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7 Gorgeous Places To Go Glamping

STA Travel

Glamping is the newest, coolest, and most glamourous way to stay outdoors. Yes, it can cost a little more – ok, quite a lot more in some cases – than your average tent, but as a perfect combination of rustic outdoorsieness (yes that’s a word!), and chic luxury, it’s becoming massively popular all over the world. Think camping but with a place to plug in your phone and a massively reduced risk of creepy crawlies disturbing your slumber.

It’s my new obsession, and the reason I’ve decided to bring you my top glamping hot spots from around the world.

Fair enough, it’s probably not a sustainable way of travelling the world but it’s a whole lot more special than your average room in a 12 bed hostel dorm that’s for sure, and the perfect chance to give yourself a treat after a few weeks or months of roughing it, and a great opportunity to experience a location in a unique way.

Our Guide To Global Glamping

Adventur-Camp, Swimmers In The Desert, Atacama Desert, Chile

The dazzling Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the world great wildernesses. Sit under a blanket of stars and feel like the only people in the world as you experience the ultimate peace and tranquillity next to a roaring fire in the cold desert night.

The Adventur-Camp has 10 bell tents, each one is decorated with natural and locally produced fittings and heated to feel comfortable in the chilly, desert evening air. The perfect camping experience for those that don’t like camping!

Your trip into the desert can deliver large rolling sand dunes, mighty volcanoes, valley lakes and cloud skimming mountain scenery as well as showers, proper bathrooms and yummy food cooked over an open fire – the perfect trip into nature if you ask me!

Adventur Camp, in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Scarabeo Camp (Stone camp), Morocco

Imagine this, you’re sat on comfy cushions in a Bedouin style camp, watching the sun go down and breathing in the warm, Moroccan air, while eating tagine cooked with fresh, local ingredients in authentic clay tagine pots over a man made desert fire, all at the feet of the imposing Atlas mountains. It’s hard to imagine a more inspiring setting.

It’s what travelling is all about. Getting back to basics and really absorbing the places you visit and the situations you find yourself in, Morocco in general is a great place to visit and experience a side of life so different to our own but camping in the desert is the ultimate touch of peaceful paradise.

And let’s face it, what could make an experience like this even better? The guarantee of a good night’s sleep and a warm bed, once the cold night creeps in and the fire has burned out of course. That’s what makes glamping in the desert so special.

Stone camp at Scarabeo Camp. Image courtesy of Sven Laurent @ Let Me Shoot For You

Palmar Tent Lodge, Bocas Del Torro, Panama

Neatly tucked away in a heavenly sport between rainforest and the crystal clear waters of the Carribean are the eco friendly tents of Palmar Tent Lodge, Panama. Spend your days hiking and exploring the surrounding beaches and reefs or just chilling in a hammock with a cocktail and grabbing some serious bronzing time.

Falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle, while tucked up in a comfy bed, under a large, sturdy tent makes this place an incredible rest bite on a central American adventure.

 The beautiful Palmar Tent Lodge, Panama

Sundance Lodges Canada

Ever stayed in a Tipi in the middle of the Canadian Rockies? No? well now’s your chance!

Just a short walk from the Kananaskis River lies a campsite full of tipis, smack bang in the middle of the stunning Canadian landscape. An awesomely, unusual experience that plants you right in the middle of some of the most incredible scenery in the world.

Also, Canada is adventure country, so you can get busy Kayaking, rock climbing, rafting, mountain biking, trekking and fishing during the day time while spending your nights tucked up inside the beautifully hand painted, secluded tipis in the middle of deepest darkest Canada.

Sundance Lodges, Glamping at it's best in the Canadian Rockies

Hintok River Camp at Hell fire pass, Thailand

Situated on an incredible spot near the River Kwai in the mid west of Thailand in Kanchanaburi province, is a retreat neatly snuggled within dense jungle and overlooks the famous river. It’s extreame closeness to Hell Fire pass the renound WW2 railway cutting add an extra special element of historical interest.

A great place to be as active or as in active as you please, you can choose to chill out with some sun bathing or a massage or join in with canoeing, trekking, elephant riding, bamboo rafting or trip to the amazing Lawa caves.

