About Our Inspiration for Luxury Camping

Our family was living in a so-called rat race, a vicious cycle of work, eat, sleep, repeat.  We didn’t get to spend the quality time as a couple or with our kids that we wanted to. By the time we got home, we were exhausted. We talked about things we could do to change it, but overall things stayed the same because we were comfortable in the life we were living. For years we talked about moving to the Texas Hill Country to change the pace of life, but change is hard.

We eventually found 28 acres of undeveloped land off of the devil's backbone, which is an area known for its amazing views. We purchased it but with no plan for how to use it. Then came 2020, the year that literally changed the world. Everything closed and people were forced to stay home. After a long shutdown, my family was ready to escape so we ventured outside, and began to explore and really enjoy nature. The kids were set on going camping, but my idea of camping was getting close to nature without getting covered in it!  So I began searching for a luxury camping experience, a place immersed in nature with the comforts of home.  That's when I came across the concept of “Glamping” which stands for glamorous camping.

The places I found were few and far between and were also completely booked for months out. A lightbulb went off in my head, we have 28 acres in the hill country where we could create a luxury camping retreat. We can build a place where families like us could go to escape city life, reconnect with each other, and disconnect from the outside world. A place where families could stay in a tent but not have to be uncomfortable all night or worry about bugs and animals. After many months of contemplation, we decided to take a leap of faith and follow our dream of creating the Getaway Ranch. We both left our 9:00-5:00 jobs and moved our family to the Texas Hill Country. We began developing the property, carving out roads, clearing the land, installing utilities, and creating sites where we wanted to build the glamping structures. We knew we wanted to offer our guests tents to get a true camping experience, but we didn’t want an average tent, we wanted something that was unique and would create a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests.

We found Bushtec Safari, a company based in South Africa, and we knew that these were the perfect options for our property. We meticulously designed the tents to provide all the amenities of a luxury hotel while providing an authentic outdoor experience. With Tucks construction experience and my niche for interior design, we were able to complete the Getaway Ranch project ourselves. Together as a family, we built and created a place where others could come to escape the city and unplug. Fortunately, while creating this unique place, we were able to reconnect as a family and get back to a simpler way of living. We believe nature is the perfect setting to recharge your spirit, enjoy a slower pace, and lose track of time reconnecting with your people.

With Love and Gratitude,

Mallory and Tuck Wheeler