This Overlanding Upstart Finally Fixed What Many Hate About Teardrop Trailers

The Nalendi Camper proves that a trailer designed to be small and maneuverable doesn’t have to feel cramped.

A Naledi Teardrop Camper parked in the African Plains next to a classic Land Rover Defender 110 in white

Published March 10, 2025

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Updated March 10, 2025

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The recreational vehicle market is still doing quite well, even as the unprecedented interest in isolated travel sparked by the pandemic has waned.

Call it fate or luck, but the idea behind this familiar yet distinct camping trailer was sketched initially back in 2019. As the company’s founder, Andre, shares on the brand’s homepage, “I admit, I’m a fussy guy. I wanted something modern, built with leading technology and materials that have, up until now, been reserved for building modern motor cars.”

Just over five years later, Andre has to be feeling good about where his dream stands today. His Naledi Camper brand has generated notable buzz in the adventure-trailer world, in large part because the design addresses what’s notoriously been one of the biggest downsides of so-called Teardrop campers, which have otherwise proven to be an increasingly popular form factor for adventures interested in smaller, affordable and compact trailers.

A Consistent and Obvious Complaint

A Naledi Camper trailer shown parked in front of a large body of water with hills and mountains in the background.

If you lurk in any corner of the internet where fans of adventure trailers meet, you’re likely to spy at least one thread discussing the claustrophobia factor of RVs and especially teardrop trailers.

As some astute (and often snarky) posters have noted, the entire category of tiny travel trailers is something anyone dealing with severe calustrophia might do better to avoid.

A Naledi Campers being towed by a white Toyota SUV across a sandy landscape with a rocky hill in the background. — The Naledi Camper measures just over 14 feet long, making it easy to maneuver and tow behind most SUVs and trucks.

But for those with milder anxiety about tight spaces, there’s been a strange dearth of options with designs downplaying the sense of sleeping in a mini-submarine.

Vistabule is one exception that is often recommended, thanks to its large skylight windows, which help enhance the trailer’s sense of space while offering great views of the sky.

But it doesn’t do much for admiring the immediate scenery around a great campsite.

A Room with a (Sizeable) View

A interior view of the Naledi camping view highlighting the adventure trailer's sizeable tinted window, which offers a wide view of the ocean and green grass around the trailer — Large tinted frameless windows, made from 4 mm toughened safety glass, wedged around matching tinted clear lockable doors, make the Naledi Camper’s cabin look and feel far more spacious when compared to most other teardrop campers on the market today.

Andre had done enough homework to know the so-called teardrop-style camper, already made by a wide range of brands like Polydrops, nuCamp, Vistabule and Timberleaf, just to name a few, was the ideal form to start with.

As he shares in the brand’s origin stories “research and getting acquainted with the many different options available, I came to the conclusion that teardrop campers offer the best solution. They do not require much effort in setting up camp, and whether it’s one night or several, everything happens literally in seconds. I am safe from the elements, I can treat myself to an ultra-comfortable mattress that does not need inflating or folding away and I can have a fully equipped mini kitchen. What more could I need? “

A Naledi Camper shown parked with the rear kitchen hatch open and an integrated awning extended. An older man with white hair is shown sitting beneath the awning in a folding chair next to a camp stable. — Two integrated awnings provide sheltered outdoor space. One of the awnings includes covered sides to create a more sheltered vestibule.

While his final design delivers on all of his state goals, the 14.1 ft long trailer’s large tinted frameless windows, made from 4 mm toughened safety glass, wedged around matching tinted clear lockable doors, are the unit’s defining future.

They make getting inside easy while providing owners exceptional views of a choice campsite and ample interior natural light.

Integrated privacy blinds are also included to keep wandering eyes out, while mosquito netting and pull-out awnings on either side measuring 2m x 2m, including one with drop-down sides for privacy, help enhance the trailer’s sense of spaciousness, especially in good weather.

Of course, the main tradeoff of this “open” design is security, given that breaking glass is always an option for anyone desperate to get inside by force. But assuming you’re not looking to venture offroad just to be surrounded by others, this risk doesn’t feel like a dealbreaker.

Plus Plenty of Other Creature Comforts

The rear kitchen of a Naledi Camper shown with the hatch open to reveal the kitchen's storage area, counter, microwave and other features. — The trailer’s kitchen is designed to handle the cooking and eating needs of up to four people and includes a sink, microwave and a lot of integrated storage.

While the sizeable tinted side panels help set the Naledi Camper apart from other teardrop trailers, it also packs all of the features you’d expect a tiny adventure trailer to have.

The electrical system consists of a 100 Amp/h lithium-ion battery, 120 W roof-mounted solar panel, Victron MPPT solar charge controller, and Victron 220v 15amp charger, which feed power to various outlets.

The bedroom includes a 100mm hi-density foam mattress, a roof-mounted fan, interior LED lighting, cup holders, a storage shelf and cupboard, plus a plug and 2.1 Amp USB outlet on either side.

A Naledia Camper shown parked with the door open and integrated roof awning pulled out. The camper's combination fridge / freezer is shown pulled out on its storage rails for access. — An integrated 50L combination fridge and freezer is located at the front of the trailer and mounted on pull out rails for easier access.

As usual with teardrop designs, the kitchen is located in the rear hatch. It includes a full cooking setup for up to four travelers: a single-burner gas stove powered by disposable butane canisters, a solid wood counter, and a tap and sink.

LED lighting, two plugs and drawers, storage containers, and storage bags for organization are also included, as are a microwave and a 50L fridge/freezer made by National Luna.

The fridge/freezer is mounted on sliding rails for easier access, although it’s somewhat annoyingly located at the opposite end of the unit from the kitchen. A ~13-gallon (50 liters) water tank is likewise mounted above the trailer axle for weight distribution.

The trailer’s body is made from a combo of aluminum, composite aluminum and high-density insulation. It sits on a steel cross-member chassis that can be powder-coated or sealed with polyurethane paint.

Its shock absorbers and 14-inch steel wheels won’t qualify the trailer for intense offroading, but it should survive drives on tamer unpaved roads without issue.

Pricing and Availability

A Naledia Camper shown parked and shot somewhat from a low angle to show the trailers frame and integrated awnings. — The trailer’s body is made from a combo of aluminum, composite aluminum and high-density insulation

If you’ve been waiting for a catch, this is it. Currently, the Naledi doesn’t appear to be available in the U.S., though who knows if that could be in the future given that America is the biggest market for RVs on the earth.

That fact is equally galling when considering the Naledi Camper’s incredibly affordable price point. Its “all-in” price tag of 289,000 South African Rand equates to approximately ~$15,750 U.S. dollars.