Nature & WildlifeSleeps
Bringing the outside in
Our pick of nature & wildlife properties let the sounds, sights and smells of the natural world shine. Better still, you’re just steps away from further exploration.
Reviewed by
Jacqui Agate, Oliver Berry, Nicola Brady, Gareth Clark, Laura Field, Lyn Hughes, George Kipouros, James March, Chris Moss, Tebogo Pin-Pin and Qin Xie
Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp
Working with the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT), this camp of six tented suites within the 5,000 sq km Palmwag Concession is the only place on Earth where you can track desert-adapted black rhino on foot.
Stays, from around £425 p/p, p/n
About 90% of this critically endangered sub-species lives in northern Namibia – and guests can make a difference just by staying here. Part of the camp’s revenue goes into conservation work and supporting communities in the conservancies – a vital network for protecting the rhino.
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Mashpi Lodge
The 24-room, glass-fronted Mashpi Lodge is so much more than simply a luxurious and architecturally striking place to stay.
Rooms from around £813 p/n
Situated in its own 2,882-hectare private reserve – a hotbed of biodiversity yet just 100km from Quito – this rainforest ecolodge takes research and conservation seriously and has discovered an astonishing 20 species new to science since it opened in 2012. Activities include birdwatching (there are around 400 species here), hikes to waterfalls and a butterfly farm.
But for a unique perspective of the rainforest canopy, guests can soar through the treetops on a gondola (known as the Dragonfly), pedal across a 200m gorge on a sky bike or climb the eight-storey observation tower, which offers unique views of the forest layers.
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Pacuare Lodge
In travel, like in life, the journey is often part of the adventure, and this certainly applies to getting to Pacuare Lodge.
Rooms from around £735 p/n
No roads lead here, so rafting in via the Pacuare River rapids is the exhilarating norm unless you prefer to cross the river by a hanging gondola. The lodge blends well into its surroundings, its rooms built of sustainable wood.
Food is a highlight, with produce grown organically. Activities include birdwatching, rainforest hikes, visiting the Cabécar people and ziplining. Or simply relax to the sounds of the rainforest. This is sustainable luxury at its best.
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Zaborin
A new generation of design-focused ryokans is emerging in Japan, taking the inn’s traditional rural setting and filtering it through a modern lens.
Villas from around £915 p/n
Zaborin is one of the most ambitious, with 15 villas sprawling the birch forests of Niseko in Hokkaido. Each building has floor-to-ceiling windows, while the concrete beams of its modernist-style design mirror the silvery tree trunks beyond the walls.
It’s an invitation to sit and contemplate nature before sinking into your en-suite onsen, then enjoying a lavish kaiseki dinner, much of it foraged from the woods.
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One&Only Nyungwe House
Perched on the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site), One&Only Nyungwe House is an extraordinary fusion of wilderness and luxury.
Rooms from around £1,935 p/n (two-night stay minimum)
Formerly a tea plantation, the lodge embraces its setting, immersing guests in the sights, sounds and rhythms of Rwanda’s untouched rainforests. The experience here isn’t so much an escape as a deep dive into one of Africa’s most biodiverse ecosystems. The highlight of a stay at Nyungwe House is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to track chimpanzees through the ancient forests, encountering primates in their natural habitat. Guests can also take part in tea-picking experiences on the working plantation (where the local community harvests tea without a cost), learning about Rwanda’s centuries-old tea culture.
The architecture and design showcase the superb local craftsmanship, incorporating traditional Rwandan woven patterns and volcanic stone. With farm-to-table dining, guided hikes and a strong commitment to eco-tourism and conservation, guests will discover an authentic and deeply immersive way to experience the soul of Rwanda, beyond the popularity of Volcanoes National Park.
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Kicheche Mara North Camp
Incredible wildlife viewing, tick. Award-winning Maasai guides (including a Wanderlust World Guide Awards winner), tick. Walks through the bush, tick. Impeccable sustainability credentials, tick.
Tents from around £960 p/n
Based within a private conservancy, Kicheche Mara Camp has a high repeat customer base and is a favourite with conservationists and safari aficionados. All Kicheche Camps have gold eco awards, and this independent company has had a positive impact locally, with 25% of its turnover going to conservation and community initiatives.
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Near Sigriya, Sri Lanka
Jetwing Vil Uyana
This outstanding eco-lodge was the first in Sri Lanka to construct its own wetland system, with lakes and reedbeds forming a private nature reserve within its own grounds. This allowed the architects to integrate guest accommodation seamlessly into the paddy fields, forests, marshlands and surrounding gardens, giving guests a unique opportunity.
Rooms from around £150 p/n
The design has been inspired by local rural traditions, lending stays here a strong ‘back to nature’ theme. Guests are also within minutes of iconic Sigiriya Rock and easy driving distance of the ruins at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, making it an ideal base from which to experience Sri Lanka’s ‘Cultural Triangle’.
When you return, the Kandyan Kingdom-inspired fresco wall at Apsara Restaurant gives an atmospheric backdrop to chef Gunasiri’s creations. This is a truly memorable escape and the ultimate in Sri Lankan eco-friendly luxury.
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Kinsterna Hotel
Nestled into a hillside deep in the south-east Peloponnese, and flanked by miles of olive groves, vineyards and citrus trees, this centuries-old estate lies a short hop from the Byzantine citadel of Monemvasia.
Rooms from around £165 p/n
Guests even have access to a private beach just south of the town, though there are plenty of reasons to stick close to the hotel, where 32km of walking trails skitter into the countryside. Kinsterna built its reputation on its spa, though its restoration of an old mansion house is just as impressive. Stone-built rooms come with artisanal lace, tiles from Geraki and hand-made iron doors. The accomplished Sterna is the pick of the eateries, raised on a terrace above the old cistern, while those retiring to the pool can gaze over the maquis-studded hills to the sea.
More recently, the hotel has expanded its menu of experiences, with guests now able to join the olive and grape harvests or spend time with local beekeepers. You can even pay a visit to the farm that supplies 60% of the ingredients served here, soaking in more of this little-visited countryside.
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Tanzania
Rincón Del Socorro
This rustic, luxurious stay lies in the wilds of Iberá National Park in north-eastern Argentina. Formerly a cattle ranch, the property was restored by the late conservationist Doug Tompkins; it is now dedicated to rewilding the Iberá Wetlands and reviving its ecosystems, in partnership with Rewilding Argentina.
Rooms from around £580 p/n
In between lagoon visits and talks from naturalist guides, time is best spent sipping traditional maté tea, reading a book in the garden or taking a dip in the refreshing pool. In fact, you don’t even have to leave the grounds to see the local wildlife. Curious capybaras can be seen lazing in the sunshine and excitable ostriches wander the estancia’s lawns. But when you do escape into the Iberá, it’s worth it.
Thanks to the reintroduction of ocelots and the work done to increase the population of caimans, there are plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities.
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