A home, a retreat, a sanctuary for adventure.
This highly sought-after retreat plays host to A-list fashion celebrities, influential architects and royalty. With a pretty landscaped courtyard, bedrooms facing the African sunrise, and living areas facing the mighty Mt Kenya, Arijiju is often rightly referred to as ‘the most beautiful house in Africa’.
After 10 years of the finest detailed design, the property is cleverly sculptured into its rocky hillside on the famous Borana Conservancy in Laikipia, Northern Kenya. The lines are simple. The materials are natural. The interiors are pared-down but lavish. It is a calm and contemplative space, taking inspiration from Ethiopian monasteries and it barely leaves a mark on the precious landscape.
Arijiju is a masterpiece but what else could be expected from a collaboration of architect Alex Michaelis and interior designer Maira Koutsoudakis, responsible respectively for many of the Soho Houses and the spectacular North Island.
The property’s owner is a private individual but invites a handful of special guests to stay each year. It can only be taken exclusively and sleeps up to 10 adults and 4 children in five huge and pristinely decorated suites with morning sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling archway windows.
The suites surround a central stone courtyard filled with leafy green plants and running water. Elsewhere, guests can make use of a beautifully designed dining room with softening chandeliers, a games room, a home cinema with huge lazy chairs, a 25-meter infinity lap pool, a spa and gym, and a library which doubles up as a serene office.
Arijiju’s family of 23 resident staff are on hand to attend to your every need; a host couple, safari guides, activities rangers, butlers, maids, and a team of superb chefs.
Laikipia boasts exceptional diversity with snow-capped mountains, forests and waterfalls, big open plains, and undulating hill landscapes. As such, Arijiju offers an unrivalled myriad of ways to explore.
Alongside the usual 4×4 game drives, horseback rides, guided walking safaris, mountain biking, quad biking and buggy safaris there is also an opportunity for Tropic Air helicopter excursions to Lake Logipi to see the incredible mass of pink Flamingo, or to Lake Alice for fishing, or Sarara to witness the incredible phenomena of the Samburu Singing Wells.
Arijiju is as much a wellness retreat as it is a safari. Guests are welcome to the tennis and squash courts, hammam, gym and yoga deck, and 6 hours of beauty and spa treatments per day, all included in the rate. For joggers and hikers, Arijiju is a treat. Endless trails along hill ridges, accompanied of course by expert rangers and a backup vehicle.
Not just a magical Big 5 safari destination; Arijiju prides itself on a powerful environmental consciousness. The entire house is run from solar power and all food is sourced locally if not from their own gardens. Morning juice blends, yoga in front of passing wildlife, and elephants drinking from the pool – all part of the daily norm here.
At Arijiju you can fully immerse in the magic of Kenya with ease and comfort while enjoying an active outdoor healthy lifestyle. You can be certain of peace, quality, beauty and adventure but also that you are travelling consciously while supporting front-line rhino conservation.
As part of a wider exploration of the magnificent natural wonders of the region, we would recommend combining time spent at Arijiju with a classic safari camp deep within the Maasai Mara or a luxurious safari lodge in the wildlife-rich Serengeti, ending your classic East African safari at a paradise private island off Tanzania’s beautiful coast.
Availability is extremely limited at these remote and exclusive properties, so planning in advance is highly recommended.
Contact our team to begin planning your next African adventure.
