by Bridget Cottrell / photos courtesy of Finch Hattons

Jet lag has an upside while staying at Finch Hattons. This 17-tent safari camp is located within the boundaries of Kenya's Tsavo National Park, which rose to infamy in the late 1800s due to a pair of man-eating lions who preyed upon construction workers building the Kenya-Uganda Railway. In the dark of night, I listened to the fuss of nocturnal hippopotamuses as they made their way from the spring-fed ponds just steps from the edge of the deck attached to my tent to graze in the surrounding savannah. I was convinced that had they been any closer, I might have felt their warm breath on my neck.

Resisting the strong urge to grab the flashlight on my nightstand to investigate the racket was a decision I came to regret as the nighttime activity was less on subsequent evenings. The hippos' bemoaning racket while commuting to their solitary "job" of eating more than 100 pounds of grass per day was subtly reminiscent of my occasional "I don't want to go to work" proclamation when the Monday morning alarm sounds. For all the fuss on the outbound, the hefty herbivores returned to the water in relative silence before dawn's first light, leaving a trail of trampled grass dotted with pungent "presents" as tangible proof of their presence.

After I fell asleep, a sudden noise startled me awake. I was reminded of and humbled by the fact that without a weapon, humans are just another link in the food chain, appetizing to some and abhorrent to others. For all luxury accouterments in my spacious accommodations —British campaign-style furnishings complete with a crystal chandelier above the bed and full bar with crystal glassware, indoor and outdoor showers, and a copper soaking tub—I was cognizant that it was only the sturdy canvas walls that separated person from predator. Bird calls are constant; the most distinctive among these was the white-browed coucal, a species I identified by using my in-tent binoculars and a handy reference sheet with visual depictions of 37 of the more than 600 species of birds living in Tsavo.

Finch Hattons luxury family suite living room.

Due to its size and relative remoteness, Tsavo National Park experiences fewer tourists than the Maasai Mara. And, having been lucky enough to visit both, there is something extra special about not having to share the wildlife viewing experience with a caravan of other 4x4s. Whereas the Mara is predominantly grasslands with a smattering of riverine forest, Tsavo's landscape is quite ecologically diverse, encompassing spring-fed oases, sweeping plains, the Jurassic-Park-like cloud forest of the Chyulu Hills, said to have inspired Ernest Hemingway's "Green Hills of Africa," and the sprawling moonscape of the Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world.

The adventure begins before check-in with a scenic 50-minute small plane charter flight from Kenya, where you can admire the vastness of the landscape. Landing on a dirt runway, an army of attendants awaited, ushering us to take shelter from the mid-day sun on comfy chairs arrayed beneath a tent where refreshments are served while the check-in process is completed. Head of our welcoming committee was Camp Manager Jonathan Mutisya, who has been an integral member of the Finch Hattons family for three decades, even before the resort opened in 1993. His face still beams with pride as he recalls being an 18-year-old roughing it in the bush and having run-ins with lions while scouting campsites. I have yet to meet another GM who lives, breathes, and loves his work with such genuine intensity that his passion is palpable in every facet of the guest experience. "For us, this is home, and we welcome guests as such," Jonathan remarked.

From the landing site, it's a short drive to the camp, where the luxuriousness of the buildout belies its remote location. Finch Hattons boasts outsized amenities for a property with a max capacity of just 38 guests. There are two large pools, a spa complex with both a hammam and a second-floor open-air yoga studio reminiscent of a cathedral with heavenly views to match. Group and private yoga lessons are led by instructors who have graduated from the community-based Africa Yoga Project. Spa director Violet Muhonja has created a treatment menu inspired by traditional African healing methods. I booked the deep-tissue Maasai Oringa Massage, which utilizes a rungu—a polished wooden baton once wielded by Maasai warriors and now used to vanquish tight muscles. Working out in the fitness building adjacent to the spa, I was elated to be eyed by a curious troop of juvenile vervet monkeys, which made my treadmill time fly by. At the opposite end of camp, a viewing tower once used by national park staff to thwart poachers offers a birds-eye view of the sunset over Mount Kilimanjaro (with a signature cocktail in hand to toast the end of another eventful day).

Richard Branson's luxury travel brand, Virgin Limited Edition's recent acquisition of a stake in the family-owned resort will provide the capital to further enhance the already outstanding amenities and allow guests to have two distinct safari experiences by adding a stay at sister property Mahali Mzuri in the Maasai Mara ecosystem (featured in the March/April 2023 issue of Sophisticated Living). Leena Gehlot, Managing Partner of Finch Hattons, a fourth-generation Kenyan and Honorary Park Warden of Tsavo National Park, said: "The magic of Finch Hattons is that we were luxury when we opened in 1993, and each time we refurbish its further polishing the gem."

