Skip to main content

Utah’s Luxurious Camp Sarika Retreat Is at the Heart of 5 National Parks

Few life experiences are as beautiful, humbling, calming, eerie, and awe-inspiring as standing in the middle of a desert. With a vast, otherworldly landscape stretching in every direction, it’s enough to turn anyone into an existential philosopher, if only for a moment. One of the most renowned U.S. resorts is looking to capture that feeling — plus a healthy dose of high-end luxury amenities to boot — with an exclusive, all-new desert camp.

It looks like an exotic luxury camp in the heart of Africa. Statesiders seeking a proper digital detox might be surprised to learn that this world-class retreat is situated in Canyon Point, near Utah’s border with Arizona. With privileged access to the Navajo Nation Reservation and five national parks, including Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bryce Canyon, it’s an ideal place to unwind and get back to nature.

Next year, the otherworldly landscape will be the site of the all-new Camp Sarika by Amangiri. The exclusive retreat will feature a cluster of 10 canvas-topped guest pavilions designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. All will offer high-end amenities, including designer interiors, luxury bedding, and dedicated living and dining areas. A private terrace attached to each tent will guarantee panoramic sunset views, plus access to a fire pit and heated plunge pool. For guests who can find a reason to leave their rooms, the camp will also house shared amenities like a communal lounge, a wellness center, a restaurant, and even a spa tent.

The new retreat is a niche extension of Utah’s existing Amangiri. Situated on 600 acres of dramatic red rock country, the five-star hotel resort is a literal oasis in the middle of nowhere. It’s a remote location where guests are encouraged to hike, climb, learn about the local Navajo culture, and embrace the rejuvenating properties of the desert. The new retreat’s daily adventure program will take advantage of it all with guided mountain and desert hikes, slot canyon expeditions, and even its own exclusive via ferrata route.

Camp Sarika is expected to open in April 2020 with nightly room rates starting at $3,800. If Utah isn’t far enough removed from the hustle of your daily life, check out the best luxury African safari retreats that redefine glamping.

Editors' Recommendations

Tips on How to Pack a Backpack for a Multi-Day Trek
A Guide to Help You Pack Your Overnight Backpack
A man treks through the Scottish highlands with mountains all around

Packing for a holiday is usually a case of squeezing everything into a bag until it closes. If you're really lucky, it might even still be under the weight allowance for your airplane or fit in the overhead locker. But what if your idea of a holiday involves walking for hours at a time and pitching a tent under the stars?

The good news is that the rough ideas are the same; you still need to fit everything in your bag and it still needs to be a reasonable weight -- after all, you're going to be carrying it on your back. But there's a little more to it than that. There's an order to pack your bag and experienced backpackers have a method that looks seamless. This guide will not only help you learn how to pack an overnight backpack more efficiently, but save you hassle in camp, too.

Read more
Here’s Why a Sleeping Bag Liner Is a Camping Essential for Your Trips
Add Warmth and More With a Sleeping Bag Liner
Four-season sleeping bag

We would all love for our outdoor gear to last longer. After all, a camping or trekking setup can easily run hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Perhaps the most undervalued item in your pack is the one you rely on the most. Getting excited about sleeping bags can be difficult when you've got gadgets and gizmos galore in your pack. But what if there was a way you could make sure your trusty sleeping bag is still coming with you on trips in ten years' time?

Sleeping bag liners are one of the most overlooked and underrated pieces of camping equipment — so much so that many hikers and campers go for years without ever using one. For most, though, once they start to use sleeping bag liners, there's no going back. So what is it that makes these unassuming items worth their weight in gold?

Read more
In Review: Why My Go-To Ultralight Pack is the Montane Trailblazer LT
Find Out How I Liked This Ultralight Backpack
A close-up shot of a man running away from the camera. He is wearing blue jacket and carrying a blue backpack

Ultralight backpackers are taking over the trails, and the days of heavy canvas backpacks — complete with frames that look like medical contraptions — are behind us. Fortunately, you no longer have to forgo comfort and durability to cut down on weight. Even better, ultralight gear is now designed to last. The new Montane Trailblazer LT is the latest model in a line of ultralight backpacks from Montane, a manufacturer that specializes in fast and light equipment.

This backpack is available as either a 20-liter or 28-liter model and is designed to pack out for either single-day or multi-day lightweight trail running or hiking trips. I've been using both sizes for the past couple of months for treks, day hikes, trail runs, and fastpacking trips. If you need to carry more gear than you can fit into your usual running pack, or if you want to take your adventure further, the Trailblazer LT will fit everything you need.

Read more