Top Most Romantic Sleep-Outs and Star Beds

Elewana Loisaba Star Beds is an iconic camp in Kenya’s 57,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy in the Laikipia highlands where starbeds are connected to the guest accommodations. Charmingly old-school in its set-up, four-poster beds-on-wheels are rolled out from the bedrooms onto a wooden platform at night so guests can sleep in the open air facing a nearby dam. Spend a night here, and you’ll fall asleep watching the stars and wake up to the rising sun, accompanied by a warm drink and the promise of a day filled with wildlife activities. Those who prefer to sleep inside can make use of the camp’s simple yet cozy bedrooms, and there’s also a dining space and a central lounge with an inviting log fireplace where guests gather and share tales from their days on safari.

Perched high above the Boteti River on the outskirts of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Meno a Kwena delivers an authentic safari camp experience full of character and adventure. Bushman walks are a highlight here, offering insight into one of Africa’s most ancient and fascinating cultures. Subject to weather conditions and the dryness of the pans, salt pans sleepouts are usually offered between May and September to those on a minimum three-night stay. Drive a couple of hours from the main camp for a delicious picnic lunch on the edge of the pans before continuing to the campsite by sundown. A campfire dinner is followed by an enchanting night under the magical star-filled sky with zero light pollution.

Marataba is a 52,000-acre privately-run wild space within Marakele National Park, part of South Africa’s UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. This is a scenically stunning area where guests can spend their time boating on the Matlabas River, participating in a rhino conservation project, or out on safari, encountering all sorts of wildlife species. Pack an overnight bag and escape to Marataba’s solar-powered treehouse, Thabametsi, for a luxury sleepout in a secluded location beneath the stars.  You’ll arrive to find a gourmet tapas-style picnic basket with chilled drinks on your lantern-lit deck in time for sunset. The bed is laid with crisp white linens beneath a mosquito net canopy, and there’s an enclosed bathroom with a double rain shower—a reminder that your comfort is the priority.

Segera Retreat is an exquisite private estate on 50,000 acres of pristine Laikipia wilderness at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Ideal for exploring Kenya’s central highlands, Segera is also perfectly situated for heli-safari to the Great Rift Valley lakes and the country’s northern reaches. Designed by renowned architect Daniel Pouzet, Nay Palad is a one-of-a-kind sleepout concept resembling an enormous elevated bird’s nest where guests can choose between sleeping inside or out in the open air. The deck commands sensational 360-degree panoramic views, and guests can dine al fresco beneath the stars. Awake to a beautifully prepared picnic breakfast the following morning before heading out for the day’s adventures.

An upscale camp on the Ikuka escarpment overlooking Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park, Ikuka Safari Camp is run by a brilliant team with hands-on owners Mark and Chloe Sheridan Johnson at the helm. This is a vast, remote location where game drives focus on the wildlife-dense Mwagusi River and some of Ruaha’s best game-viewing areas. Given its position between two huge boulders, Ikuka Safari Camp describes the aptly named Rock House as its answer to fly-camping. In fact, it’s more like a full star bed experience occupying an utterly spectacular setting, with a zip-up tent on its own raised wooden platform and a bucket shower and toilet on the deck. Guests dine by candlelight under the stars while armed guides are always nearby and contactable by radio.

On the banks of the Zambezi River within Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls River Lodge combines high-quality game viewing with all the adrenalin-fuelled activities of Victoria Falls. Already known for its generously sized tented suites, the two-story Starbed Treehouses are equally impressive with their treetop hideaway location on Kandahar Island and gorgeous open-air decks. Guests can expect a comfortable living space, a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom featuring twin rain showers, and a private rooftop with an open-air starbed. This experience is perfect for honeymooners or anyone wishing to connect with nature in a quiet, isolated setting.

Tswalu is one of South Africa’s most renowned luxury properties in the hauntingly beautiful Kalahari Desert. Meaning “star” in the local Tswana language, Naledi is a magnificent starbed experience with gorgeous views of the Korannaberg mountains from its deck, where guests sleep under zero light pollution skies. Pull up a camp chair and take in the Kalahari sunset with a glass of wine, enjoy a delicious spread of locally sourced cheeses and charcuterie, and listen to the sounds of nature as darkness falls and the sky begins to fill with myriad stars. You’ll sleep on comfortable camping stretchers with plenty of extra blankets, and there’s a separate platform with an open-air shower, basin and toilet.

Time + Tide delivers a magical “Sleepout Under the Stars” experience in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, complete with simple, custom-built tents, comfy bedrolls, hot showers, a fully-stocked bar, and a delicious three-course dinner. In a scenic location high in the Zambezi Escarpment, you’ll be cared for by a dedicated team, including a guide, waiter, scout and chef. Designed as an explorer-style experience, adventurous travellers are transported back in time to a world of simplicity and connection with nature. Surrounded by the elements, gather for storytelling around an open fire, take in the colours of sunset with your drink of choice, sleep under the African night sky, and listen out for distant lion calls. A hearty breakfast will be served the next morning before your first game drive of the day.

Little Kulala is defined by its captivating desert landscape in Namibia’s Sossusvlei area. Bordering the NamibRand Nature Reserve, Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, this is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Famed for its towering terracotta-coloured sand dunes and cloudless blue skies, this is the Namibia you dream of visiting. Wake before sunrise and head out to the dunes for some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth. You’re in for a memorable evening beneath these magnificent night skies. In terms of sleep-outs, Little Kulala does things a little differently. Instead of having a separate sleep-out platform, there’s a terrace on top of each chalet, where you can have a bedroll laid out on request.