Except for spa treatments and activities outside the standard itinerary, everything is included at Finch Hattons, along with laundry service, which makes packing a breeze. Although two traditional game drives are offered daily, Finch Hattons delivers myriad ways to experience the landscape outside the confines of a 4x4. "It is a romantic place that makes you slow down and connect with nature," explained Lena.

Dining in the bush and on-property were equally memorable. Lena said that a passion for the culinary arts is a long-standing family tradition predating the founding of Finch Hattons. When the resort opened, there were seven courses for dinner, full of pomp and circumstance. Today's à la carte menus, while every bit as satisfying, also account for contemporary dietary concerns. Executive Chef Sudi Baha embraces principles of sustainability, local flavors, and global influences to deliver elevated dining experiences, including a soup du jour at lunch that was anything but a humble bowl of sustenance. Guests who book the sprawling Finch Hatton suite have the option of in-tent dining and the very real possibility of spying on an elephant taking a sip from the suite's personal infinity edge pool.

Non-morning people may scoff at the 4am wake-up call for a sunrise hike in the Chyulu Hills, the youngest volcanic range in Tsavo. Still, I can assure you that all will be long forgotten when the first glorious rays of sunlight illuminate one of the most majestic vistas you're likely to ever lay eyes on. Of course, the experience, like so many at Finch Hattons, includes a meal in the wild, served on fine china, as the property's namesake, Denys George Finch-Hatton MC, would have done it. Described as having "glitter in his surroundings without ever actually achieving very much," Finch-Hatton, a member of the British aristocracy, is widely considered to have introduced the concept of luxury safaris in Kenya; his roller-coaster relationship with Karen Blixen inspired her to write Out of Africa, cementing his legendary status.

An elegant spread also awaited us following the Oldoinyo Olorami trek, where guests ascend a steep trail culminating at the rim of a dormant volcano. Die-hard exercisers have requested multiple jaunts up and down for a heart-pounding alternative to the treadmill in the camp gym. We caught our breath at the peak while watching a parade of pachyderms cross the scrubby landscape where red earth meets the horizon.

Private sundowner setup in the observation tower.

The scene was a complete departure from the previous day's hike in the Chyulu Cloud Forest, a lush rainforest sacred to the Massai people where, in this Jurassic Park-like setting, I fully expected a dinosaur to emerge from behind the massive, gnarled trunk of a strangler fig tree at any moment. The current giants of the forest—elephants— had left tell-tale signs all around where we were trekking, but they seemed to elude us at every turn. Tsavo is home to approximately 10 of the 30 remaining "Super Tuskers," bulls distinguished by their massive tusks, weighing over 100 pounds each. Finch Hattons' conservation program supports the Tsavo Trust's efforts to secure safe spaces for elephants.

Elephants have been know to visit the Finch Hattons suite’s private plunge pool.

All excursions at Finch Hattons are led by trained guides who are members of the local Maasai community, who welcome travelers into their village to learn about traditional Maasai life and use tourism revenue to preserve their culture and improve their quality of life. During our visit to the village, a sudden downpour in the dry season had the women blessing our arrival, creating an indelible moment of cross-cultural sharing of goodwill as we took refuge from the deluge. One of Finch Hattons most popular experiences is the "Maasai Olympics" offered during a sundowner in the bush. Guests learn about spear throwing, athletics, and the high jump, which were improvised as an alternative transition ritual to manhood for Maasai boys before engaging in some friendly competition.

Back on the property, guests can work with Moses Simiyu, Conservation & CSR Manager, during guided hikes around the camp's four ponds to assist with a hippo head count. Our group was accompanied by a trio of sword-carrying Maasai just in case any of the crocs or hippos who call the waters home got too close. "Conservation is ingrained in what we do—we notice when there is a problem and look for ways to fix it," said Lena.

Moses is staunchly committed to his job, even when it means living long stretches away from his wife and three young daughters. Accompanying us on a game drive one morning, he was as giddy as a toddler on Christmas morning when we glimpsed the reclusive Melanistic Serval Cat, something he'd never spied in person in 13 years of working in the Tsavo region.

Under Moses' leadership, Finch Hattons works with the non-profit Justdiggit to restore and regreen degraded landscapes, increase biodiversity, and positively impact the climate. The camp is also developing a lion and carnivore monitoring program, partnering with the local Massai tribe to find ways for wildlife and livestock to harmoniously co-exist, and working with local schools to support access to wildlife and conservation education. In speaking about guests' donations that funded the construction of a regional health facility, Moses explained, "If you don't have to struggle to survive, attention can be focused on other things. If you improve the human condition, you also improve the wildlife."

A perfect integration of comfort and conservation, Finch Hattons is actively working to improve the conditions for the land, the animals, and the people who call the area home while offering an authentically luxurious travel experience. "We want to build experiences around your dreams," said Jonathan.

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