Hunger, Belgium
A weekend in a rooftop tent with WOLO Outdoors in Belgium
Embark on an adventure, let your desires carry you, stop amidst nature, sleep under the stars, and wake to the birdsong. A gentler way of traveling that we were fortunate enough to experience thanks to WOLO Outdoors. During the last weekend of June, we ventured into the heart of the Liège region to test their new Sahara rooftop tent model.
Learn more about WOLO Outdoor roof tents
Created a little over a year ago by Arnaud, WOLO (We Only Live Once) Outdoors is a Belgian company of roof top tent sales and rentals based in Faimes, near Liège.
The WOLO Outdoors tent model opens like a portfolio, in under 5 minutes, offering a minimum of 140 cm wide by 240 cm long sleeping area. A comfortable size for 2 adults, offering some storage for bags and clothes during the night. The model is available in 160 cm (Queen Size) and 190 cm (King Size) widths, accommodating 3 and 4 people respectively, perfect for families or groups of friends seeking adventure. The 3 roof top tent sizes are available in 2 colors: Black and Sahara.
The great particularity of the WOLO rooftop tent is its 360° opening, offering a magnificent panorama from the bed and allowing us to fall asleep with our heads in the stars. These large openings allow excellent ventilation during hot summer days and keep out pests thanks to the mosquito nets.
And our little finger tells us that a new tent model is being created by Arnaud. Get ready for its release, it's going to be amazing! 🔥🔥🔥
Installing the WOLO roof tent on our car
We are welcomed by Arnaud and his good mood in the WOLO Outdoors warehouse in Faimes. It takes about thirty minutes to install the transverse roof bars and the WOLO Sahara rooftop tent. If you don't have transverse bars, WOLO Outdoors also offers them for rent.
Once the installation is complete, Arnaud takes the time to explain and show us how to unfold and fold the rooftop tent correctly. Nothing too complicated, the gesture is easy to master and can be done alone.
Do you perhaps wonder if a rooftop tent can be put on all types of cars?
For this, you need roof bars and to know the maximum dynamic weight allowed on your car. On average, it's around 75kg and WOLO tents start at 61 kg (Model M, 140x240 cm).
If you have any hesitation, Arnaud can advise you on the best model for your vehicle.
A comfortable weekend thanks to the Adventure pack
We then discover the Adventure Pack offered by WOLO Outdoors for a comfortable stay. This includes:
- the basic essentials (camping chairs & table, plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, a percolator, marshmallow skewers, as well as an enamelware set of pots and pan);
- a small wood-burning stove (which allows us to cook);
- a fire pit (Given the high temperatures predicted during our stay and to avoid any risk of fire with the projection of embers, we unfortunately were not able to try it);
- a rigid WOLO cooler (We add ice cubes and the cooler keeps food and drinks cool for several days. And if needed, we put in new ice cubes.);
- a solar shower (to stay clean), a foldable basin for washing dishes and a jerrycan to always have enough water with us;
- a blanket, a hammock (a favorite for a relaxing afternoon that sets up in 2 seconds), a lamp and pretty string lights for the evening as well as a small external battery.
As you can see, the adventure pack is truly complete! A good option to leave with a lighter head without worrying (or buying) everything we need to bring with us, WOLO Outdoors has already thought of it! ❤️
Our WOLO Sahara rooftop tent weekend itinerary
Once the WOLO Sahara M rooftop tent was retrieved and installed on our car, the weekend was ours to enjoy! Our destination choice fell on the Liège region (the region where WOLO Outdoors is located), which we know little about and which boasts diverse landscapes between fields and forests.
Unusual night at the foot of a wind turbine
After some research on Park4night, we opt for a somewhat unusual spot for this first night in the hills of Huy. We set up camp for the night at the foot of a wind turbine located in the middle of the fields. The location is flat, gravel, and the wind turbine emits a slight constant sound (which may possibly be bothersome if you are sensitive to noise). We enjoy this pleasant June evening with an aperitif and a pasta salad (Penne - Tomatoes - Mozza ❤️).
As night gently falls, we take advantage of it to light the wood-burning stove (provided by WOLO Outdoors in the Adventure Pack) with some small logs bought earlier. It will keep us warm for the rest of the evening and give us beautiful embers to roast some marshmallows under the stars.
Walk in the Hoëgne Valley
Saturday is forecast to be extremely hot, with temperatures reaching up to 35°C and the sun already quite strong upon waking. A refreshing shower and a good breakfast later, and we're off to the famous Hoëgne Valley, where we've decided to spend the day.
Despite the crowds, we easily find a parking space a little higher up the road. Once we reach the stream, we leisurely follow it upstream in search of a quiet spot to relax and enjoy ourselves. Even though we're not the only ones who had the idea of cooling off here (some are even taking a dip), we find a small pebble beach left uncovered by the low water level where we can settle in. We enjoy the more pleasant temperatures provided by the trees and the stream to take a nap or read a book. We'll definitely return to hike the Hoëgne Valley again!
Sleeping on the edge of the forest in Jalhay
Always thanks to the Park4night app, we find our bivouac spot for the night. This is actually a parking lot for hiking departures. Upon arrival, only one car is present and will leave early in the evening, leaving us alone for the night. The rooftop tent is quickly deployed (we quickly get the hang of it 😉) and the campsite is set up for our dinner. Tonight's menu is homemade tabbouleh: a simple, fresh, and light recipe for this hot summer day.
During our meal, we make the lovely encounter of a curious deer. Romain manages to follow it gently and take a photo of it in the nearby meadow.
The air is still hot and heavy when we go to sleep. We open several tent windows to let in a slight breeze while avoiding mosquitoes (and other insects of all kinds) thanks to the mosquito nets. The night is sweet and calm. The Sunday morning wake-up is fresh, the temperatures have dropped during the night and the car thermometer shows barely 15°C. We still do a quick wash to be clean and fresh for this new day.
Hike in the Comblain Woods and the Arbois Sandpit
We are taking advantage of being in the Liège region to visit some of Romain's family. After enjoying a good barbecue, we set off to explore the surroundings (and take a digestive walk). We head towards the Comblain Woods and walk a few dozen meters on the GR 57.
We make a detour to the Arbois Sandpit, which is located on the edge of the woods. This timeless place with white, fine sand comes from the last sea that retreated from the region about 2 million years ago. Today, heather and pine trees cover most of the sand. At the entrance of the site, we even observe some flowering orchids.
We then return to the car park via a small, unmarked path through the trees.
Location of the Quarry
The Sablière de Larbois is located in the small village of Comblain-au-pont in the Liège region. You can find the exact coordinates of the sandpit here.
End of our weekend in the heart of the Liège countryside and a definite favorite for the WOLO Outdoors rooftop tent. A way to travel freely and stop wherever we please.
Thanks to Arnaud for letting us experience this beautiful adventure, we're already thinking about our next rooftop tent destination (certainly a longer stay)! And you, have you travelled with a rooftop tent before? A destination to recommend to us? Tell us everything in the comments.
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