cocoon-like tent and climb back down the wooden ladder, because breakfast has already been served.

Not enough of the treetops? Then it’s best to fly through and over the forest on the twelve ziplines at a height of up to 50 meters and enjoy the view. Tip: In order to be able to spend the night at dizzying heights, it is recommended to reserve a spot in advance.

In the forest at night 

Simply pitch your own tent in the forest. This pure act of freedom awaits hikers in the trekking camps along the Soonwaldsteig in the Soonwald-Nahe Nature Park and in the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. There are four trekking camps on the 85-kilometer Soonwaldsteig: at Ellerspring, Alteburg, Ochsenbaumer Höhe and at Schmidtburg, where tents are pitched in the middle of the castle ruins. This is a real feeling of adventure, because the notorious Hunsrück robber captain, Schinderhannes, once hid in the Schmidtburg.

Along the Soonwaldsteig long-distance hiking trail there is a seamless network of trekking camps. The "Alteburg" site pictured is one of them.
Jörg Theimer

Three other trekking camps are located directly in the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. However, special rules apply in the Celtic camp, dragon camp and in the trekking camp Wolfhowling. After all, nature should remain wild and untouched. That’s why the tents are pitched on a wooden platform, and no campfires are allowed to be lit. The same applies here: early online booking is recommended.