Breath of Fresh Air

There’s something magical about escaping to the wilderness and sleeping beneath the stars, and these lodges and glampsites get it just right

SONOP, HARDAP REGION, NAMIBIA

You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into the pages of Livingstone’s diary at this remote outpost, set on the southern edge of the Namib Desert. Thanks to a whimsical design that pays tribute to the travel of yesteryear, with antique desks, maps, trunks and brass telescopes, there’s a romantic feel to this lodge, the second Namibian property for Zannier Hotels. And while the 10 tents, which blend seamlessly into their rocky surrounds, channel that bygone era, Sonop pulls out all the stops for a luxuriously modern getaway, with king-sized mattresses, white-gloved service and freestanding copper tubs with sweeping desert views. Naturally, there’s an exciting array of activities on offer, including hot air balloon trips, private yoga classes and desert horse-riding, but when the most spectacular scenery awaits behind the canvas of your tent, there’s perfectly good reason to stay put. From £605, B&B. zannierhotels.com

RUNNERS- UP PINES’ SHELTER, AREIAS DO SEIXO, PORTUGAL

It’s all about the barefoot beauty at this laid-back hideaway near Torres Vedras, on the breeze-tickled Atlantic coast north of Lisbon. The scents of pine and salty sea fill the air at the two-berth lodge, which has done away with mod-cons, replacing TVs and wi-fi with hammocks, firewood stoves and dreamy beach views. From €495 (£447), B&B. areiasdoseixo.com

KACHI LODGE, UYUNI, BOLIVIA

In the stark moonscape of the Uyuni Salt Flats, it’s fitting that the domes of this solar-powered lodge by Amazing Escapes look extra-terrestrial. Inside, the focus is sumptuous-meets-sustainable, all dressed up with a bohemian air: bright bayeta cushions, low tables and lamps made of cactus wood. It’s blowthe-budget territory, but this is as unique and remote as it gets. From £2,990, B&B. kachilodge.com