Setting up camp
Shambhala’s camping situation can get a little hard to follow for anyone not familiar with how things work. Armed with a little information though, it can be a painless process. It’s one thing picking the right border crossing. It’s entirely another getting in to the actual festival. So first off, the basics:
Depending on the day you arrive, you’ll be in for some sort of wait inside your car as people get processed into the campgrounds. The biggest thing to know before we dig into the details: Shambhala is a dry festival, and no alcohol is permitted inside (your car will be searched at the entrance to ensure this is enforced).
As for early entry (i.e. any day before Friday), it will cost you extra unless you purchased a Shambhalodging pass. Those with Lodging will have early entry fees waived for two people in your vehicle per pass, along with an express entry lane to reduce wait times.
For anyone without Lodging, early entry fees are broken up into the following pricing tiers:
Tuesday: $160 per person, for anyone who just can’t wait to start their Shambhala weekend nice and early. Lines will be long, with waits upwards of 10-12 hours. There will be a limited amount of food vendors open, with no stages active. That said, you’ll also get first pick of your campsite once you’re inside.
Wednesday: $120 per person, provides you the next best choice of campsites, but also the second longest wait. Be prepared to wait in line for upwards of 5-10 hours depending on when you arrive. The Artisan Market and Food Court will be open beginning in the morning, giving you plenty of options for dinner once you’re in. As for the wait, the best thing you can do is try and have fun with it; meet your neighbors, say hello, and be social!
Thursday: $70 per person, getting a good campsite will depend on when during the day you arrive. Wait times will be shorter, but still somewhere in the 3-5 hour range (unless you’ve already purchased express entry with Shambhalodging). Both the Living Room and Amphitheater stages will be open beginning at 12 p.m.
Friday: No additional cost, with the shortest wait times. That said, the festival’s opening ceremonies begin at 1pm, so arriving earlier on in the day would be your best bet for missing as little as possible.
Where to camp
Photo Credit: Charlotte Dobre Photograph
Once you get in, you’ll have a whole lot of options for camping. All passes are bought on-site at the gates on a first-come/first-serve basis. Free parking will put you in the lot on the far northeast end of the ranch, where you’ll then be directed to the first option.
DMNW Pro-Tip #3: If you’re looking to meet up with your friends in camping, use this map to tell them where you are.
Free tent camping: Metta, Sunshine, and Starlight
After you’ve parked in the free lot, you’ll have to walk your gear a ways south into Metta Camping (no vehicles permitted here, but costs you nothing). There’s a drop zone closer to the campsite where you can leave your things before parking. Depending on when you arrive, you can usually get a pretty decent setup inside the shade of the tree line, although a portion of previously available Metta spots have now been shifted into paid Shambhalodging areas. That said, if you arrive on Thursday or Friday, be prepared for a significant walk to your campsite from the festival grounds.
This year, you can also camp for free in Sunshine and Starlight on a first come first serve basis. There are paid upgrades available as well, which we’ll cover below.
The cheapest paid option: Sunshine
The other options for camping will be a little easier on you for a small fee: Sunshine and Sunshine Overflow cost you $70 for a decal ($140 for oversized vehicles) if you camp with your car (parking and making the trek to the tent-only section of Sunshine is free). This will put you on the north/northwest end outside of the trees. For Sunshine, be sure to pack a canopy for shade during the day.
Pay a little more for car camping in the shade: Starlight
The paid iteration of Starlight is reserved for camperized vehicles like RVs, trailers, or camper vans. The festival is defining a camperized vehicle as anything with a permanent bed installed.
That option will run you $100 ($180 oversized), and allow you to park and camp inside and around the tree line directly adjacent to the main festival grounds (directly adjacent to Shambhalodging). Typically, Starlight will sell out as early as Wednesday evening.
DMNW Pro-Tip #4: Pack a collapsible wagon to make hauling your gear on the long walk from parking to Metta Camping infinitely easier — there’s a good chance you’ll have to walk at least a mile to the first available campsite, if not longer.
Pay a lot more for the best camping option: Shambhalodging
For guests who purchased a Shambhalodging pass, you get to proceed to the expedited entry line once you enter the road into the Farm, cutting your wait time down significantly. From there, you’ll be directed to the appropriate lot. When you’ve parked, you’ll then need to check in at the station directly at the entrance to this lot. Spots inside Lodging are allocated on a first-come/first-serve basis, unless you register for group camping.
Links for group camping will be sent out by the festival to all Lodging pass-holders — pick one person in your group to coordinate and collect names, have them submit details through the group registration link, and make sure that person is the first to arrive to check in and start setting up your site.
Currently all Lodging packages are sold out, however some are available for resale through the Shambhala Ticket Exchange on Facebook. If you do purchase through a secondhand source, be sure to verify their identity and use PayPal Goods & Services to insure your purchase.
What to pack
In terms of what to bring, include anything you’d normally have camping at a festival: Tents, sleeping bags, sunscreen, bug spray, assorted snacks (the food that vendors sell inside is delicious), garbage bags, pillows, camping chairs, toothbrush/paste, camping chairs, a bathing suit, flashlights, and warm clothes. You can see an extended packing list here in case you’re unsure about other essentials.
You can and should pack some food for your campsite, but for meals, we highly recommend walking into the downtown area of the festival to partake in one of the many delicious food truck options. That includes burgers with ingredients sourced from the Salmo River Ranch that Shambhala resides in, poutine (this is a Canadian festival), tacos, paninis, pasta, gyros, and tons more.
You’ll be issued a wristband for the entire weekend once you’re processed through camping, giving you full run of both the main festival grounds and surrounding areas/campsites throughout (don’t wander too far, remember, you are in the woods).
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