6 minute read
South Africa's Glamping Moment
By Vicki Jones, Co-Owner of Tractors and Cream
South Africa is on the brink of a glamping boom. From the wine estates of Franschhoek to the breathtaking views of Mpumalanga, a new wave of outdoor experiences is emerging, offering guests more than just luxury in nature, but a deeper reconnection with land, wellness and intentional living.
Staying at Camp Canoe
In December, my family and I visited Camp Canoe, nestled high above the vineyards of the Boschendal Wine Estate in Franschhoek. Accessible via a winding dirt track, the journey alone sets the tone: this is not an ordinary stay. The site features just seven solid-walled, safari-style tents, each designed to blend into the mountainous landscape while offering a level of comfort that rivals boutique hotels. With the largest bathroom I’ve ever seen in a tent, an indoor wood burner, full kitchen, wood fired hot tub and a giant hammock perfect for stargazing, it really was the perfect setting. Of all the glamping sites we’ve filmed for our YouTube channel, Camp Canoe quickly became our favourite to date.
But it’s not called Camp Canoe for nothing! The true highlight was the dam. Guests can swim, paddle canoes, or simply sit on the bank as the sun sets behind the peaks. There is an honesty bar inside another beautiful tent and communal fire pit area, set underneath a stunning mountain backdrop. The staff on site sat with our children and helped them light the fire. They provided us with as much wood as we needed and the marshmallows were in abundance! It added a social and almost cinematic finish to each day.
When you tell people you are going glamping in South Africa you are often met with a look of concern. "Is it safe? Are you sure you should be staying in a tent in the middle of nowhere?" But Camp Canoe is in the middle of a wine estate, with staff on site, and a guard at the entrance. We felt completely secluded, but also really safe and well looked after.
A Movement Gaining Momentum
Camp Canoe is just one example of a growing movement across South Africa. To understand the wider picture, I spoke with Gugu Sithole, founder of Glamping Adventures and the visionary behind South Africa’s first-ever glamping expo which took place on 20th and 21st June this year.
Gugu’s passion is unmistakable. “I want to spark a lifestyle movement,” she tells me, “one that redesigns luxury to prioritise well-being, reconnection with nature, and community.”
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the explosion of glamping online, Gugu says the sector remains fragmented, with a lack of set standards or a unified network. She believes collective action will help shape the industry’s future.
Gugu’s business journey began with mobile glamping. These were luxury tents fitted with beds, Wi-Fi and meals provided, set up at various sites for group retreats and teambuilding programmes – but demand soon grew for permanent, high-end structures. Gugu and her team work with a network of diverse glamping sites across the country, from river-facing luxury tents on nut farms in Mpumalanga, to mountain-view domes that blend eco-conscious design with local cultural heritage. And yet, until recently, most of these experiences were unknown even to domestic travellers.
“The word ‘glamping’ is still new in many parts of South Africa,” Gugu explains. “But interest is growing, especially among millennials, families, and women-led travel groups seeking wellness, slow living, and curated outdoor experiences.”
A New Booking Platform
With no major competitors in the online glamping marketplace space, Gugu is also preparing to launch an online booking platform similar to Booking.com, but focused solely on glamping in South Africa. This platform aims to solve one of the major friction points in the industry: the current reliance on manual bookings and lack of integration with global platforms. With so much natural beauty and untapped potential, the stage is set for South Africa to become a global glamping destination.
Unique Structures Set Sites Apart
I asked Gugu for her top glamping site to visit when we are next in South Africa. Without hesitation, she recommended Misty Mountain Reserve, tucked between the Western and Eastern Cape. Known for its futuristic glass domes and even a glass pyramid, Misty Mountain offers luxury stays with breathtaking views – some with beds that slide outside at the touch of a button for unforgettable stargazing under the African sky.
What I love about Misty Mountain is that they’ve used structures that I’ve never seen before – which we all know helps to set a glamping site apart from its competition. We expect to see safari tents in Africa, but domes are equally as popular. Where the UK have started to lean towards cabin style, more permanent structures, South Africa is firmly fixed in traditional tented structures under canvas… but then they do have the weather for it!
The Perfect Moment
The timing couldn’t be better. Travellers are craving unique holidays rooted in nature. Combine this with South Africa’s rich biodiversity, dramatic landscapes and warm hospitality, and you have the perfect foundation for a thriving glamping industry. We underestimate how beautiful South Africa is, with stunning mountain backdrops, big skies and game reserves, it is the perfect place to go glamping.
For those of us in the UK, where glamping has become a well-established industry, the opportunity to share knowledge and ideas with our South African peers is truly exciting. I spoke to Gugu about our new Glamping Industries Trade Association in the UK and she is keen to do similar in South Africa and to learn from us and other trade associations across the globe.
What’s emerging isn’t just a trend, it’s a transformation. South Africa’s glamping movement is here and it’s only just beginning.
