Escape to Dunya Camp, a Luxury Glamping Retreat in the North Georgia Mountains
Just 90 miles from Atlanta, Dunya Camp pairs safari-style tents, spa-inspired amenities, and mountain views to create a restorative glamping retreat designed for slowing down
R-E-S-P-I-T-E. Seven letters with two double-word score squares makes for an 11-point Scrabble victory. As I sip a glass of champagne, gazing out at a sherbet-colored sunset, winning this board game is the only worry on my mind. And at Dunya Camp, that’s exactly the way it’s designed to be.
Located in the North Georgia Mountains, the luxury camping retreat was born out of a compromise by the husband-and-wife co-founders who had different desires for vacation—one who craved unplugging in nature and the other whose luxury hospitality career encouraged 5-star stays with swanky amenities. Together, the pair bridged the gap between luxury comfort and soulful simplicity, and Dunya Camp was born.
Just 90 miles outside of Atlanta, the property features six safari-style “tents” (a humble way to describe them) all perfectly positioned for both privacy and prime sunset views. Guests are welcomed with a sensory experience from the first steps inside, starting with an opulent fragrance that drifts throughout the space. The eye hardly knows where to look first thanks to rich textiles—like a wall mural and playful patterns on the ceiling and canopy bed—a glimmering chandelier, and flowing drapery. In the bathroom, a full-size soaking tub’s traditional curves are echoed in the collected furniture and found pieces, which have been sourced from around the world.
The tent is meant to make things easy. Keep meal-planning to a minimum and leave the kitchen tools at home—the kitchenette is stocked with everything you’ll need to cook meals, clean dishes, and keep groceries cold. Just pack the essentials and a few basic pantry items and the gas grill with side burner can handle the rest.
There’s fun to be had outdoors as soon as the birds start chirping. Start the morning with tea or espresso on the deck while breathing in the fresh mountain air. Later, the lower deck beckons with a cedarwood hot tub, loungers, and an outdoor shower. Inside the barrel sauna, a couple drops of aromatherapy oil will lower your cortisol within seconds.
To keep the heavy lifting to a minimum, additional offerings are meant to pamper. Breakfast baskets, picnic lunches, and private chef dinner options enhance the wilderness experience, while ritual baths and in-tent massages feel like a personal spa. For those who opt to completely disconnect, extra bundles of firewood and enough groceries to last the weekend are more than enough to set your stay up for success.
While nearby nature preserves and hiking trails are worthy of exploring, remaining on-site for the duration of your stay is just as restorative. And cancel the dinner reservations—the best seat in the surrounding area is on the top deck at sunset. Afterwards, a dip in the hot tub underneath the stars brings a level of calm unachievable within city limits.
As the midnight sounds of the surrounding forest start to lull you to sleep, the four-poster, king-size canopy bed feels like sleeping on a cloud. Keep the wall-to-wall doors open through the night for a more traditional camping experience, or zip up the tent to keep the elements outside. In addition to the wood-burning stove, each tent is climate-controlled for year-round enjoyment.
Each individual part of Dunya Camp is thoughtfully considered with a luxury, restorative mindset. And as the stay nears its end, a guest book filled with memories from past visitors proves the transformative weekend wasn’t a glitch, but a testament to the magical private getaway in the woods you can only understand from experience. dunyacamp.com