Maybe 5 million is undershooting the mark somewhat (100 billion is more accurate), but it certainly paints the picture we’re after: stars, upon stars, upon stars, twinkling in onyx skies, stretching from horizon to horizon. These are the views from Africa’s best starbed safari lodges and luxury camps, and they are some of the most humbling and unforgettable vistas you will ever lay eyes on. We went in search of these starbeds and whittled our experience down to the cream of the crop.
The concept of a 5-star hotel pales in comparison to the exquisite feeling of drifting off to sleep under luxuriously comforting bed linen… and nothing else. The wide open skies surround you and the fresh night air touches your face and fills your lungs, while the soundtrack of the wild lulls you into lala-land. These are our 10 best starbed experiences.
1. Kalahari Plains, Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Botswana is one of Southern Africa’s top destinations, full of varied safari experiences ranging from desert plateaus to alluvial wetlands. Right in the centre of the country is the world’s second-largest game reserve – the Central Kalahari – and here we discovered the sublime Kalahari Plains Camp.
This camp is listed in Wilderness Safaris’ ‘classic camp’ collection, and it is luxurious, fine-tuned, and utterly unique in its location. The influence of the indigenous San Bushmen is evident throughout the lodge, the area, and in the safari activities. It is a treasured region, historically sustaining both human and animal life. The Kalahari’s vast, unpopulated expanse and clear night skies make it a world-renowned star-gazing destination, so you can imagine the appeal in making use of the 8 individual starbeds built on top of each luxury unit. Guests can choose to climb the stairs to the roof of their tent and sleep in comfort under the still, shimmering skies.
2. Baines’ Camp, Okavango Delta
Baines’ Camp – named after the 1800s explorer Thomas Baines, who travelled much of Botswana in his days of discovery – is impeccably located in a private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in northern Botswana, which forms part of the Okavango Delta. This environmentally sustainable tented camp spares no luxuries: it overlooks the Boro River, elevated on wooden walkways, and houses only 5 suites, all of which have private viewing decks designed for starbed setups.
Each suite offers the option of a stellar night under the stars by simply having your bed wheeled out onto the deck to bask beneath the night sky. The Boro River, which is home to pods of hippo and is visited by all sorts of thirsty animals throughout the day and night, provides the most elaborate setting for guests tucked in, out in the open. What’s more? Each suite has a bath tub on the deck, which adds a simple luxury to the starbed sleepout experience. A starlit bath overlooking the Delta, anyone?
3&4. Chalkley and Kingston Treehouses, Lion Sands, Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Lion Sands Game Reserve is a privately owned reserve within the Sabi Sand – perhaps Kruger’s most revered safari destination. It goes without saying that Lion Sands River and Ivory Lodges, located on their exclusive Sabi Sand property, are where immense luxury and nature’s elite come together to create the More level of quality and service.
Guests from both Ivory Lodge and River Lodge have the option of booking a night at either Chalkley or Kingston Treehouse. This starbed experience is different to numer 1 and 2 because the treehouse platforms are located a distance away from the lodge, and require prior notice to arrange a night out at the marvellous starbed site. Kingston Treehouse is larger, can sleep 4 guests, allows children, and has a shower; whereas Chalkley Treehouse (the original), is slightly smaller, designed for only 2 guests, and is not suitable for children. One is just as outrageously beautiful as the other, so take your pick, leave your electronic devices behind (you will have a radio for communication), and lie back and look at the Milky Way!
5. Malori Sleepout Deck, Tswalu Kalahari
When we are talking about Tswalu, we are talking about supreme luxury in a remote, iconic location, where possibilities can only seem endless. Exclusive air-only access brings guests to the understated glamour of this Northern Cape semi-desert safari lodge. This is where you stand a good chance of seeing the rare pangolin, cheetah, aardvark, brown hyena, and other specialised species that dwell in the desert.
Now this is where a starbed experience might find reach its peak. The area is so peaceful, precious, and protected, that it feels as though you are sleeping beneath stars that may never have seen humans before, and you will dizzy yourself with thoughts of how magnificently enormous the wilderness is. The Malori Sleepout Deck provides a spot for sundowners and dinner with a view like no other. Your guide will escort you to Malori, pop the champagne and lay out the canapes while you watch the sunset morph into twinkling darkness.
