Deciding where to stay for Oktoberfest should always be the first order of business when it comes to planning your trip. But when people see those high hotel prices, they often start asking me about “Oktoberfest camping.”
Yes, camping at Oktoberfest is literally an option. Companies run actual campsites during Oktoberfest where you can stay for fairly cheap. But, before you get all excited about saving some cash, you definitely want to hear me out first.
This post tells you everything you need to know about Oktoberfest camping, shows you all your options, and hopefully will help you decide if it’s actually worth it or not. Best of luck!
If this already sounds too exhausting, head over to my main post on Where to Stay for Oktoberfest. It lists all the best hotel options and gives tons of pointers for choosing one.
Camping at Oktoberfest
So yes, you can actually “camp” at Oktoberfest in Munich. And yes, it’s a more affordable option if that’s the only way you can attend Oktoberfest. But, you still end up paying a price—most often with your dignity. Read on.
There are three kinds of Oktoberfest campsites you can book:
- RV camping
- Cabin camping
- Tent camping
Obviously, those are going to be pretty different experiences. No matter which one you choose, you’re still going to be “roughing it.” See below for detailed descriptions of each.
Map of Oktoberfest camping locations
This map shows you where the Oktoberfest campsites mentioned in this post are located. Note that several are listed under the same address and therefore may not show up on the map.
Oktoberfest camping in an RV
There are currently two companies that host Oktoberfest camping for those who wish to stay in their own RV or camper. Both campsites are located 30 minutes away from the festival by car, or about 45 minutes via public transportation.
Both have mini markets, souvenir stands, ATMs, and restaurants on site. The use of showers and toilets (and “feces disposal” yay) is included in the price at both of them. (Expect temporary, porta-potty-like structures though.) Some have electrical hookups, some don’t. Here’s a brief comparison of the two:
Oktoberfest Camping München
- €40 per vehicle, includes 2 people / €15 per additional person / €7.5 per child (omg please don’t subject your child to this)
- About half the available spaces have electrical hookups, which is an extra €5 per night
- Lockers available, but you need to bring your own lock
- Extra-large parking spaces available on request
- More info here: oktoberfest-camping.com
Wies’n Camp
- €40 per vehicles, includes 2 people / €15 per additional person
- No electrical power hookups
- No water connections
- More info here: munich-oktoberfest.com
Oktoberfest camping in a cabin
Lemme be honest real quick: I’m using the term “cabin” loosely here. Besides camper parking, the Wies’n Camp campsite offers three different kinds of hard-side temporary structures for rent, but at least you don’t have to sleep on the ground! All three options have electricity, come with bedsheets and pillows, and are lockable. They are:
- Popup Cabins – 2 people max, starts at €109 per night, no heating or air
- Wies’n Lofts – 2 people max, starts at €119 per night, heating and mini-fridge included
- Alpine Huts – 4 people max, starts at €165 per night, heating included
You’ll still have to use the communal showers and toilets, and note that the prices are significantly higher on Fridays and Saturdays (and some have a 2-night minimum). You can find more info on each of these with photos here.
Oktoberfest camping in a tent
Oktoberfest tent camping is where it gets really… disturbing. And yes, this is exactly what it sounds like—about as far away from glamping as you can get. You sleep in tiny, basic tents, on the ground, packed in like sardines. There’s no privacy, no security, and probably very little safety measures involved. Simply put, Oktoberfest camping is the Spirit Airlines of Oktoberfest accommodations. And that’s all putting it very, very nicely.
There are several companies that offer tent-based Oktoberfest camping. They typically include a small tent you can rent and maybe a camping mattress and sleeping bag, maybe not. Definitely no heating or air conditioning, and you have to pay extra to use the (probably cold) showers and Wi-Fi. And the tents don’t lock.
These campsites are also pretty far away from the festival and require something like a bus + two trains to even get there. And the sad part is that these experiences aren’t even that cheap. Like, if you plan ahead enough in advance, you can actually stay in a proper hotel for around the same amount.
What you need to know
Some sites are better than others (probably? hopefully?), but I’ve heard some real horror stories. I don’t have any personal experience with Oktoberfest camping, so these are all just hearsay, but let’s just say it sounds like sexual assault is a likely possibility.
Again, this is just hearsay, so don’t quote me on that, but I still feel it’s important to share the reputations these experiences have acquired over the years. If you have personally stayed at an Oktoberfest campsite and had a wonderfully safe and pleasant experience (or not), I’d love to hear from you!
Most Oktoberfest campsites market themselves as the biggest party in town. They boast unlimited alcohol, a non-stop party atmosphere, and even strippers (apparently?), and use girls in dirndls shoving bratwursts into their mouths in their advertising. Lovely.
I mean, Stoke Travel even provides a guide for having sex in their Oktoberfest tents. Advice includes: the best position for 4 people at once for “all sorts of penetration madness,” using a bratwurst as a dildo, and how to make friends with “random bypassers” by starting a tent zipper glory hole. Just no.
