Denver

Flying and arriving

Denver International (DEN) lies far east of the city on the plains, a good half hour's drive from downtown. From Amsterdam there are usually nonstop flights of around ten hours; from Brussels you mostly fly with one connection. Denver is in the Mountain time zone, eight hours behind the Netherlands and Belgium, so you typically land in the afternoon while it is already late evening at home.

Denver sits at over 1,600 metres and the mountains above it much higher still. You feel it: quicker out of breath, thirsty, sometimes a headache or poor sleep in the first nights. Drink extra water from the moment you land, keep the first day light and give children time to adjust before you head for the passes. The dry air and fierce sun call for lip balm and sunscreen, even in summer.

Picking up the RV

The RV depots are spread across the Denver metro area, usually twenty to forty minutes from the airport. Some rental companies collect you by shuttle from a hotel or pickup point; otherwise you take a taxi or rideshare. Book your hotel for the first night close to the depot rather than at the airport; that way you make the drive into the city only once.

Count on the 24-hour rule: no pickup on the day of your intercontinental flight, a hotel night first. Plan the pickup for day two and take time for the walkthrough on heating, tanks and generator — in the Rockies cold nights are normal, even in July, and you want to know how the heater works before you need it. Also ask about the rules on mountain passes and unpaved roads in the rental contract.

The first night

Keep the first night in the RV low and close by: one of the state parks within the Denver metro area, such as Cherry Creek or Chatfield, or a campground in the foothills around Golden or Boulder, half an hour to an hour from the depots. That way your body adjusts to the altitude before you go into the real mountains and you drive the first kilometres without hairpin bends. Save Rocky Mountain National Park and the road north towards Yellowstone for day three. Reserve in advance via Colorado Parks & Wildlife or the operator's system.

Supplies and gear

Denver has everything you need for two weeks of mountains: large supermarkets and big-box stores of the Walmart, Target or Costco type in every suburb and a wide range of outdoor stores for warm clothing, sleeping bags and hiking gear. Ask the rental company what the RV includes — a kitchen kit and bedding are often an optional package, camping chairs vary — and always buy firewood locally at the campground. Bring extra blankets or warm sleepwear for the nights at altitude and a good supply of water; in the mountain towns the shops are smaller and prices higher.

Frequently asked questions