Frequently asked questions

Crazy Camps take place in a building, mostly a hut or a chalet. There might be an exceptional Crazy Camp in a tent, but in that case I provide a group tent. In the description of each Camp it is clearly stated what kind of accommodation is provided.

You do not need to bring camping gear, except for a sleeping bag or a sleeping bag liner (Hüttenschlafsack, sac à viande), according to what is written in the event page. You do not need to bring a tent.

So if the Crazy Camps are not about camping, then why are they called Crazy Camps? In our context the word ‘camp’ represents the concept of a group of people that is temporarily staying together in a specific place in order to spend time together and do activities together.

crazy /ˈkreɪzɪ/ adjective — out of the ordinary; unusual.
camp /kæmp/ noun — a group of people that is temporarily gathered in a specific place in order to do specific activities together.
Crazy Camp /ˈkreɪzɪ kæmp/ noun — a diverse group of people staying (usually in a house or hut) in the middle of amazing nature, having an incredible time together.

The advance payment is there for two reasons. First of all, I have to pay a (way bigger) advance payment when booking accommodation for the Camp. Second, it is the best way for me to find out if you have a serious intention of joining. As for the cancellation policy: If I cancel the trip, you will receive a full refund of your advance payment. If you cancel your participation, you’ll receive the refund if we still reach the target number of participants. The details of the cancellation policy are explained in the info mail that you will receive after applying.

I will not disappear with your advance payment but technically there is no way that you can know that I will not. I’m trusting you too: that you’ll show up, that we’ll treat each other (and the space) with care. If it helps: there have been 56 Crazy Camps so far (as per spring 2026), the whole Crazy Camp thing is my passion and joy, and there are better ways of making money than to run away with your advance payment. By the way, please read the testimonials of previous Crazy Camp participants and feel free to check out the references that 160 people that met me in real life (in non-Crazy Camp context) wrote about me on Couchsurfing. And if you want, we can have a video call before signing up. The link is on the Reach out page :)

Originally the Crazy Camps started out with no organization at all. Just one private person sharing their passion with you. Basically I organize these trips just for myself and I share time, space, activities and fun with you. In return, you participate in the activities and pay your share in the costs. More info can be found on the About us page. Some years ago I created a legal structure for the trips: I founded a not-for-profit association under Dutch law. When you participate in a Crazy Camp, you become member of this association for the duration of that Camp. More details about the association and your membership on this page.

By the way, you might also encounter my other project: PermissionLab.org. It’s quite similar to the Crazy Camps, but at the Permission Labs we add conscious kink as an extra tool for meeting our deepest Self.

If you would like to contact a participant of one of the past Crazy Camps before deciding to sign up, I can establish the contact if I understand that you are seriously considering signing up.

It is not. You will have to find your own way of getting to the Camp. I will provide information about the arrival time that you are expected, the nearest train/bus station, the nearest airports, how to get from the bus station to the Camp location… In the forum you can discuss with the other participants about traveling together etc.

I disclose the location of the Crazy Camp once your advance payment is in. So your decision to join is about the Crazy Camp itself, not a specific resort or a cheap week away. In a way, Crazy Camps are ‘blind breaks’: a holiday you book without knowing the destination. The information in the Camp description should be enough for you to estimate whether it will be satisfying for you. You’ll get the full location as soon as you’re confirmed.

This is mentioned in the info page of the Camp that you are interested in. If something is not mentioned, then don’t presume that it is there… what is obvious for you, might not be obvious for that location. So if you miss something that is important for you in the description, better ask me :-)

Usually Crazy Camp locations can not be reached by normal road. So oftentimes we have to get our stuff to the accommodation skiing/snowboarding or hiking. You’re better off with a backpack than with a suitcase!

Most Crazy Camps take place in simple mountain huts with shared sleeping spaces and a mix of bed types: from bunk beds to hayloft mattresses, and sometimes even a double bed or two. We don’t separate by gender.

To keep things fair and ease the pressure of “rushing to claim,” we do a lottery on the first evening to assign sleeping spots. It’s part of the spirit of these Camps: a gentle nudge into trust, chance, and letting go of control, together.
This might mean sharing a room (or, rarely, a double bed) with someone you’ve just met. And usually that’s just fine. It’s about sleeping, not intimacy, and respect is the baseline. But we also know: what’s “just fine” for some can feel deeply uncomfortable or unsafe for others.

If you have specific emotional, physical, or gender-related needs around sleeping arrangements, please share them with us in your application or reach out beforehand. You don’t need to give detailed explanations; just enough so we can support you in feeling safe.
We can also make swaps post-lottery if, say, a tall person ends up in a tiny bed and a small person gets a giant one. Fairness and care go hand-in-hand.

We trust the magic of the draw. And we trust you, to speak up if something’s not sitting right. Your comfort matters. Your rest is important.