Read the reviews / Heed the warnings
Before you consider camping for Oktoberfest, please, PLEASE read the reviews of these companies first. Start with the 1-star reviews (as some say these companies bribe people for 5-star reviews with things like food). You’ll quickly find the situations are actually worse than you dared imagined. The most common complaints include:
- Sleeping on a cold, wet ground because the crappy tents have holes in them
- Having to trudge through piss and vomit-filled mud throughout the campsite
- Rampant food poisoning and food horror stories because there’s no quality control whatsoever
- The entire staff being completely drunk and/or f*cked up the whole time so there’s no one to hold accountable
- Tents don’t lock so theft is common
- No cleanliness whatsoever / restrooms are filthy / mattresses come pre-puked on
- …and that’s just a sample.
Possibly the worst part, is that the most well-known Oktoberfest camping host (Stoke) actually embraces their negative reviews. They believe bad reviews mean people had a great time. (Umm, that’s not how that works.) They cite things like “the grunting and groaning that comes out of our…nylon pleasure domes” as proof that people enjoyed themselves. And those who leave bad reviews are just “dorks.” [their own words]
Who these experiences are for
Look, it’s not lost on me that I’m older than the target market for these experiences. But still, even when I was 18-22 years old I would never have slept in literal shit for the chance at a good time.
Oktoberfest camping exists so that people who can’t afford Munich’s overpriced hotel rooms during this time can still experience this festival. BUT, that’s not how it’s being marketed. Instead, it’s being marketed as a debauchery-filled drunken orgy. So, if a debauchery-laden weekend orgy is what you’re after, physical health and safety be damned, then perhaps Oktoberfest camping is for you.
On the other hand, if you’re considering camping at Oktoberfest in order to save some money, know that it’s not worth it. Instead, wait a few years and save up some money so you can enjoy Oktoberfest in a real hotel where you don’t have to worry about things like basic food safety, cleanliness and hygiene, comfort, and physical safety (above all else).
Oktoberfest camping providers (tents)
Here’s a brief rundown of the available Oktoberfest providers that offer tent camping:
1. Oktoberfest and Springfest Inclusive Camping
- Run by Stoke Travel
- Solo tents, shared tents, and group tents available
- Complimentary sangria upon arrival (Why though?)
- Available for Oktoberfest and Munich Springfest
- “Inclusive” here refers to the fact that some packages include food and drinks
- Check it out here on Booking.com or here on Hotels.com
2. Lost Souls (pop-up hostel)
- Tents include sleeping bag and inflatable mattress
- “Glamping” packages include a pillow (this made me lol)
- New to the Oktoberfest camping scene
- Check them out here on Booking.com or here on Hostelworld.
3. Munich Central Camping
- Run by Stoke Travel
- 2-person tents available
- Includes camping mat and sleeping bag, can upgrade to a pillow and blanket
- No Wi-Fi, no breakfast
- Check it out here on Booking.com
- Also listed as Oktoberfest On a Budget Camping on Expedia
4. Munich Oktoberfest Camping & Dorms
- Run by PP Travel – just gonna whiz right on by that terrible company name…
- Same location as the one above
- Tents include airbed and sleeping bag
- 4-bed and 10-bed shared dorm rooms available
- Shared dorms include mattress with “used but clean” sleeping bag and pillow
- Check it out here on Hostelworld.
5. Festnation Oktoberfest Camp #2
- Basic dorm rooms and tents available
- Includes an airbed and sleeping bag
- Check it out here on Hotelworld.
Things to be aware of
When shopping around for Oktoberfest camping options, be aware that Stoke Travel is the biggest provider here and they go by several different names. All of the following Oktoberfest camping providers are run by Stoke Travel (that I can tell):
- Stoke Travel / Stoketoberfest
- Oktoberfest and Springfest Inclusive Camping on Booking.com and Hotels.com
- Munich Central Camping on Booking.com
- Oktoberfest on a Budget Camping on Expedia
- Camp Oktoberfest (geared toward the UK market it looks like)
- Munich Oktoberfest All-Inclusive Camping Packing on Viator
- Munich Oktoberfest Camping (All Year) on Get Your Guide (I’m not 100% on this one, but the address is the same as the others so I’d be willing to bet)
Better yet, the ones that aren’t run by Stoke Travel (that I can tell) are:
- Oktoberfest Camping München
- Wies’n Camp
- Lost Souls
- Festnation Oktoberfest Camp
Don’t get scammed
As with many other aspects of attending Oktoberfest, there’s always the potential for scams. As you can see, Stoke Travel runs many of these campsites and changes the names/descriptions each time which, to me, feels misleading. Just make sure you know who you’re getting in bed with.
A quick internet search will deliver you several other bookable Oktoberfest camping options that either don’t have any reviews or no discernible owner. That’s a huge red flag for me. In this case, if you’re absolutely set on booking a tent for Oktoberfest, I’d book through something like Booking.com or one of the other reputable booking sites. But I’m just a dork.
More info for your trip to Germany
Like this post? Have any Oktoberfest camping questions? Let me know in the comments below. Have fun in Germany!
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