Exotic English campsite which has a ‘taste of Africa’ with safari-style lodges and animal spotting
A TRIP to Africa may sound lovely, but flights are a fortune and you would want to splash out even more on bucket-list activities when you got there.
The good news is, there’s a dog-friendly glamping site in the UK which offers a taste of Africa, but at a fraction of the price.
The Marabou safari tent at Brook Meadow, set in rural Leicestershire, may not have exotic wildlife on its doorstep, but it’s immersed in nature, with a lake and woodland.
Inspired by the 1985 film Out Of Africa, the glamping lodge resembles a colonial structure, on timber stilts and with animal motifs throughout, from tigers on the cushions to leopard- print throws.
I was visiting alone, but there was plenty of space for at least two families, with two tent beds for kids and two king-size bedrooms for adults – one covering the whole upper floor.
Golden taps
And if the idea of a two-storey tent doesn’t wow you enough, the lavish decor will.
Everything inside resembles a boutique hotel, from the luxury cotton linen to a free-standing bath tub with golden taps.
But unlike in a hotel, guests have access to a huge garden area, where I spent many evenings cosying up by the huge fire pit and on the swinging chairs overlooking the lake.
Wait until the sun sets so you can stare up at the twinkling night sky – then you really could be in Africa.
I’d stocked up on burgers, chicken kebabs and salad bits from the Farndon Fields Farm Shop for a barbecue.
But if the weather’s not looking great, there’s a proper kitchen and dining room in the safari lodge.
Also, make sure you’ve ordered a brekkie hamper from La Fete Fleurie, which comes full of locally sourced goodies.
And if you can’t be bothered to cook, wood-fired pizzas are available on site every Saturday from May to October.
You could also head to nearby Market Harborough for some grub.
If you like noodles and dumplings, Dim Sum Master is the place to go, while Ascough’s Bistro serves excellently cooked steaks.
Avalanche adventures
When you’re not lounging on the safari tent sofa or strolling round the on-site lake, those with kids should make the eight-minute drive to Mini Meadows Farm – anyone staying at Brook Meadow gets free tickets.
Here you can bottle-feed lambs, llamas, pigs, goats, rabbits and alpacas.
Avalanche Adventure is within walking distance of the farm too, where for £25 an hour you can rent a quad bike.
It sent my heart racing as I tore my way through forests and kicked it into fifth gear at high speeds.
It may not have been a wildlife safari.
But it was a safari of my own kind – and it didn’t break the bank.
GO: Brook Meadow
STAYING THERE: A four-night self-catering midweek stay at Marabou Safari Glamping Lodge is from £145 a night, based on two sharing.
Extra guests £15 a night.
Call 01858 880886 or see brookmeadow.co.uk.
A La Fete Fleurie hamper from £10.50pp based on a minimum two-person order.
A one-hour quad biking safari costs £59pp.