The thought of sleeping under canvas, cosying up by a campfire under starry skies and gazing over a deserted landscape out at an uninterrupted horizon at sunrise is a romantic ideal for many of us.
Often though the reality of sleeping outdoors with cold early mornings and more rustic ‘facilities’ perhaps does not live up to the dream in our heads! Africa has long offered the most beautiful romantic tented camps in remote locations with incomparable views, wildlife viewing from the terrace and without compromising on comforts and service. Whilst trekkers and the more intrepid have for a long time been camping along the likes of the Inca Trail or in the wilds of Patagonia, it is only in recent years that there are now truly comparable experiences under canvas in South America waiting to be discovered. For lovers of the great outdoors but who don’t want to relinquish their home comforts, we can recommend some truly unique ‘glamping’ experiences in some stunning locations throughout the continent.
One of my favourite regions for its sheer majesty and rugged dramatic vistas is the southern tip of the continent at Tierra del Fuego that straddles Patagonia in both Argentina and Chile. Here, close to the edge of Torres del Paine National Park and on the shores of a beautiful lake sits Patagonia Camp, elegant yurt tents surrounded by forest, a cosy and warm base from which to explore this dramatic region on horse-back, on foot or by 4WD. As the Andes soar up to the high altiplano from Chile’s Atacama Desert through Bolivia and into Peru, cross the dazzling white surface of the largest salt flat in the world, sleeping in a beautifully equipped Airstream caravan, sipping cocktails at sunset on the deserted Salar whilst your private chef prepares dinner. The Galapagos Islands are one of nature’s most fascinating wildlife classrooms; cruising the islands by small yacht is the perfect way to enjoy its diversity. However, once back onshore why not extend your stay in the fascinating highlands of Santa Cruz with its birds and giant tortoises at a luxurious tented camp with spectacular views over neighbouring islands from its sunset platform, enjoying canapés and bubbly at the same time. Mexico’s Baja Coast plays host every January to huge numbers of gray whales who come to calve and raise their young in the warm waters off the peninsula. Stay in your own private camp dining on the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste after close encounters with whales off the Pacific Coast and kayaking trips in the warm waters of the Sea of Cortes. Meet one of our favourite guides who is also from a traditional Mayan village deep in the Guatemalan rainforest. Camp next to an ancient Mayan site and learn more about this fascinating community who have always inhabited the forest next to Uaxactun, over a local dinner by candlelight in the shadow of the pyramids.
Contact us to plan your next luxury tailormade camping adventure to Latin America.
