Sleep Under Canvas, Wake in the Wild

By The UNCHARTED® editorsMay 12, 2025 · 5 min read

Twilight at an outdoor tented dining area with lights, in a serene, natural setting

Camps We Love

Sleep Under Canvas,

Wake in the Wild

The whisper of the wind through canvas walls. The crackle of the campfire under a sky ablaze with stars. The thrill of waking to the distant roar of a lion or the bold curiosity of a kudu eyeing your breakfast.

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At these vintage-inspired camps, where a bygone era lingers, indoor-outdoor spaces blur the lines between past and present, luxury and wilderness. Each flap of the tent is a reminder that you’re not just observing the landscape — you’re part of it.

Kenya: Cottar’s 1920s Camp

Cottar’s 1920s Camp feels like stepping back in time, when four-poster beds, Chesterfield sofas, brass gramophones, antique chandeliers, and silver trays bearing gin and tonics set an unmistakably “Out of Africa” scene.

But this is more than just evocative staging. Operated by a fifth-generation East African safari family — the oldest in the region — Cottar’s maintains deep-rooted connections with the Maasai people. Situated in a private conservancy bordering Kenya’s Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti, the family abdicated land ownership to the community and now leases it back through a pioneering partnership. If there is a way to thread the needle between nostalgia for the colonial era and progressive, 21st-century sensibilities, Cottar’s has done so.

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Luxurious tented camp interior with bed, seating area, and scenic view through large open flap

Four people hiking in a lush green valley, viewing the landscape

Kenya: Fuzz’s Camp

Set in the wilds of the Borana Conservancy — renowned for the remarkable resurgence and comeback stories of both black and white rhinos — Fuzz and Bimbi Dyer’s classic, cozy camp nestles deep within bush.

Here, horses are more than a mode of transport; they’re a gateway to the landscape and Laikipia Plateau, offering an intimate, low-impact way to track wildlife and connect with the terrain, just as early trackers and field scouts once did. After a day of riding, toast the sunset atop Pride Rock, the very outcrop that inspired The Lion King. It’s just one of many cinematic moments that make a stay beneath these sumptuous tents unforgettable. And, when night falls, Fuzz — a legendary campfire raconteur — is ready to share his stories.

Three people sitting around a campfire outside a lodge at dusk

Luxury camping tent with furnished outdoor seating area in a savannah landscape

Kenya: Roca River Camp

Roca River owner Caro Withey carries forward a proud lineage: Her grandfather David Roberts led dignitaries through Kenya’s wild landscapes, while her father, Willie, was a pioneer of conservation and luxury mobile safaris. His visionary work led to the creation of the first wildlife conservancy on tribal trust land in the Masai Mara.

Today, that legacy lives on at Roca River Camp — a soulful hideaway on the banks of a channel in the heart of the Mara reserve. Committed to leaving the lightest of footprints, the 10 boutique tents exude handcrafted charm while offering a front-row seat to the wild. Sip your morning coffee as half-submerged hippos heave through the shallows, or dine under a dark sky ablaze with stars.

Luxurious tent interior with a bed, red cushions, and open view to nature

Person standing near a tent with a glowing light inside at twilight in a wooded area

Set within 350,000 acres of protected wilderness adjacent to the Serengeti, Sabora blends serene moments — thanks to its contemporary design, bespoke East African craftsmanship, and the work of local artisans — with the drama of one of Africa's most spectacular wildlife events: the Great Migration.

After a refreshing dip in the pool (a rarity at tented properties — comfort under canvas is paramount!), watch stampeding wildebeest flee from predators, all from the safety of your private outdoor sala. Then, wind down with a sommelier-led tasting from an award-winning wine cellar or choose from the gourmet deli set up and enjoy a picnic at one of the camp’s many scenic spots.

House nestled in a blooming meadow with tall trees under a clear sky

Luxurious safari tent interior with comfortable furniture overlooking a serene grassland

Rediscover the romance of the wild at Chinzombo. Perched along the untamed Luangwa River, this is the kind of place where you might wake to the gaze of a curious elephant just outside your tent or drift off to the lull of bellowing hippos.

Pay homage to the golden age of safari and early exploration with an exclusive sleepout under the stars, away from the main camp. With watchful rangers by your side, enjoy a crackling campfire and three-course dinner on a sandy embankment overlooking a tranquil tributary, before finally climbing into your see-through bush pod and cocooning into a plush bedroll.

After your overnight, return to one of the six spacious tents, soak up sweeping views from your suite’s bathtub, then wander over to the fully stocked bar to marvel at the vintage maps and sepia-toned photographs on display. This is the perfect balance of "roughing it” in style.

People sit by a campfire at night near tents under a starry sky

Cozy open-air lounge area with sofas, a hanging chair, bookshelves, and garden views

Zimbabwe: Tembo Plains

The mighty Zambezi River is the lifeblood of Tembo. Tucked into a thick riverine forest within the private Sapi Reserve — which borders Mana Pools National Park — this place is steeped in the spirit of National Geographic filmmakers and conservation pioneers Derek and Beverly Joubert. To help you capture wild and rare moments throughout your stay, guests have access to professional-grade Canon cameras and Leica binoculars.

Stone walls evoke the iconic ruins of Great Zimbabwe, the ancient capital of a once-powerful kingdom, while the surrounding canvas opens to uninterrupted views. Dine with your feet in the river as ellies stroll past (“tembo” means elephant in Swahili). This remote part of Africa teems with life — from painted dogs to lions and leopards — thanks to the rewilding of a land once denuded of game by decades of over-hunting.

Luxury tented camp with pool at dusk, surrounded by lanterns and natural scenery

Luxurious safari lodge interior overlooking a sunny landscape, with elegant seating and rustic decor

Botswana: Duke’s Camp

Located in the lush, labyrinthine heart of the Okavango Delta, this camp serves up some serious safari panache. The younger sibling of the Kalahari’s iconic Jack’s Camp (which has long taken its cue from the desert), Duke’s draws its inspiration from the channels that wind sinuously around it.

Created in partnership with “Duke” Sarefo, a Wayeyi tribe member and lifelong steward of the land, this explorer’s base is pitched on raised wooden decks beneath a canopy of leadwood trees. Old-world charm is brought to the bush through details like crisp pinstripe linens, brass fixtures, and Persian rugs, while expert guides honed in the bushcraft and lore of the Delta get you face to face with creatures big and small wading through the reeds. Game drives cover vast ground, but the true magic of the Delta reveals itself at a slower pace that is best experienced from the gentle glide of a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, savoring the rare birdsong that fills the air.

Cozy glamping tent interior with warm lighting, wooden furniture, and open flaps revealing nature outside

Sunset over a serene stream with large trees and a rustic bridge