Wild Canvas luxury glamping Waitomo New Zealand

Our Story

A Vision Brought to Life

At Wild Canvas, we've created two luxury lodge-style glamping tents perched on their own private hilltops, completely secluded with no one else in sight.

Our goal has always been to create a glamping experience that blends the best parts of camping, starry nights, crackling fires and the joy of simplicity, with thoughtful design and high-end comforts.

Designed for couples, families and small groups alike, our tents offer a private escape where you can slow down, reconnect and immerse yourself in the beauty of Waitomo.

Wild Canvas Glamping Escapes New Zealand stamp

The Idea

The comforts of indoors, with the feeling of outdoors

We believe there's something special about sleeping under canvas. A feeling that connects you to the land in a way no building can. From inside your tent, you can hear the soft rustle of wind in the canvas, the distant call of birds at dawn, and the gentle hum of farm life below. It's a nostalgic kind of comfort, one that reminds you of simpler times, yet surrounds you with the luxury and warmth of a boutique lodge.

Our tents sit high on the farm's most spectacular ridgelines, completely private and surrounded by sweeping views. Here, nature takes centre stage: watch the sun dip behind the hills, the stars appear one by one, and the early morning mist roll through the valleys.

Glamping, for us, is about reconnecting to nature, to each other, and to yourself, while still enjoying all the thoughtful comforts that make a stay truly restorative.

“We believe there’s something special about sleeping beneath canvas. A feeling that connects you to the land in a way no building can.”

Wild Canvas tents on the hillside at dusk

Meet Your Hosts

Emily & Benjamin

Emily and Benjamin Scott, founders of Wild Canvas

We are Emily and Benjamin, proud hosts of Wild Canvas, a family-owned luxury glamping experience located in the heart of Waitomo, New Zealand.

Nestled on a 700-hectare, third-generation family farm, our private hilltop sites offer an unforgettable guest experience with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Ben grew up on the farm and returned in 2016 to farm full time after a career in civil engineering. He completed his MBA in 2022, where he explored regenerative farming and sustainable business practices, ideas that continue to shape Wild Canvas's approach today, from energy-efficient design to thoughtful native planting across the farm.

Emily grew up in Auckland and, after visiting the farm and experiencing its beauty, dreamed of sharing it with others when we made the move. Originally born in South Africa, it felt fitting that our first build was a safari tent, a quiet nod to her birthplace and love of design.

In 2017, we built our first luxury tent, originally known as Waitomo Hilltop Glamping, and in 2023 completed our second site. Our goal has always been to exceed expectations in glamping design and create a one-of-a-kind experience where guests can slow down, reconnect, and experience the beauty of Waitomo in complete privacy.

How We Got Here

The Wild Canvas journey

2016

A new chapter on the farm

Ben returns to help run his family's third-generation Waitomo farm full time, beginning to explore how the landscape could be shared.

2017

Waitomo Hilltop Glamping begins

Originally launched as Waitomo Hilltop Glamping, our first hilltop safari tent opened with a simple vision: to create somewhere beautifully designed, private and deeply connected to nature. Inspired by Emily's South African roots and a shared love of sleeping beneath canvas, it quickly became one of New Zealand's most loved glamping stays.

2022

A new name, the same vision

Waitomo Hilltop Glamping becomes Wild Canvas, reflecting a growing vision for thoughtful design, private hilltop escapes and experiences grounded in nature.

2023

The Pōhutukawa Tent opens

After two years of planning, engineering and construction, the Pōhutukawa Tent opens. Featuring four queen bedrooms, a cedar hot tub, indoor stone fireplace and a sophisticated off-grid energy system, it marks a bold new chapter for Wild Canvas.

2023

Airbnb Best Design Stay Award

The Pōhutukawa Tent receives Airbnb's Best Design Stay Award, recognising the design, atmosphere and guest experience that had become synonymous with the Wild Canvas.

2024

5-Star Qualmark Gold

Wild Canvas achieves Qualmark 5-Star Glamping status alongside the prestigious Gold Sustainable Tourism Business Award, recognising both guest experience and a strong commitment to sustainability.

2025

A new Kōwhai Tent

The Kōwhai Tent is completely reimagined and relaunched with an indoor fireplace, polished concrete floors and a new native landscape design, creating a fresh chapter for the couples' retreat guests had already fallen in love with.

The Farm

Life on the land

Set on a working farm, the land is home to both beef and dairy herds, with a few sheep grazing the paddocks surrounding the Pōhutukawa Tent.

Mornings here begin with the sound of birdsong echoing through the valleys. Native tūī, kererū, and kingfisher swoop between the trees, while fantails flit playfully along the pathways.

Guests can witness real farm life while still enjoying complete privacy and comfort. From your hillside lodge, take in sweeping views of the farmland, breathe the fresh country air, and feel fully immersed in nature, with every luxury just a few steps away.