6. Little Kulala Camp, Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is situated within the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, which is part of the Namib Naukluft National Park. Its huge red dunes and flat valley floors make up the archetypical view of the Namib that is recognized around the world… An entirely surreal place for a starbed experience, and therefore, all the more necessary for us to try it! Little Kulala Camp is located in a 27 000-hectare private concession and it is perfectly designed to take in the stark desert views.
True to the Wilderness Safaris standard, Little Kulala is as comfortable as it is grand, and each of the 11 chalets merge seamlessly into the environment. The starbeds are located atop each individual unit, offering every guest the opportunity to make use of their upstairs, open-air bedroom, should they wish. Outdoor showers add to the experience, while activities such as hot-air ballooning further enhance the staggering beauty of this Namibian diamond.
7. Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools
The place of the famous ‘2-legged elephants’ – Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe’s great Zambezi Valley – is where Ruckomechi Camp resides in its gentle, yet opulent cocoon. The tented camp is located on the Zambezi riverbank, half hidden among the trees, and, of course, overlooking phenomenal views of this epically wild southern African country.
The Ruckomechi starbed experience takes guests away from the lodge on a pre-booked basis, and brings the wilderness right into view with its subtle location at a nearby waterhole. The positioning of this sleeping platform invites the possibility of moonlit game viewing, and a definite thrill to the starbed inhabitants. In addition to this invigorating starbed experience, Ruckomechi has a bath with a view, which offers thrill-seekers and luxury lovers the option to book a bath in a secluded area, overlooking the Zambezi River. Not to be missed.
8. Little Makalolo Camp, Hwange National Park
Little Makalolo is located in a renowned Zimbabwean wildlife area, where a huge population of African elephants find their natural home. In a country that bears battle scars, yet remains one of the most naturally rich and alluring in Africa, Hwange National Park is a total gem. Little Makalolo is located in its own private concession, and is positioned overlooking a waterhole, which also has a secretive hide for undetected game viewing right in front of the camp.
The starbed experience takes guests a 20-minute drive from the camp, to a remote spot located at Madison Pan. This is an old African-inspired experience, designed to feel closer to nature and keep in tune with the eco-orientated, rustic Little Makalolo experience. Of course, this is ‘rustic’ on a Wilderness Safaris level – in other words, you will be entirely comfortable and feel like you’re dressed to the nines for a night sleeping under the stars.
East Africa’s famous vibrancy and wildlife quality come together in a world-renowned safari experience. This part of the continent is where millions of wildebeest and zebra circulate each year in what we know as the Annual Migration, while Kenya’s other natural beauties have to be its Big Tuskers, magnificent mountain peaks, and fascinating and beautiful Maasai culture.
The Loisaba Starbeds are located in a private conservancy in central Kenya, where conservation and community came together to protect and enhance the natural area and its wild inhabitants. Each of the rustic, thatched guest rooms are located on the high kopjes, built against the natural rock, each with handcrafted 4-poster beds which can be wheeled out onto the private decks to offer the famous and astonishing starbed experience.
Lake Malawi is known as the Lake of Stars, which is a perfectly fitting name for number 10 on our list of Best Starbed Experiences. Taking us away from inland landscapes of some of Africa’s most alluring safari destinations and to the shores of one of its Great Rift Valley lakes. Nkwichi Lodge is located on the Mozambiquan shores of the lake, occupying sheer paradise in the surrounds of pristine waters and white-sand beaches only dreams are made of.
So, a starbed on the Lake of Stars – what a conclusion to what can be considered a bucketlist on its own! Nkwichi Lodge also offers an option of location for their starbed experience: perhaps you want to sleep on a secluded beach with the sound of Lake Malawi’s waters lapping at the shore and reflecting the universe in its surface, or maybe you’d prefer to be cradled by magnificent, white boulders on a private rock island close to shore. Tough one, right?
