Travelling with a caravan has long been the perfect way for families to escape the usual hustle and bustle and embrace a simpler way of living out on the road and in nature. Yet with more than 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface covered by water, there’s a lot of exploring that’s always been left on the table. To remedy this, German company Schneider Caravaning has created a hybrid product that can travel both on the road and on the water.

The Caracat functions just like any other caravan when being towed by another vehicle, yet it can sail independently on water thanks to a 15 hp electric or petrol engine. The latest version, the Caracat 860, measures 8.6 m long and 2.5 m wide. Extendable pontoons powered by a patented mechanism only unfold when the Caracat is in the water, and greatly enhance the craft’s stability as well as increase its footprint to 3.7 m wide.

Inside, you’ll find plenty of creature comforts; two electric sofa beds, a full kitchen with stove, sink, refrigerator and microwave, a bathroom, a separate shower, and full climate control. The interior allows for four people comfortably, and the covered roof with a foldable bed stretches the capacity to six. Solar panels can also be installed on the roof to generate extra electricity, and that means longer trips out on the water and away from real life are within reach.