Sleep under canvas or stars

Sleeping under canvas or stars means spending a night outdoors: in a tent, a desert camp, a swag in the Australian outback, or with no roof at all. It's one of the cheapest ways to wake up somewhere extraordinary, and the darker the sky, the more stars you'll see than you knew were there.

Where to do it

Wadi Rum, Jordan

A desert of red sand and sandstone mountains in the south of Jordan, protected and listed by UNESCO. Bedouin-run camps range from simple tents to glass domes, and many guides will take you to sleep on the sand under the open sky. Desert nights are cold in winter, so ask for extra blankets.

Erg Chebbi, Morocco

Tall orange dunes near Merzouga, where you ride a camel out to a camp at sunset and climb a dune for sunrise. It's a long day's drive from Marrakech or Fès across the Atlas, so most people go on a two- or three-day trip through Morocco.

The Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom

Scotland's access laws allow responsible wild camping on most unenclosed land, so you can pitch by a loch or in a glen. The exception is Loch Lomond's camping management zones, where from 1 March to 30 September you need a permit or a campsite. Summer brings midges in the United Kingdom's north, so pack a head net.

The fjords and mountains, Norway

Norway's right to roam lets you camp on uncultivated land at least 150 m from the nearest house, for up to two nights in one place. North of the Arctic Circle the summer sun doesn't set in Norway, so bring an eye mask.

Atacama Desert, Chile

San Pedro de Atacama, at about 2,400 m, is the base for very clear, dry night skies, which is why major observatories are built nearby. Campsites and lodges run stargazing nights with telescopes. Nights in this part of Chile are cold, and the altitude takes a day to get used to.

NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

A private reserve in the Namib Desert named an International Dark Sky Reserve, the first in Africa. Some lodges have open-air sleep-out decks with a bed under the sky. Namibia is remote, so it's either a self-drive camping trip or a splurge.

Uluru, Australia

The campground at Yulara sits a short drive from Uluru, and tours sleep in swags, heavy canvas bedrolls, under the outback sky. Climbing the rock has been closed since 2019 out of respect for its Anangu owners. Summer heat in central Australia is intense; the cooler months are far easier.

Grand Canyon, United States

Campgrounds on the South Rim fill early, and sleeping below the rim needs a backcountry permit, often won by lottery for popular sites. The hike out is uphill and hot, which catches people out. Book well ahead for this corner of the United States.

How to make it happen

• Check the local rules. Wild camping is legal in Scotland, Norway, Sweden and Finland with conditions, but in much of the world, including most of England and Wales, you need the landowner's permission or a campsite.
• Sleep warm. A sleeping bag rated for the night's low and a good mat matter more than the tent; deserts and mountains get cold after dark.
• Never cook or heat inside the tent. The CDC warns that stoves, heaters, lanterns and grills can fill a tent with carbon monoxide, which can kill people in their sleep.
• Pick your night. Stars are brightest around the new moon, far from towns; a red headlamp keeps your eyes adjusted.
• Leave no trace. Pack out all rubbish and keep fires to marked places.
• Tell someone where you are, and check the weather before you go.

Many of these spots are in or beside a national park.