Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef

Wilderness Tent

Blending into the natural environment the eco-lux Wilderness Tents sit on an elevated platform with spectacular views of the sand dunes and ocean beyond. Showcasing an expansive decking with relaxing hammock to sit and watch the Kangaroos graze among the dunes. The Wilderness tents offer comfortable beds and an eco-ensuite bathroom. Wake to the sound of the ocean lapping the shores and the song of birds as you gaze over the expansive dunes on the lookout for a breaching whale as you tuck into breakfast or enjoy a morning swim in Ningaloo’s crystal clear waters.

Sal Salis is a remote, beach-side safari camp nestled in the dunes of Western Australia’s Cape Range National Park, on the shores of Ningaloo Reef.  With just sixteen eco-luxe wilderness tents you will share this striking location, and one of Australia’s best kept natural secrets, with few others.

The focus of your stay at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef is the wilderness around you, and its marine and land inhabitants. Your eco-luxe wilderness tent accommodation is designed to expose you to the sights and sounds of the great outdoors … a red kangaroo grazing amongst the dunes, the beautiful song of a butcherbird or a humpback whale breaching just beyond the reef. You will share these magical experiences with just a handful of other guests – this is the true luxury.

As the sun sinks below the horizon, raise your glasses over creative canapes in the recently refurbished, communal Lodge. A delightful entrée to your three-course fare that follows. The Lodge is the kitchen table for all your meals. It’s everyone’s ‘luxury campfire’, sharing adventures, forging friendships, and filling ravenous stomachs. After a day out at sea or trekking land, this is the place to be. No matter how you relax, you can do it at the Lodge. It’s just like coming home after a long day adventuring.

Staffed 24/7, you can have a drink in-hand at any hour. And you’ll want to hang out here. The Lodge sits above the sand and coastal scrub, taking in expansive reef and ocean views. With an adjoining library to peruse with books, board games and a self-service bar, the Lodge is an all-day (and night) affair. All three meals are served here, where sunset dinners become an event in themselves. A three-course meal is created from a bush-camp kitchen, that will leave you, and your tastebuds, speechless. The flickering candlelight enhances the mood. Relax, put your feet up, break bread, and converse… with your new friends, new stories and a new experience of nature.

The camp has been designed to operate in tune with the fragile environment of Cape Range National Park and as such we abide by strict principles of minimal impact and sustainability. Our power is solar-generated, each ensuite bathroom has a natureloo, water usage is very carefully managed and no waste material escapes into the surrounding ecosystem. Guests are allocated 20L of water per person per day for showering. Native herb soaps and ecologically sound shampoos are provided.

Our wilderness tents are spacious and naturally comfortable, and are designed to help you escape the distractions of the modern world: they do not feature minibars, televisions, piped music or telephones. We provide simple, bare-foot luxury in tune with nature so you can comfortably appreciate this magnificent part of the world.

Experiences

Snorkelling – At your doorstep is the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. Home to over 500 species of colourful fish, 250 varieties of coral formations along with rays, turtles, dugongs, clownfish, harmless reef sharks, and sea birds. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef, the coral is within swimming distance from your private beach, so there’s no need for boats and time-consuming transfers. Walk on the warm white beach sands, before wading into the clearest turquoise waters you’ve ever seen… and within a few long strokes… there’s the coral.

Kayaking – As the world’s largest, fringing reef, you’ve got a fun day of kayaking adventure waiting, metres away from your camp. Guides check the tides and weather to ensure conditions are kayak friendly.  Pack your flippers, so you can jump out and swim whenever you want. With an array of colourful reef residents, you can explore a little farther along the shore with a kayak. Alternatively, guided kayak-snorkels take you further off-shore, where you drop an anchor in the sand and discover deeper lagoons. Witnessing soft corals, sponges, wobbegong sharks, and hundreds of marine fish. Our guides will show you how to interact with this unique ecosystem, without interfering with nature.

Whale Shark Swim –  Each year, between mid-March and July,  slow-moving, filter-feeding whale sharks migrate past Ningaloo Reef.  Sal Salis offers whale shark swims with select local partners at an additional cost and you can expect an up-close-and-personal view of these gentle giants for a once in a lifetime experience. Jump off the back of the boat, gliding next to the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, feeling its majesty and surprising gentleness. It is advisable to pre book your whale shark swim before your arrive, either directly with the resort or with local providers.

Humpback Whale Swim –  Plunge into the pristine Indian Ocean waters and prepare to have the experience of a lifetime. Although a mighty 40,000 kilograms in size, humpback whales are gentle, charmingly curious creatures. If you’re lucky, you might even see a calf and the intimate dynamic between mother and young. Whale swims are an additional cost and it is advisable to pre book your Humpback whale swim before your arrive, either directly with the resort or with local providers.