It will, without a doubt, be something completely different to the madness of Bangkok or Haad Rin in Koh Phangan, but this is glamping in it’s truest form a little luxury in the middle of the very basics of nature.

Chill out in between beach parties with some jungle glamping. Hintok River Camp @ Hell Fire Pass

Ketchups Bank Glamping, Queensland, Australia

Now I must admit this one comes at more of a cost than the usual, run of the mill, Aussie hostel but they don’t call it glamping for nothing! Experience your very own 5* hotel room smack bang in the middle of the great outdoors.

Except what this has that most upmarket hotel rooms don’t have, is the possibility of some wallaby visitors wandering past your door in the evening dusk or a camp fire ripe for mashmallow toasting right next to your king size bed.

If you visit during the late winter and early spring you could see Koalas migrating across the Eucalypt trees right outside your next front door too.

Experience Aussie bush living in style. Image Courtesy of Ketchups Bank Glamping

Hidden Valley Glamping, Andalucia, Spain

A beautiful, boutique hotel meets the rustic Spanish outdoors. This glamping site based just 20mins walk from the beautiful town of Alora, which has a handful of authentic tasty tapas bars, swimming pools, resturants and beautiful, traditional Spanish architecture.

The site sits in the stunning olive groves of the Monte Hacho natural park and sierra, in Andelucia; where you can see deer, chameleons, lizards and flocks of birds right on your new, green doorstep. The surrounding area is great for adventurers with horseriding and rock climbing activities a plenty.

The space-age dome-like tent and are dotted throughout the olive grove, easily sleep two people and are furnished with storage trunks, bedside tables, rugs and chairs, solar lanterns and stylish bedding.

Individual solar showers and spacious ‘outback’ toilet tents next to each dome to provide that true, camping feeling.

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Glamping & Luxury Safaris in Kenya | Kichwa Tembo Tented Camps

JustLuxe | Affluent Lifestyle Guide

Photo Courtesy of & Beyond

Glamping has become one of the hottest luxury travel trends over the past few years—up-scale tents nestled into the natural surroundings; eating meals under the stars; getting acquainted with the great outdoors and its indigenous wildlife. Thrill-seekers, families, couples and solo travelers alike have all gotten on board with this new fad. These types of resorts are located on nearly every continent, but if a trip to Africa (and a real safari that doesn’t take place at an amusement park) is still on your bucket list, the tented camps of Kichwa Tembo, Kenya are a great place to cross it off.

The world renowned Masai Mara National Reserve in the heart of Kenya sets the stage for encounters with the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant), over 450 birds, six primate species, and a chance to experience the annual Great Migration. But before you get to the lions, tigers and bears, you have to settle into your luxury camping accommodations. There are two intimate options: Bateleur Camp and Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp.

Each camp contains nine suites that do their best to blend into the wilderness while still offering all the comforts of home. The Bateleur Camp is a little more high-end, with brass, silver and leather accents on the interior, along with private butlers, laundry service, and soda, wine, spirits and beer on hand. Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp can be found in a slightly more remote location (if that’s possible) in the north western section of the reserve, and feature private verandas with views of the savanna and forest. Stays at either camp include scheduled safari activities that could have you taking night game drives or bush walks to explore your new surroundings and its inhabitants.

After you’ve become acclimated with your well-appointed tent, what exactly can you expect? An average day at the camps starts out at dawn. Sip a warm cup of tea and enjoy a light breakfast while watching the sun rise over the vast African landscape. An open 4×4 will arrive soon after to take you on a daytime safari where you could see wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River, a pride of lion stretched out in the shade, or a herd of buffalo sniffing out their prey.

Amidst the excitement, you’ll stop for a snack to marvel at the natural beauty before heading back for lunch and perhaps a refreshing dip in the camp’s pool. Don’t get too comfortable though, because another drive or bush walk is right around the corner. Later, an alfresco dinner will be served as fellow glampers gather to exchange stories of the day’s exhilarating exploits.

