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We all need to do this now and then, to leave the city behind and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. To rise with the sun and explore everything that Boschendal Wine Estate and surrounds has to offer, or sink into the sumptuous king-size bed with its luxury linens and take in the ever changing light and sky over the mountains. How much you do or don’t do is completely up to you at Camp Canoe.
Glamorous Camping or “Glamping" is certainly not new - in 16th century Scotland, Earl Atholl prepared a glamping experience for visiting King James V and his mother. The Earl arranged the most luxurious tents decorated entirely with objects from his palace. During the same period, a diplomatic summit in Bellingham, France, called "Field of the Cloth of Gold”, prepared 2,800 tents surrounded by fountains spouting red wine. Ottoman Turkey used tents as the residences on its military campaigns. The sultan's imperial tents were particularly lavish mobile palaces. Conveniently he had two tents - one to enjoy in the moment and another they could make ready for his arrival at his next destination. It's said the Sultan's tents were so large that it took six hundred camels to transport them.
Luxury tents and tented retreats are not new in South Africa. But now more than ever following covid, city dwellers are increasingly seeking refuge in nature, looking to disconnect from day-to-day life without necessarily travelling far distances, and choosing to be outdoors but without roughing it. This allows you to unplug, get away from screens, and connect with nature, allowing our stress to ooze away. Glamping offers the best of camping - it involves camping with the luxuries of a home or hotel and Camp Canoe is the perfect spot to enjoy the many splendours and spoils of this. With a locale boasting the perks of nature, spectacular views, swims in the dam, canoeing and hiking and without the usual bugbears of needing to pitch a tent, dust, bugs, and shared ablutions, it’s a luxurious experience.
What Makes It Unique?
The setting for one. It’s only 45 minutes from Cape Town in the Cape Winelands near Franschhoek in the grounds of Boschendal Wine Farm surrounded by spectacular mountain views. The camp is on land opposite Boschendal high up at the foot of the Simonsberg Mountains. A tree-lined avenue leads you straight up the mountain through vines and fynbos where seven sizable tents offer privacy and fuss-free laidback living. The all ripstop canvas tents were custom-made by Tentickle. Each unit overlooks the sparkling dam. All are surrounded by lush flora and come with a wood-fired hot tub elevating the experience to extraordinary and a super-sized hammock to while away the days, all overlooking superb mountain views. The tents are a short walk away from the View Point and many glorious hiking routes of various abilities, and lengths. Spectacular sunrises and sunsets are on tap.
“My family and I moved out to the winelands during covid. While exploring our new surroundings, the land is part of Boschendal and we live on the farm so we stumbled upon the tents. These were an unfinished product and we just knew we had to take them over and make something new and fresh and exciting with them”, founder and serial entrepreneur Amy Kropman tells me. “I love building on ideas to turn them into businesses. Some of my ventures have been great successes and some have failed. I love to learn and try new things. I am proud of creating jobs in this society and empowering my team. I am proud of every happy guest that comes through our doors.”
The Brief
The brief from owner Amy Kropman and her husband Tal was short and sweet: "Here are seven abandoned tents. Let's make them and this camp cool and memorable.” The couple has been in the hospitality industry for many years, (having previously created and ran the upmarket B.I.G Backpackers in Green Point), and were looking for something to do beyond that. Kropman turned to Rotem Shacha and Megan Bond of MR. Design Studio (known for creating and curating spaces and objects, giving spaces a story, and bringing that story to life). “MR. is about thinking and making, so it was a no-brainer for me. They tell a story through spaces and build a concept and design around that. I absolutely love that approach and cannot wait to be able to work with them again,” she shared.
The Inspiration
The duo describe the camp's aesthetic as "A Wes Andersen romantic storytelling set meets Japanese rural pod". They took inspiration from "All Things Scout '', and Wes Anderson's iconic 2012 coming-of-age movie Moonrise Kingdom - an ode to first love shot in his trademark style. The extraordinarily whimsical and witty colour-coded set design is like a Norman Rockwell painting brought to life. MR. has totally captured Anderson's vibe - the result of Camp Canoe is uber chic with delightful happy-making quirky elements in a pastel palette, and a far cry from the typical African bush-inspired tents on offer. Add a bit of what makes you happy, whether it be shinrin-yoku - shinrin means "forest" and yoku means "bath" in Japanese, hence the term forest bathing, meaning to bathe in the forest atmosphere, experiencing it through all our senses. Or practice tree-hugging to increase the hormone oxytocin - the hormone of love, trust, and all the warm and fuzzy feelings. It makes you feel calm and helps in emotional bonding. While serotonin and dopamine make you feel happier, you are all set for a super fun and comfy stay.
For a take on real camping (well, with a Weber Barbecue rather than a campfire), you can whip up tasty combos from your pre-ordered Boschendal hampers and wine from The Wine Agent, who have some amazing wines in their selection. There's also a handy induction hob and fridge to store your goodies. Should you wish to go off-site in true glamping style, head down the fabulous tree-lined avenue, cross the road to the Werf restaurant and deli for your daily sustenance to Boschendal Wine Farm. There’s also the Friday night market, and you can ride a bike or check out the art.
The colourful interiors have many fun features, and the soft wall, an oversized sleeping bag (a camping icon), is an inspired design. This was conceived by MR. and made in collaboration with the talented team of Casamento, with a playful and useful Peg wall Kitchenette by InterDesign. The daybed is from Houtlander, the table and chairs are from Pedersen + Lennard, and the shower tiling is from BitByBit Mosaic. Overall the tents bring a fun element of surprise. You don't expect a tent interior to feel and look like this. "That is our job as designers, to surprise and reinvent and pay attention to details,” shares the design team. “I love that guests are completely taken aback by the location and the look and feel of the tents, and that the attention to detail we have worked hard on, does not go unnoticed. I hope we have made Wes Anderson proud”, Kropman adds with a smile.
House Canoe is available to hire for events as it comes with a catering kitchen. The 14-seater table is from Boschendal farm’s woodworking shop, with chairs by Woodbender. The canoe frame on the ceiling is from Barn & Werf; its central lighting strip was made by Martin Doller. The wall panels are by Interdesign, and the wall lights are from Kooperasie. The high-backed chairs standing against a wall hanging by Casamento are from Aura Interiors. The Adirondack chairs and table on the left are from Patio Life. The revamp took four months from brief until the first guest unzipped their tent.
“I was never a girl guide but grew up outdoors and earned my sailing, fire making and knot tying badges hanging out with my dad. I spent so much of my youth camping at summer camps and it always gave me the feeling of being free and connected to nature. I prefer glamping these days though,” Kropman adds. “I would like guests to feel that they are immersed in nature, that they can really switch off from the hustle and bustle of a busy life. I would love my guests to feel pampered by the luxury and to leave having made some great memories around the campfire. Right now it’s going really well but we would like to add a few more experiences for our guests for picnics at the viewpoint or taco Tuesdays at the fire pit.” The feedback has also been great. “So far guests are loving it. Being on Boschendal Wine Estate allows guests to tap into all the amazing facilities that Boschenal has to offer and so wine tasting or Friday night market coupled with a hot tub under the stars makes our guests really happy”. It certainly made me very happy. There’s no question that I will be back.
