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14 Ruins You Can Camp Near For A Truly Wild Experience
Who needs a five-star resort when you can have a billion-star view and the sound of crumbling history whispering through the night? Turns out, camping near ancient ruins is like stepping into a time machine. That is, if your time machine also involves sleeping bags, bug spray, and the occasional restless woodland creature as your uninvited roommate.
Can you think of a better way to spice up your outdoor adventures than blending fresh air with the eerie romance of forgotten civilizations? Didn’t think so.
And hey, if your idea of “wild” is choosing the wrong coffee creamer, stick to the suburbs, no worries. But for those of you ready to trade Wi-Fi for campfires, keep reading and see where you should go for your next adventure.
Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings – Colorado
Prepare to step back into the 13th century, when people lived in intricate, gravity-defying sandstone apartments that look like they were architects’ final boss fights. Situated into alcoves like secret suites, the Ancestral Puebloans built these cliff homes with skill that would make modern contractors weep.
Camp at Morefield Campground to enjoy nature’s version of room service (aka, deer grazing near your tent) before strolling into this ancient architectural wonder. The echoes of history are palpable here, or maybe that’s just the wind howling through these impeccable ruins.
Tikal – Guatemala
Ever wanted to wake up to howler monkeys doing indie horror soundtracks in the jungle? Well, camping near Tikal is your golden ticket. These Mayan pyramids pierce through the thick rainforest canopy like forgotten skyscrapers, a stark reminder of a civilization that mastered astronomy while most of us struggle with daylight saving time.
Wander the ancient plazas and climb the temples (your calves will burn, your camera roll will thank you later), and then retreat to your camp. It’s nature’s white noise machine, but, you know, with extra monkey drama.
Hovenweep National Monument – Utah
Cue the tumbleweeds and the soundtrack of solitude. This is Hovenweep, where mysterious stone towers rise like ancient sentinels watching over an unhurried desert world. And this place is so remote, even time seems to take a nap here.
Primitive camping rewards you with panoramic views of the night sky that could make even city folks forget what a streetlight is. The ruins, rumored to date back to the 13th century, will have you wondering if they were storage rooms or Game of Thrones-esque watchtowers. Who knew mysteries and stargazing could go hand in hand?
Chaco Culture National Historical Park – New Mexico
If Indiana Jones had an RV, he might’ve set up camp at Chaco Culture. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is all about the “go big or go home” Ancestral Puebloan era, with sprawling multi-room ruins that scream, “We knew architecture before it was cool.”
Camping inside the park means front-row seats to early morning explorations before everyone else starts ruining the mood. Bring sturdy boots and a vivid imagination; you’ll feel every bit the intrepid explorer as you walk these ancient ceremonial grounds.
Wadi Rum Nabatean Ruins – Jordan
Martian landscapes? Check. Bedouin-style tents under a blinding galaxy of stars? Double-check. Wadi Rum, a desert playground, is home to sandstone canyons where remnants of Nabatean temples hide like forgotten whispers of history.
The fiery red rocks seem to glow at sunrise, and if that doesn’t give you goosebumps, the silence of the desert will. Forget hotel luxury; this is the ultimate Middle Eastern camping experience. Plus, you might just get to spot camel caravans lazily making their way across the horizon.
Kuelap Fortress – Peru
Think of Kuelap as Machu Picchu’s introverted older sibling: a bit quieter, just as striking, but with fewer crowds posing with llamas. This cloud forest citadel, built around 600 CE, sits perched on a mountaintop like a fortress made by giants with way too much time on their hands.
Camp nearby or choose an eco-lodge for modern comfort, but either way, you’ll be dining with mist-shrouded history. Just imagine wandering these stone walls as the light shifts first thing in the morning. You might even catch yourself wondering how on Earth they hauled all those rocks.
Skara Brae – Orkney Islands, Scotland
Just a jump and cold, salty breeze from the coast lies Skara Brae, a Neolithic village that predates Stonehenge and makes your current apartment’s layout look uninspired. These 5,000-year-old stone homes are remarkably intact, giving you a rare glimpse into prehistoric beach life (if only their seafood recipes were still around).
Set up camp nearby and absorb the relentless winds swirling like ancient whispers. Take a stroll through the ruins and try not to name the village guinea pigs in your head (ok, so there are no guinea pigs, but who knows, there could be when you visit).
Hampi – India
Camp beneath the sprawling starlit skies of Hampi, where temples, ruins, and boulders scatter the landscape like some forgotten celestial chessboard. This sprawling UNESCO World Heritage site was once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, a hub for art, trade, and religious devotion.
Sunrise here is like unwrapping a cosmic masterpiece, with golden light spilling onto intricately carved temples and dramatic rock formations. Just don’t be surprised if monkeys crash your picnic; they’ve claimed squatters’ rights ages ago.
Great Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe
Set your tent near the massive stone ruins of Great Zimbabwe, where the past whispers louder than your campfire crackles. This former medieval trading hub, dating back to the 11th century, once thrived with gold and commerce. It was basically the ancient equivalent of hitting the jackpot.
The towering stone walls, artfully constructed without mortar, stand as a testament to the engineering genius of the Shona people. As you wander through these enigmatic ruins, try not to feel too insignificant while imagining life in this bustling hub.
Ani Ruins – Turkey
Perched near the Turkish-Armenian border, Ani is what’s left when ancient kingdoms and Earth go head-to-head (nature always wins in the end). This deserted Armenian capital once boasted a million residents and unimaginable wealth in the 10th century.
Now? Crumbling churches and ancient walls cling defiantly to plains that seem endless. Set up your tent nearby and listen to the echoes of a city that ruled ages ago. It’s eerie, it’s haunting, and the only crowds bothering you here are the occasional flocks of birds sweeping over the ruins.
Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico
Cue up your inner adventurer and camp where cave-dwellers once carved their homes into volcanic rock. Bandelier is a meditative place, tucked into the juniper-clad hills of New Mexico, where ancient Puebloan peoples used to party (or survive, depending on your perspective).
Walk the winding trails to ceremonial kivas and cliffside dwellings while the whisper of dry desert winds keeps you company. Campgrounds nearby mean you can fall asleep staring at a star-packed sky, feeling pleasantly humbled by the ingenuity of those who beat you to these lands centuries ago.
Petra – Jordan
If you are camping just outside Petra, you’ll appreciate the early morning quiet when the Treasury glows warm under the first rays of sunlight. This ancient city, carved from rose-red rock, once thrived as the Nabatean capital around the 4th century BCE (they might’ve been onto something).
Wandering through its intricate facades makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time without the pesky paradox dilemmas. And apparently, Petra’s architectural flair was all the rage in the ancient world, leaving us modern folk feeling fairly unoriginal.
Uplistsikhe – Georgia
Find a campground near Uplistsikhe, and get ready to explore one of Georgia’s quirkiest pieces of history. It’s an ancient rock-hewn city straight out of a sandcastle competition. This settlement, dating back to the Early Iron Age, boasts winding tunnels, pagan temples, and some very creative architecture.
At dawn, the soft light on weathered rock makes everything look unreal, like stepping into a sepia-toned photograph. You’ll even marvel at their underground wine cellars (yes, Georgians figured out wine storage long before us mere mortals).
Choquequirao – Peru
Reaching the remote site of Choquequirao takes a multi-day hike with wild camping along the way, but you’re rewarded with sweeping mountain views and a whisper of ancient glory (and a place likely to yourself).
Built by the Incas in the 15th century, the terraces and temples emerge through the mist like an emerald crown. Enjoy the solitude while it lasts. Because this “hidden gem” likely won’t stay hidden forever.
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