Mukima house | Luxury Country House in Kenya
Mukima house was built on a grand scale in the 40’s and has been recently rescued, rebuilt and refurbished. Hand made cedar floors, cedar windows and some immense cedar beams make this house one of Kenya’s most exceptional surviving examples of a past era. Here you can unpack your bags and spend your holiday relaxing in the luxury and privacy of your own magnificent home, visiting the many local parks and amenities as and when you please.
Standing on a 360 acre private conservancy, with a wonderful view of Mount Kenya, the fully staffed house comfortably accommodates 14 people in 7 ensuite bedrooms. There is a swimming pool, tennis court, sauna, massage room, fishing, dinghies on the dam, badmington, croquet, table tennis, broad band internet, satellite TV/DVD, walks and fabulous birdwatching. Game drives, walking safaris and horse riding can be arranged on nearby ranches and reserves, while golf and trout fishing are also available. Nanyuki airstrip offers easy access in, out and about by plane or helicopter.
Laikipia: Expansive, Engaging, Exhilarating, Unrestricted
Laikipia is one of Africa’s and the world’s most exciting wilderness safari and wildlife tourism destinations. The combination of abundant wildlife, spectacular scenery and extraordinary cultural diversity in a setting dominated by the iconic backdrop of Mount Kenya makes for an unforgettable experience. The ‘Laikipia experience’ comes largely free of the constraints that apply in most national parks and reserves. Night game drives, guided nature walks, bike tours, horse- riding and camel treks – all prohibited in most parks – are just some the exhilarating activities that await the visitor to Laikipia. People too are an integral part of the Laikipia experience. An inclusive eco-tourism infrastructure complete with high levels of community involvement and participation gives the visitor privileged access to the cultures and customs of the region’s Mukogodo Maasai, Samburu, Pokot and other peoples.
Mukima Conservancy
Mukima Houseis a 15 minute drive from Nanyuki. Standing on a 350 acre triangle, which was once a cedar forest, evidence of the age and size of the forest can be seen in the timbers of which the house is built. There are clear views of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares and the Loldaiga Hills from all corners of the property. An electric fence, patrolled by a group of Samburu warriors, protects the land, its replanted forest of 20,000 hardwood trees and developing wildlife. Trails have been cut through the bush, which are safe to walk and enjoy the birds, plants and animals.
A large dam in front of the house, fed by ground water from Mount Kenya, provides safe haven to many bird species, including egrets, ibis, storks, pelicans, various ducks and two breeding pairs of crested crane. A small herd of impala and bushbuck are breeding on the farm, while tree hyrax provide the appropriate night noises and the guinea fowl are becoming tamer.
So much to see, so much to do!
At the heart of Laikipia, Mukima is within easy reach of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares, Solio, Ngare Ndare, Samburu and Ol Pejeta national parks and reserves. Guests also enjoy exclusive access to the private Loldaiga Ranch. Activities on Mukima Estate include: swimming, sauna, massage, tennis, badminton, boating, fishing and nature trails. With world-class game viewing, climbing, trekking, flying, white-water rafting, polo and mountaineering only a short drive away.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
A morning or afternoon safari to Ol Pejeta is a perfect way to ease yourself into your visit and give you a delightful overview of the diversity and richness of Laikipia. The 90,000-acre conservancy has the greatest density of game of any park in the whole of Kenya! It is home to the last seven Northern White Rhinos anywhere in the world and is one of the only areas of Kenya to still host the
infamous Big Five. A trip to Ol Pejeta will cost $85 per car plus conservancy fees of $65 per adult per day and $30 per child per day.
Loldaiga Hills
Loldiaga Hills is a private ranch just behind Mukima. It offers breathtaking scenery packed with game in the privacy of its 46,000 acres. The Loldaiga’s provide the most stunning hotels to take an afternoon game drive as well as a sundowner excursion. A trip to Loldaiga Hills will cost $35 per car plus conservancy fees of $40 per adult per day and $30 per child per day.
Samburu National Park
Mukima now offers an incredible full day trip to Samburu National Park. Leave the house by 6.30 in the morning and arrive in Samburu in time for a gorgeous bush breakfast on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Spend the day traversing this harsh and wild part of the Northern Frontier District, taking your time to stop and take in the breath taking vistas that this park has to offer. Samburu hosts 5 species of game that can’t be seen south of the equator in Kenya; Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy Zebra, Beisa Oryx and Gerenuk. A trip to Samburu National Park will cost $150 per car plus conservancy fees of $60 per adult per day and $30 per child per day.
Solio Ranch
Solio Ranch, is a fenced, protected area geared toward Rhino conservation. The private 18,000-acre Solio Game Reserve plays a major part in preserving and breeding black rhinos in Kenya. Most of the plains species can also be seen here, the predators, lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena, as well as two northern species, the reticulated giraffe and the beisa oryx. For those that are keen on horse riding Solio has its very own stables with 5 gorgeous ex polo ponies. The horse rides can be designed to your needs although this is not an activity suitable for beginner riders. Solio charges Ksh 2500 per person for the riding. A trip to Solio reserve will cost $100 per car and $25 per adult per day and $12.5 per child per day.
Ngare Ndare Forest
Located on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya is the 5300-hectare indigenous Ngare Ndare Forest, with red cedar, podo – measuring over 7 meters in circumference, greenheart, and fig. The forest is a safe haven for large mammals including elephant, and a paradise for monkeys, birds and butterflies. There are also black rhino in the forest, which are under constant surveillance.
In the past, there was free movement of wildlife between the Mt Kenya forest and Laikipia / Samburu, and the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust is working to reestablish a wildlife corridor. A trip to the Ngare Ndare forest will cost $100 per car.
Walking through the Estate
We have some gorgeous nature trails on the estate that will take you right through the heart of Mukima. The trails are strategically hotelsd to ensure the most picturesque and relaxing of walks. Make sure that you carry a pair of binoculars with you to make the most of the flora and fauna that surrounds you. With over 200 hundred species of birds on the estate this really is an
ornithologists’ dream! Other species to look out for on your amble through the bush are bush buck, reedbuck and steinbuck and soon to be impala, zebra and
warthogs!
Sauna
We have a luxurious sauna room located in the pool house; a wonderful way to relax and get rid of those toxins! Please speak to Anne or on site beautician for more details.
Swimming
Please make sure that you make the most of our lovely swimming pool. Perfect for a dip on return from a days safari or just to refresh and rejuvenate with the dramatic views of Mount Kenya.
Tennis
Tennis balls, a selection of rackets and trainers can be found in the games room just off the inner courtyard. This is a wonderful way to spend those cooler evenings with a fabulous baraza for avid supporters to enjoy an afternoon tea or a gin and tonic.
Croquet
Just inside the front door of the house there is a full croquet set. The front lawn makes the perfect hotels for a relaxing game again all with the incredible backdrop of Mount Kenya.