If you want to take your African adventure up a notch, there are plenty of additional activities on offer. Soar high in a hot air balloon and see the Masai Mara from a different angle; go on a walking safari with a specialist guide to see more of Kenya’s many creatures; visit a Masaai village with an English speaking Maasai to learn more about the local community; arrange a private breakfast or dinner deep into the bush among the sights and sounds of Kenya; or view a traditional dance performed by Maasai warrior men as they chant melodies in authentic dress; or take a photographic safari with an experienced guide to forever capture the memories of your trip.
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I’m Not a Camper, but I am a Glamper

JustLuxe | Affluent Lifestyle Guide

Katherine Bond

I don’t like to camp, but I love to glamp. That is, I don’t want to sleep in a soggy sleeping bag or spend 3 hours propping up a dingy tent while doused in bug spray. But put me in a King size bed called the “Last Best Bed,” pre-heat my tent’s bathrooms’ tile floors, and throw in a camp butler and then yes, I am a glamper or “Glamorous” camper. “Glamping” allegedly originated in the 1900s as well-heeled Brits desired to see the savannahs of Africa without missing afternoon tea and hot British cuisine, cooked nightly but a private chef. Nowadays, glamping has swept the luxury travel market most aggressively in the last five years, offering discerning luxury travelers a way to connect with nature without forgoing plush amenities, such as five course meals and copper hot tubs.

My most recent glamping experience was at The Resort at Paws Up, one of Montana’s very best luxury ranches, self-dubbed “the Last Best Place.” It is. I covered the property last year, from the view of a cabin guest. Leaving the property for the first time last summer, I felt like that kid at summer camp in a fit of tears on the last day of camp. There I was, being dragged away, frantically waving, “I’ll be back! I’ll be back!” Paws Up has that effect on its adult guests. This second visit was my first time at a “Paws Up” camp, and I was certainly sad to depart. Here are a few reasons why:

The Tent: Paws Up offers four campgrounds, each distinctly snuggled into nooks within the 37,000 acres of Paws Up forest. Our camp, Creekside Camp, lines the idyllic Elk Creek, heard faintly from the deck of our 830 square foot tent. A Paws Up “tent” is hardly a few flaps of canvas. Each tent is the mansion Mother Nature would stay in, complete with hardwood and carpeted floors, a stunning heated tile bathroom with Kolher fixtures, seating areas of plush leather chairs, and rustic décor. If it weren’t for the chirps of birds or rustles of pines, I would have never guessed I was “outside.” That’s the best part, too. One night, a thunder and lightening shower rumbled around our tent, filling the cool mountain air with the light hiss of rain while I read a good book under the ultra cozy pile of my pine King-size bed.

The Cuisine: One of my favorite aspects of our camp was the welcoming dining pavilion, a half-outdoor, half-indoor plaza for daily meals. A roaring fire usually welcomed us in the morning, flanked by a wall of stonework and imbedded standard refrigerator, always stocked with refreshments. Leather couches, a bar area, and sturdy coffee table made this a great gathering area. This, in turn, led to the dining tables and an outdoor fire pit rimmed with timber seating. Our on-site chef, a sweet Montanan, could whip up anything in his full-size kitchen. My favorite dishes were the grilled elk loin salad with local mushrooms, thepan roasted quail legs with black truffle sauce, and the country buttermilk panna cotta. It dawned on me that I don’t eat this well even at “indoor” resorts, let alone ones next to a sleepy creek and a carpet of pinecones.

The Fun: A friend of mine asked me, once I returned, “So what do you do all day in the forest?” Ah, this friend is not a glamper, nor a guest of Paws Up. The resort has a list of rustic activities so exhaustive that guests sometimes stay over a week just to cover a significant chunk. Yoga classes, horseshoes, croquet, disc golf, gym access, and pony rides are a few of the included activities with any stay. I particularly like the “geocaching” adventure, a little nature scavenger hunt rewarded with resort goodies for successful uncoverings. For those desiring a body bounce, the new “Bone Rattler Raceway” is now open. Learn the off-road skills needed to sail, swerve, and crush along a challenging off-roading course, while in the resort’s custom built Jeep.  Personally, I’ll be back for the Spa Town’s new services, including a huckleberry body scrub and barbed wire body wrap. Also new for next year:  Blackfoot Camp, which Paws Up claims will be its largest and most luxurious campsite yet. I suppose the sweet owners of Paws Up, a nice husband and wife in love with Montana, just like the fun of making the Last Best Place even better every passing year.