My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.
Claude Monet
Something tells me that when Monet was living quietly in a corner of nature, he did not envision “glamping!”
Glamping is having a moment, and I’m here for it. Luxury tented camps around the world are redefining what a tent can be. Forget the single-post-A-framers of yore, and even the high-tech provisions sold by the likes of North Face and REI.
Now is the era of chic, canvas-walled oases in stellar locations like Costa Rica and Africa. Indeed, many of these tented camps are blissfully isolated, perched among relatively untouched wilderness.
Read on for some inspiration on 6 tented camps to travel to now.
Nayara Tented Camp | La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Nayara Tented Camp | Costa Rica
Nayara‘s luxury tents are world-renowned for a reason. All of them are surrounded by the rainforest of Arenal National Park, a lush paradise filled with an exceptionally diverse array of flora and fauna. (The area is home to sloths, red-eyed tree frogs, orchids, cacao trees, monkeys and countless birds.)
Many of Nayara’s tents are propped up on stilts, and all of them come equipped with private infinity pools fed by natural hot springs. Enjoy breakfast on your private terrace before lounging in your hammock with a good book. During the day, opt for a guided rainforest trek, led by one of the in-house naturalists, or an adrenaline-boosting activity like waterfall rappelling, zip-lining or white-water rafting.
No trip to Nayara would be complete, however, without visiting the unbelievable open-air spa. Treatments are accompanied by the rainforests soothing sounds: birdsong, rain, distant animal calls. And local materials like organic coffee and volcanic mud add to the soothing therapies.
Book with me to receive a $100 food/beverage credit, daily breakfast credit and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Camp Sarika by Amangiri | Canyon Point, Utah
Camp Sarika by Amangiri | Canyon Point, Utah
Amangiri is already ultra-luxe, and ultra-isolated (in the best way). Camp Sarika is even more so. The 10-camp outpost is only a short walk from Amangiri proper, and has its own pool, restaurant and spa to boot. (Camp Sarika guests have full access to all of Amangiri’s facilities.)
Canvas-topped pavilions are outfitted with private plunge pools, outdoor fire pits and chic, minimalist decor that reflects the surrounding desert.
Dine fireside at the camp’s signature restaurant, where local ingredients are expertly prepared in an open kitchen. Enjoy a yoga class on top of a rock formation. Indulge in a massage at Camp Sarika’s spa, an exclusive haven with two stunning spa suites. Kayak on Lake Powell, take a sunrise hot-air balloon ride or explore the area’s slot canyons — narrow gorges carved by ancient rivers.
Book with me to receive a $100 resort credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort | Punta Mita, Mexico
Naviva, a Four Seasons Resort | Punta Mita
Naviva is a 15-tent, adults-only, all-inclusive resort opened in December 2022 — and continues to make waves. Occupancy is capped at a mere 30 persons, meaning you’re in for an especially personalized experience.
Sprawling tents are flooded with natural light, and floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-air floorplan blur the line between indoors and outdoors, where jungle and ocean views enchant.
Wellness is the name of the game here, and because everything at Naviva is included, you can relax, indulge and luxuriate in the resort’s impressive array of offerings. Sunrise nature hikes, yoga classes, mezcal bonfires, meditation classes and more are all available, and factored into the one-and-done rate. All food and beverages, plus a complimentary spa experience, are also included.
Dine by the pool, in your tent, on a picnic by the beach, at the open-fire restaurant Copal Conica: the choice is always yours. Here is a place where spontaneity is most welcome, and perfectly executed.
When you book Four Seasons with Fora, you will enjoy exclusive Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits. Contact me for more details.
Capella Ubud Bali | Bali, Indonesia
Rainforest Tent | Capella Ubud
There’s something wonderful about tented camps in the heart of the rainforest, and Capella Ubud, Bali, more than proves the rule. Twenty-one one-bedroom tents, and one two-bedroom lodge, dot Capella’s jungly stretch of secluded paradise.
All tents feature a private salt-water plunge pool and a generous outdoor deck perfect for relaxing the day away, or for enjoying a private massage treatment. Decor is bright and eclectic, complemented by tasteful splashes of color, patterned wallpaper and locally inspired artwork. Each tent is a playfully refined blend of colors and textures.
As delightful the tents are, however, Capella’s spa is not to be missed. Treatments feature tailor-made organic products, and everything is done with a holistic ethos in mind.
Expect locally and sustainably sourced cuisine (Capella Ubud boasts its own organic garden) in the most stunning of settings: around a fire, at one of the hotel’s stylish open-air restaurants, in a private location accompanied by candlelight or in the privacy of your tent.
Book with me to receive a complimentary massage for two, breakfast daily, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The Resorts at Paws Up | Greenough, Montana
Moonlight Camp | The Resorts at Paws Up
If you haven’t heard yet, Montana is hot! The Treasure State is home to several luxury resorts, including one of my favorite tented camps: The Resort at Paws Up. Thirty-six glamping tents (along with 27 gorgeous homes) are spread out among 37,000 acres of a wide-open natural playground. (And if luxury treehouses are your thing, head to the resort’s sister property, the green o.)
There are six camps (glamps?!) to choose from, depending upon what you’re after. If you’re the view junkie, opt for Cliffside Camp, which overlooks Blackfoot River and Elk Creek. The Moonlight tent is the most secluded of the resort’s camps, if you really want to be away from it all. For “glamping 2.0,” North Bank Camp pulls out all the stops, with extra-spacious tents (including three-bedroom options) and enviable proximity to the gourmet, floor-to-ceiling window-equipped North Bank Dining Pavilion.
Even the spa, known here as Spa Town, is its own glamping oasis. It is composed of white tents near an idyllic brook. Isn’t that just the best natural soundtrack to accompany any treatment?. Book with me to receive a $300 activity credit, welcome bottle of wine, complimentary round-trip airport transfers, breakfast daily, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Angama Mara | Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya
Angama Mara | Kenya
Angama, Swahili for “suspended in mid-air,” is a perfect descriptor of this luxury tented camp, perched on an escarpment overlooking the vast Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The lodge consists of two separate (and identical) 15-tent sections, but everything is a quick walk or ride away from each other. Each canvased-walled marvel (expect your jaw to drop) is outfitted with a writer’s desk, a luxuriously deep bathtub, floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to a dreamy patio, all-natural African bath products (and bug spray!) and so much more. You’ll find Angama’s signature Maasai red throughout each tent, as well as in the lodge’s common areas. (Don’t miss the Map Room, where you can peruse over 150 maps, some of which date back to the 17th century.)
The food at Angama is expertly prepared, locally sourced and always delicious. Guests can opt for a safari picnic out in the bush, a magical forest barbecue, an intimate in-tent dinner or a candlelit meal at the main lodge.
And if you want to extend your Angama getaway, head to the ultra-special Angama Amboseli, a 10-suite retreat in the Kimana Sanctuary, Africa’s first community-owned conservancy. Whenever you stay, Angama’s extraordinarily kind and professional staff will treat you like royalty — and swiftly become dear friends. Don’t be surprised if you shed a tear upon leaving. Book with me to receive complimentary air and concierge services.