New ‘turtle shell’ cabins in Riding Mountain giving people unique camping experience

Supplied image of one of the cabins at Turtle Village.

A new off-the-grid, luxury accommodation has opened in Riding Mountain National Park with the goal of connecting people to nature and the environment around them.

Friday marked the grand opening of the first-of-its-kind Turtle Village, located in the Wasagaming Campground. This Indigenous-owned tourist destination offers visitors a chance to camp in a “turtle shell” cabin equipped with a queen mattress, fire pit, and private plot of land.

Campers will have access to nearby washrooms with hot showers, kitchen shelters and a dumping station. Turtle Village also offers easy access to biking and hiking trails, and is within a five-minute walk to Clear Lake beach.

“We are a luxury, off-the-grid accommodation,” said Ashley Smith, owner and operator of Turtle Village.

“What we offer is an experience with zero impact to the land. So we want to bring people back to the simple way of life.”

The cabins are sustainable and require little maintenance as they use long-lasting materials. The units, which are heated from a propane heater, run off solar panels and batteries that provide LED lighting and a 12-volt plug.

Turtle Village is also an all-season accommodation that offers summer and winter packages.

“We wanted to do that in the Wasagaming area because it’s so beautiful and it’s not often recognized or visited in the winter,” Smith said.

Smith said that staying at Turtle Village will help people reconnect to nature. She added that it’s a place where people can escape from the hustle of everyday life and step into a more relaxing environment.

“You’re going to be cooking outside. You’re going to be spending most of your time in the park exploring, hiking, looking at the animals, connecting back to nature,” she said.

“We like to call that ‘minobimaatisiiwin,’ which is the good life and living life in balance.”

As for who would be suited to a stay at Turtle Village, Smith said it’s perfect for campers, nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and those who are looking to experience something different.

Booking for Turtle Village has opened and can be done online.

“We’re really excited. We’re happy to work with parks in the area and the local stakeholders and businesses,” Smith said.