Of course you can. It has been extremely rare that someone leaves early for other reasons than medical or logistical (catch the train home).

No, sorry. The Camps are no walk-in walk-out events. We’re in it together :-)

No, sorry. The nature of the accommodations and the group dynamics do not allow for this. If it is about a help dog eg. because you are visually challenged, please contact me so that we can discuss (im)possibilities.

Some activities during the Crazy Camps carry a higher risk than sitting on the couch at home. Obviously this goes for sport activities like skiing/snowboarding and mountain hiking, but it can also go for some group games and for practical things like a hot wood stove in the middle of the room. You are always responsible for assessing the risks yourself and you are always responsible for your own do’s and don’ts. You are yourself liable for the consequences of your own decisions. No insurance is provided on behalf of the organiser; please arrange a travel insurance yourself and make sure that it covers the appropriate risks (for example: are winter sports activities covered? This is not always the case).

Honestly: it varies every time, and that’s the point. The Crazy Camps are about inclusion, not selection. Every Camp so far has been very mixed: ages from under 20 to over 60, different levels of education, different cultural backgrounds and nationalities.

What people tend to have in common is not a demographic but an attitude: curiosity, a willingness to cook and clean alongside people that still were strangers yesterday, and no great need to impress anybody. Queer and neurodivergent people have long found a home here, and so have people who’d never use either word about themselves.

Usually groups are between 7 and 14 people big – or small, depends on how you look at it :-)

Crazy Camps attract people from all over the world, so the groups are very international. In general, simple ‘European English’ is used as the common language. But if you’re having a chat with another participant who speaks your native language, no one expects you to do that in English!

For Adventure Flow Camps, basic English is usually sufficient. Even if you know just 10 or 20 words, you’ll be amazed at how well you can still communicate. For Balance Flow Camps, where we dive deeper into verbal sharing and group discussions, a stronger grasp of English helps you participate fully.

If you’re unsure about your level, feel free to reach out. We can even arrange a voice or video call to assess together and discuss how to make it work for you. And I can also translate key things into French, German, Spanish, Dutch, or Italian, if needed.

Before every Crazy Camp we meet virtually, in a private forum. This is usually two or three weeks before departure. In the forum we give a short introduction of ourselves, we discuss ride shares, logistics at arrival, what to bring, what we will eat, etc.

Don’t smoke in places where it can bother others: in the house, at the terrace, in the sauna or hot tub, etc.

The Crazy Camps are alcohol free and substance free. Let’s enjoy this marvelous adventure without any stimulants! Our body will take care of generating adrenaline, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and lots of oxytocin for happy vibes. We want genuine connection, and for this week, external stimulants or plant medicine aren’t part of how we get there.

Yes you can. Crazy Camps are a group thing, but if you have an off day or are exhausted after a long hike, then of course you will skip a workshop or a night of silly games. As long as you come to the Crazy Camp with the intention of participating, everything will be cool :-) Crazy Camps are set up as ‘group adventures for individuals’.

Some activities may invite you to discover new pastures at the edge of your comfort zone, and you’re welcome to explore. But your comfort zone and your boundaries are two different things. If joining a certain activity would mean crossing your own boundary, then please don’t. Opting out needs no explanation.

Yes, and you participate as individuals. “No sticky couples” is one of our little mottos. You’re of course not expected to pretend that you don’t know each other, but a Crazy Camp works best when you are both available to the whole group rather than folded into each other. If you can each have your own experience, connect with others, and grant your partner that same freedom: welcome!

It depends. The same that is written about couples counts for parent/child constellations as well: you are supposed to participate in the Crazy Camp and its activities as individuals. Of course you don’t have to pretend that you don’t know each other, but will your child feel free to express themself freely, will they be able to have their own autonomous experiences while a parent is around? The same the other way around: will you as a parent feel free? And more challenging: will you as a parent be able to grant your child their freedom? Will you be able to be non-judgemental and not over-protective? Only if you can honestly answer all these questions with ‘yes’, we can start discussing your participation :)

So far there has been no parent/child situation at a Crazy Camp.

Good question. The Crazy Camps are activity trips that include for example mountain hiking or skiing/snowboarding. These are real mountain trails at altitude, so a baseline of stamina matters more than fitness level. If you’re unsure whether your body and this terrain are a good match, let’s talk it through on a call, no need to guess. In any case, you don’t have to be an athlete, the activities are recreational and not competitive. And of course you can skip the longer hikes or go softly with the skiing. Please check out the next FAQ item as well.

Very likely yes. Almost nothing here is binary, and “limitations” rarely fit into neat boxes.

On mental health: whether you carry a diagnosis or just recognise pieces of yourself in one, you’re welcome as you are, quirks included. The one honest thing worth naming: we’re genuinely remote, far from towns, clinics, and doctors. So if there’s a real chance you’d need urgent support during an acute episode, that’s worth a conversation before you commit, and if you take medication, bring enough for the week and then some.

