The Coolest Wilderness Stays to Book in Colombia

Stays at Glamho are in tiny geodesic domes on wooden terraces. They’re fronted by trampoline-springy nets, perfect to lounge in while observing the tree-topped hills over Medellín. The domes are giant air bubbles – held up by pumped pressure – and are transparent, meaning you can see the stars as you settle down to slumber. Skies are also visible from the ensuite bathroom – and there are big unheated outdoor tubs, too. Don’t fret about food – there’s a restaurant, and breakfast is included in the nightly rate.

Bethel’s palm-thatch, wattle and stone cabins overlook the cactus-filled valleys of Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert. However, the reason you come here is the night sky. Thanks to the clear air and dearth of nearby towns, the Milky Way is so clear that it looks like a white lick across the sky. Rustic rooms are positioned to make the most of this incredible display: walls are optionally open-sided, meaning the stars are with you when you sleep, and you wake to dawn over the desert. There’s a pool, a modest spa and a bar with a DJ – in case you thought things would be too quiet.

Set over the rippling Tatacoa Desert, Qji is all about nights under the stars. Accommodation is shack-simple – in tall, stilted huts made of bamboo and raw wood – and the stars feel close enough to touch, from the net beds or the hammock on the al fresco decks. The hotel has a small outdoor pool, organizes walks and activities in the desert and provides a decent breakfast – included in the price. For more astral gazing, the astronomical observatory is a five-minute drive away.

A 90-minute drive from Bogota, with rooms on tall stilts in the foliage, this weekend escape feels utterly at one with its tropical, tree-filled garden. Accommodation is simple, comprising wooden shacks with mosquito-net-draped beds. Stealing the show are the balcony views over rolling hills and thickly forested valleys. Blue morpho butterflies float through the woodland, and a mountain river rushes through the grounds. Head out by cab to find local restaurants in tiny San Francisco town.

East of Medellín, on the vast Peñol reservoir, complete tranquillity exists in the shape of eco-minded Hotel PietraSanta: a clutch of floating cabins, chalets and bungalows suitable for couples, families and groups of friends, with all meals included in the nightly rate. It’s only accessible by boat, a 10-minute transfer from the town of Guatapé. Quiet it may be, but there’s plenty on offer, from kayaking to guided eco-walks and fishing with bamboo rods. For a special occasion, book an à la carte Fantasy Dinner and you’ll dine out on the lake, among candles, flowers and stars.

Paying gentle homage to the local Kogi people, the Santuario sits in beautiful natural surrounds. It’s thatch-roofed and boutique-hotel-comfortable, placed next to a mountain river as it widens towards the Caribbean. The rainforest and snowy Sierra Nevada – where the Kogi live – form the backdrop. Rest up in a hammock and watch the mesmerizing Heart of the World documentary about the region, then get lost in nature on the numerous trails. You’ll leave this place spaced-out – and utterly invigorated.

Entre Palos hides among the trees of recuperating secondary forest: accommodation in huts, raised on stilts towards the canopy. This allows them to be bigger than typical cozy-but-cramped treehouse cabins. The resort consists of ensuite bedrooms – with workplaces a visiting research scientist could use – featuring sink-into sofas and comfortable double beds. Bogotá is just under two hours’ drive from here, and dinner is served in the restaurants of San Francisco, 20 minutes away in a cab.

Elegant stilted bungalows strike a pose at this glamping retreat, their canvas sides swathing minimalist pentagonal frames. Rather than red, raw wilderness, the surrounds comprise atmospheric woodland and lawns in the hills above Medellín, from where tired urbanites arrive to de-stress – it’s an easy Friday escape. Decor inside is casually diverse, with minimalist creams and polished woods brightened by Thai fan art, Turkish cushions and gold-tinted lampshades.