A trailer you can see clean through, the Naledi Camper is as simple and straightforward to use as any other teardrop on the road, but it packs two big distinguishing features: oversized picture windows on each side. Campers get sandwiched between huge views of the local surroundings to which they traveled, providing a camping experience more akin to sleeping in the fresh air on naked ground ... albeit from the comfort of a sheltered foam mattress.
We were tempted to call the Naledi the most panoramic teardrop out there, or at least question if it might be. But after thinking about it a bit more, we recalled others that are technically more panoramic, cocooning campers in heavily glass pods with views from nearly every angle.
Installing big windows with commanding views is not a new or novel idea in the RV industry, but incorporating unique designs with frameless glass and wraparound windows seems to be more popular than ever in the 2020s, spanning all categories of RV from camper vans, to motorhomes, to caravans, right down to tiny teardrop-size camping trailers. Even lighter, simpler camping solutions like pickup toppers, rooftop tents and ground tents have gotten in on the trend.
With that in mind, the South African-designed Naledi Camper isn't necessarily the most panoramic teardrop trailer the world over, but it's definitely loaded with bigger views than the average trailer its size. That's thanks to the cleanly integrated window array that sandwiches the all-glass door with two fixed windows to create one large view. Naledi multiplies that picturesque setup by two, giving each sidewall the same glassy treatment. Short of building the entire wall out of glass, that's about as open a view as you could possibly have within a teardrop trailer and much larger than the typical small door window.
If Naledi were to bridge those two huge side windows with a central skylight, similar to what American builders like Escapod and Droplet offer, it might well earn the "most scenic teardrop in the world" designation, but we see no evidence of such an option. Instead, the company keeps things simple and classic through the remainder of its build.
The Naledi trailer's form is defined by a flattened roofline sandwiched between a fast-swooping rear-end and a robustly curved front. The flat roof optimizes the design for the level roof rails that hold awnings on each side. Naledi skins its trailer out in a combination of aluminum and aluminum composite.
While not as rugged as some of the other teardrops and tiny trailers roaming Africa's southern tip – a testament to the no-nonsense camper industry there much more so than any shortcoming on Naledi's part, the 14.1-foot (4.3-m) Naledi Camper is somewhat fortified for rough conditions. It rides on a powder-coated steel-braced frame rolling 14-in steel wheels cushioned by shock absorbers. And all that glass is 4-mm-thick toughened safety glass designed to hold up to the rigors of the road.
Naledi doesn't merely lean on its striking windows as its teardrop's only selling point, adding in an impressive amenity list that starts with a high-end electrical system with 100-Ah lithium battery, 120-W rooftop solar panel, Victron hardware and shore power hookup. With no inverter listed, you'll want to be plugged into the grid when using the single-hob induction cooker or the microwave integrated neatly into the galley cabinetry, but the portable single-burner butane stove will cook anywhere.
The galley also includes a sink, large worktop and 220-V kettle. In true South African fashion, it comes fully stocked with a set of crockery for four people, utensils, pots, and dry storage containers for spices, coffee, biscuits and such. The 50-L National Luna fridge/freezer is located around the side, sliding out from the front storage box. The 50-L fresh water tank, meanwhile, is mounted to the underside of the trailer body above the 750-kg axle.
The Naledi cabin is as simple as we've come to expect from small teardrops, filled out by a 7.5-in-thick (10-cm) high-density foam double mattress and some basic shelving/cabinetry over the foot of the bed. It also includes an overhead fan, cup holders, 12-V and USB outlets, LED lighting, and privacy blinds and mosquito nets for the lockable doors.
Naledi launched its unique take on the teardrop trailer in 2023 and showed it at the recent Caravan Show in Johannesburg, the country's largest RV show. The camper is starts at R289,000, which converts to a dizzyingly enviable American price tag around $15,800.
Source: Naledi Campers