On physical limitations: bodies vary enormously, what’s demanding for one person is easy for another. I’ve seen someone hike a mountain trail on one leg, and we’ve had very able-bodied people meet their edge in a yoga class. Rather than draw a hard line, here’s the real picture: the accommodations aren’t adapted (unless stated otherwise). Trails can be narrow, the toilet is sometimes a simple outhouse, and reaching the dorm can mean climbing steep, ladder-like stairs. If that still feels like a yes, trust it. If you’re unsure how your body and this particular setting fit together, reach out, whether or not that involves a wheelchair, a chronic condition, or anything else.
Either way: if something about your situation makes you hesitate, that’s worth a conversation, not a form. Book a call, or send me a message.

There’s no leadership team at the Crazy Camps. No staff, no titles. Just people that are sharing space, care, and presence. I (Klaas) may be the one who started the whole thing and I might be the one sending out the emails, but when the Camp starts, I’m simply part of the circle. Just like everyone else. At best, I (and for example the yoga facilitator if there is one) are primi inter pares. So a day might look like this: someone offers a yoga session. Someone else prepares tea. Again someone else helps someone with their blister. Roles are fluid. No one is above or below.

What I do hold, together with the group, is a deep wish for this to be a space where you can arrive together with anything and everything that is inside you. A space where no one measures you, and no one pushes you to be more open, more free, more anything than you feel. Here, you’re invited to try something new if curiosity stirs. But you’re just as free to say “no” if something doesn’t feel right. Your boundaries matter.

I remember one evening at a Crazy Snow Camp: I had suggested eating from a shared bowl with our hands—something common in many cultures. For some, that felt exciting. For others, it was too far outside their comfort zone. So they served themselves on individual plates. No questions asked. No pressure.

That is our intention. You are always invited – but never expected. And you are always responsible for sensing your own limits, and for honouring the expressed boundaries of others. Of course it is at all times your own responsibility to say (and act) ‘no’ when you feel ‘no’. You are invited (not forced) to challenge your own comfort zone and you commit to respecting the expressed boundaries of the others.

We simply hold space, for what wants to happen, in its own time.

The Crazy Camps facilitate a state of absence of judgement and facilitate space holding. This, combined with the fact that at a Camp you are far away from your habitual social, geographical, relational and professional environment, makes it easier for you to drop the masks, express your authenticity (the full spectrum of it, not just the ‘pleasant’ colours) and experiment, without having to dread for the consequences.

The magic happens when you recalibrate your comfort zone and as stated before, at a Crazy Camp you will feel facilitated, not forced, to make that step.

Nevertheless it can happen that you get triggered during the Camp. If that happens, there is no need to ignore or hide it; on the contrary, your expression of being triggered is welcome. It is an invitation for the group to hold space for you and not judge; and at the same time an invitation for you to connect with your feeling and to research what is inside you that caused you to be triggered. This is potentially a liberating and transformative experience for you and for the others.
This does certainly not mean that the intention is to trigger you on purpose! But let’s face it, it is impossible to predict who will be triggered by what. Things that pass almost unnoticed for one, trigger (or touch) the other. It is impossible to avoid that some people might be triggered during the Crazy Camp experience.

I would like to add the following. I try to be very aware of, and spread awareness of sexism, racism and queer phobia and of how these things traumatise individuals and society as a whole. If a participant expresses themself in a sexist, racist or queer phobic way, the idea is to not judge that participant but rather facilitate them in embodying why a world without sexism, racism and queer phobia is a better place for everybody.
As I said I try to be as aware as I can, and also to be aware of how everybody experiences situations differently. But I am a middle age white European male (and thus member of the most privileged group on this planet) so I have many blind spots and if you feel the urge to point me out to them I encourage you to do so.

No, the Crazy Camps are not about sex. Sexual interaction between individuals is fine, as long as it’s consensual and as long as it does not take you away from your share in the household chores ;). However the Camps are not really a suitable place for sex; usually your personal privacy is close to zero anyway. This is not a hunting ground. And we don’t perform for each other. If you’re looking for sex, you’ll probably be annoyed here. Better book a TUI trip to Ibiza, you’ll get more of it there, and with less hiking.

Short answer: no. Nobody is ever expected to undress, and you can go through an entire Camp fully clothed without anyone raising an eyebrow.

Reality check: Crazy Camps offer little personal privacy; think shared bedrooms, shared sanitary facilities. And if there are any wellness elements (sauna, hot tub), they’re often used unclothed. Some people sleep naked. Others never take off so much as a sock. Both are completely normal here, and nobody comments either way.

So it’s not a naturist trip, and it’s not a prudish one. It’s a group of adults who have quietly stopped making a big deal of bodies, including yours, and including your choice to keep it covered.