Finch Hattons Tsavo

Allow us to orientate you. To the west lies Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano and the highest peak in Africa. To the northwest ripple the gentle Chyulu Hills, some of the youngest hills in the world. All around you, as far as the eye can see, span miles and miles of untouched African wilderness, home to the greatest biodiversity on Earth. Above you, an endless sky. Finch Hattons is a luxury tented safari camp that combines its love for Tsavo with world-class facilities. The camp is completely isolated, so much so that you would be forgiven for forgetting that the rest of the world exists at all. In this place, it’s just you, the vast and varied terrain that stretches in every direction, and the many beasts and birds that call it home.

Tsavo national park

In Tsavo, lava flows that are only 100 years old lie side by side with rocks that are millions of years old. Natural springs bubble from beneath the ground, rivers gush and swamps settle. The Chyulu hills undulate while Mount Kilimanjaro soars. Endless plains are home to lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, cheetahs, gerenuks, wildebeests, oryx, bushbucks, elands, giraffes, hartebeests and impalas. The lush rainforests hum and buzz and screech. Tsavo is a place of contrasts and a place of great variety. It boasts the largest biodiversity in the world, and numerous ecosystems and landscapes.

History

Through its rich history and dramatic scenery, Tsavo connects nature, wildlife and humankind in profound and magnificent ways. Tsavo is Kenya’s oldest and largest national park. Dating to 1948 and totalling nearly 22,000 square kilometres, it is six times the size of the Maasai Mara and larger than a number of European countries.

Boundaries

The park borders Kenya’s Chyulu national park and Tanzania’s Mkomazi national park, as well as various sanctuaries, conservancies and group ranches. Tsavo’s immense size makes it home to more landscapes, ecosystems, fauna and flora than you could ever witness in a single visit. Its rainforests and semi-arid scrublands beg for exploration, while its volcanic lava fields, Jurassic-age granite monoliths and ancient caves offer endless opportunities for walks and hikes.

Wildlife

Over 12,000 elephants roam Tsavo’s plains, as well the largest population of red elephant in East Africa. Gaze upwards and you will find 500 species of bird native to the area, making Tsavo a twitcher’s paradise. In the distance, Kilimanjaro’s peaks, Kibo and Mawenzi, only visible from Tsavo National park, are omniscient, immense and silent. Given Tsavo’s sheer enormity and its unique eco-system, it has a very diverse landscape. From the cloud forest on the Chyulu Hills, semi-arid scrub, volcanic lava fields, Jurassic age granite monoliths and the cliffs of the Yatta plateau, one of the world’s largest at roughly 290km long, one can spend days and days and barely scratch the surface of what Tsavo has to offer.

Fame

Tsavo features prominently in the world-famous book and film, Out of Africa. In the film, Robert Redford plays Denys Finch Hatton, and Meryl Streep his lover, Baroness Karen Blixen. Denys Finch Hatton loved Tsavo, and lived and died here. At our camp, we have preserved the ideals that he lived by: a passion for the Kenyan wilderness coupled with a dedication to elegance and style.

History

We take our name from Denys Finch Hatton, the English aristocrat who, in the early 20th century, became the pioneer of the most opulent safaris East Africa had ever seen. He was the lover of Danish noblewoman Karen Blixen and features in her memoir, Out of Africa. It was the combination of Denys Finch Hattons’ love for the wilderness and his refined tastes that inspired renowned hotelier Peter Frank and the Gehlot family to establish Finch Hattons Luxury Tented Camp in 1993.

Legacy

When it came to creating luxury safaris, Denys Finch Hatton left no piece of silver cutlery unturned. His camps were quite literally fit for British royalty, and were defined by absolute opulence, total seclusion, romance and mystery. Deep in the heart of the Kenyan wilderness, he served his guests exquisite dinners on fine bone china and offered them the chance to toast the stars with crystal glasses. Today, at the camp that is his namesake, his legacy is borne out in everything we do.

Dining

In the early years, Finch Hattons was known for its seven-course dinners, served with bone china and crystal, and earned itself a reputation for the best fine dining in the bush. At the time, the staff was trained by a Swiss cordon bleu chef. But times and tastes changed, and without altering the quality of our food and service, we have since stripped away some of these out-dated traditions to create an environment that is inviting, relaxed and still world class.

Safari

You wake naturally at dawn, feeling rested and at peace. In the distance, the first rays of light strike the eastern flank of Mount Kilimanjaro and the trees around you sing and squawk and chirp with life. A nearby hippo grunts his morning greeting. You wrap your hands around a cup of coffee, prepared just the way you like it. This is only day one and you already know you never want to leave.

Experience

Finch Hattons offers an unrivalled luxury safari experience in the heart of Tsavo West National Park, Kenya’s largest national park and an area that boasts the greatest biodiversity in the world. Within this magnificent setting, we specialise in bringing the luxury African safari you’ve always dreamed of to life, and enhancing it through our years of experience and expertise, and our firm grounding in warm Kenyan hospitality. Rest assured that we’re experts at what we do.

Camp

Finch Hattons is so isolated that you would be forgiven for forgetting that the rest of the world exists at all. In this place, it’s just you, the vast and varied terrain that stretches in every direction, and the many beasts and birds that call it home. We invite you to make our space your own, and to indulge in the world-class services and facilities that have given us international recognition. The relaxation spaces include an infinity pool and the Chyulu Spa, home to an elevated yoga deck, an infinity pool, two treatment areas, a hammam and a fitness centre. Beyond our camp, game drives, bush walks, ambitious hikes, and encounters with our local Maasai communities are available to you. Our space is yours to experience as you wish.

Rooms

Every one of the 17 luxury suites seamlessly combines our African roots with elegance and luxury. They’re elevated to offer sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, and guarantee absolute privacy for our guests. The tents’ open-plan design invites the cool breeze that drifts over the nearby natural springs, bringing the sounds and scents of the bush directly to you.

Tents

The tents use only the very best sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. The roof above your tent is made from sustainably sourced makuti palm leaves, which provide shade and have a natural cooling effect. We use the bright Tsavo sun to warm our solar hot water heaters. Rest assured, however, that our heating systems aren’t affected by cloudy days, and a hot shower with ample water pressure will always be ready and waiting for you. Our large sliding netted doors prevent mosquitoes and other insects from entering your space.

Culture

Finch Hattons is located in close proximity to several Maasai community ranches, and we employ both local Maasai and Kamba people in key roles in camp management and as safari guides. We maintain solid relationships with these communities, and encourage and educate them to become avid conservationists and environmentalists who can joinus in our stewardship of this incredible piece of Kenya.

Future

Looking ahead, we intend to promote grassroots ecological and cultural conservation projects that engage our communities in long term and ultimately profitable ways. Our intention is to contribute to the economic development of our communities, improve standards of living, conserve our pristine wilderness, and facilitate the preservation of Maasai culture. It is our hope to work alongside the Maasai community and Kenya Wildlife Service to improve the standard of living, to support projects that are both beneficial to the community and to the environment we occupy, and to encourage and promote conservation and a variety conservation projects. Our end goal is in preserving the pristine wilderness, allowing the Maasai to preserve their culture,

Environment

At Finch Hattons, we never take the environment around us for granted, and pride ourselves on the sustainable materials and practices we use. The camp’s water comes from the pristine, clean and clear natural springs that surround us. We draw it directly from source, and purify and bottle it at the camp. We cherish this life-giving force, and the vitality it brings to our often harsh and unforgiving environment.