The Big Six: Luxury camps

From safari-style tents and old ghost towns to rice paddies and desert experiences

Cresto Ranch, United States

Dunton Hot Springs is an old ghost town in the Colorado Rockies that has operated as a five-star wilderness retreat since a renovation in the Nineties. Its latest addition is Cresto Ranch. Located four miles downriver, the camp has eight canvas tents fitted with gas stoves and six-foot bath tubs. It's all centred around a main lodge, hewn from a 19th-century farmhouse, that houses a modern-day dining room, bar and wraparound deck. Operating seasonally, it invites guests to explore North America's sublime mountain range from June to October.

Cresto Ranch, Dunton, Colorado, US (001 970 882 4800; duntonhotsprings.com). Doubles start at US$1,400 (£933), all inclusive.

Glamping Sandat, Bali

This bucolic camp opened last month amid the rice paddies that surround the hill town of Ubud, in central Bali. It claims to be the island's first luxury camping experience with a choice of five canvas tents, propped up on local bamboo and mahogany frames, plus three split-level huts with thatched roofs and carved Balinese furniture. The overall effect is impressive with immaculate interiors throughout, hugged by tropical gardens, candlelit pathways and an infinity pool.

Glamping Sandat, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (00 62 813 5306 0409; glampingsandat.com). Doubles start at US$460 (£307), including breakfast.

Perdue Hotel, Turkey

Though this camp is only a half-hour drive from the package-holiday hotspot of Oludeniz, it couldn't feel more apart. Opened in May on a secluded cove, with endless views of the Mediterranean, it hides eight safari-style tents with drawback canvas fronts and private balconies, strewn with deckchairs and a Jacuzzi. Inside, they exude a resoundingly restful feel with plump double beds and plush bathrooms. An infinity pool and open-air restaurant add the final flourishes.

Perdue Hotel, Faralya, Fethiye, Turkey (020-7722 2288; perduehotel.com). Doubles start at £250, room only.

Chamba Camp, India

Next month sees the launch of the Ultimate Travelling Camp, a nomadic Indian retreat that starts by exploring the Ladakh region. Pitching up in Thiskey from 1 to 30 September, it offers a five-night itinerary that visits the area's 12-storey Buddhist monastery and the city of Leh, sweeping past the Indus river and Himalayan scenery, before returning to rest each night in one of the lavish tents. Next year, the camp relocates to Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nagaland.

Chamba Camp, various locations, India (020-7808 5691; thechambathikseycamp.com). The five-night itinerary costs £2,295pp, all inclusive.

Ikara, Australia

Ikara opens in the foothills of the Flinders Ranges National Park next month, bringing a safari-style experience to South Australia's largest mountain range. There will be 15 tents, bedecked with king-sized beds and ensuite bathrooms. But the real drama awaits outside, in a landscape that's defined by red river gum trees, stalking emus and the Wilpena Pound, a natural amphitheatre of rugged peaks that's popular for bushwalking.

Ikara, Flinders Ranges NP, South Australia (00 61 8 8648 0004; ikarasafaricamp.com.au). Doubles start at A$180 (£120), room only.

Bedouin Oasis, UAE

At present, Arabian Incentive offers a desert experience in the emirate of Ras al Khaimah, where guests journey out in 4x4s to dine amid the dunes, before returning to their hotels. But from 15 November, the company opens a second resort in the neighbouring state of Umm al-Quwain, an hour's drive from Dubai. Here, visitors will be able to combine a desert adventure with a night spent in one of 50 atmospheric bell tents, layered with Arabian carpets and flickering lanterns.

Bedouin Oasis, Umm al-Quwain, UAE (00 971 4 2666020; arabianincentive.com). Doubles start at AED900 (£154), half board.