Languid nights perfect for romance
Tented camp resorts of Kenya add splendour and adventure to a loved-up getaway
Couples looking for a romantic getaway — or an unhurried honeymoon — should consider Kenya, with its magnificent lion prides, starlit nights and endless, windswept savannahs. These camps and lodges offer the perfect setting to enjoy the landscape.
Finch Hattons Luxury Tented Camp, Tsavo West National Park
Finch Hattons is located in uncrowded Tsavo West National Park, a place of absolute quiet — on a game drive, it’s possible to not see another human. Each of the 17 luxury tented suites has a private deck and ensuite bathroom with oversized showers. On a clear day, Mount Kilimanjaro is visible over the camp’s natural springs. The animals are fewer here than in the Masai Mara or Amboseli but no less exciting to see, especially with wonderful birding. The food is simply outstanding, with seasonal fruit and vegetables, grass-fed beef and fresh seafood flown in from Kenya’s coast. (Eating under the stars is an option.) On game drives, expect to see elephants, giraffes or Tsavo’s most famous residents, lions.
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Nanyuki
The equator runs directly through the storied Mount Kenya Safari Club — you can stand in the Northern Hemisphere one moment, then step into the southern the next. Everywhere you look, you’ll have unrivaled views of snowcapped Mount Kenya in all its rugged, mountainous glory. Accommodations are plush, with 100 acres of lush, landscaped gardens to explore. A final highlight: the impeccable service.
Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp and Starbeds, Loisaba Conservancy
When darkness falls, only the constellations and moon light up the unpolluted skies of Loisaba Conservancy. With Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp’s location perched right on the edge of an escarpment, the panoramic views, both day and night, seemingly traipse on into eternity. If not for the game drives — where you’re likely to see elephant, lion and leopard — you might not want to leave your spacious tent, which features custom floor-to-ceiling windows. If you would rather sleep outdoors, Loisaba offers handcrafted four-poster Starbeds that are rolled out onto wooden platforms so that you can snooze underneath the wide-open African sky, listening to the lullaby of elephants trumpeting from afar.
Segera Retreat, Laikipia
In the undulating plains of the Laikipia Plateau, between Mount Kenya’s magnificence and the depths of the Great Rift Valley, is Segera Retreat, a collection of villas that includes Segera Nay Palad. It resembles a luxe, five-star bird nest, suspended amid the treetops of a river teeming with wildlife. Admire a dazzling African sunset as you toast the evening with flutes of champagne, then wake early the next morning to watch elephants, giraffes and big cats gather at the river to begin their day.
Richard’s Camp, Masai Mara
With only seven posh tents, Richard’s Camp is small, secluded and intimate. Lots of white linens and furniture make the camp bright and airy. Meals are served under the stars. Bird and bush walks with knowledgeable guides take you through the stark and incredible scenery that surrounds the camp. Sunsets on the Mara are dazzling as the magical transition of the colours merge with the wildly wonderful dusty, musky scents that signal daylight will soon fade into nightfall. Celebrate evenings with the customary ritual of a sundowner on the acacia-speckled Mara and salute the view and your new marriage with a gin and tonic, the traditional safari cocktail of choice.
Elewana Elephant Pepper Camp, Masai Mara, Mara North Conservancy
The infinite plains of Elewana Elephant Pepper Camp are known for its extraordinary plethora of wildlife. Great herds of elephants roam the hills, some curious enough to amble straight up to your safari vehicle. At night, the plains and woodlands surrounding the camp come alive with a serenade of lion roars, hyena whoops and jackal barks. While the wildlife may be restless outside, you’re completely safe inside your well-appointed tent that is set amid a grove of fig, ebony and elephant pepper trees.