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Mukutan Retreat - Laikipia - Kenya Safaris & Tours
Mukutan come from the Swahili word Mkutano meaning "The Meeting" and that's exactly what the beauty of Ol Ari Ranch in Laikipia delivers.
Mukutan is place where you might witness the gentle, almost human, interaction between an elephant mother and her fledgling baby; where a nighttime chorus of the wild comes to life, with the roar of lions providing the baritone; or where the silhouette of a rhino can be seen in the moonlight from the open-viewed veranda.
The raw beauty of the Mukutan Retreat in Kenya is so breathtaking, so pristine, and so surreal that visitors may feel as if they have walked onto the set of a movie. And they have.
With the now available movie, I Dreamed of Africa, audiences will be awed by the sweeping majesty of Ol Ari Nyiro, the 100,000-acre ranch that envelopes the Mukutan Retreat and takes center stage in the film starring Kim Basinger.
Born in 1943, Kuki Gallmann was raised just outside of Venice, Italy, but always had a longing eye for Africa. Her dreams were realized in 1972 when she moved to Kenya with her husband, Paolo, and her son, Emanuele.
In 1974, the family acquired Ol Ari Nyiro, a 100,000-acre cattle ranch in the breathtaking Laikipia region of Kenya. For Gallmann, the sprawling landscape spurred an understanding and appreciation for the equally vast African culture.
But her fairytale existence was shattered by tragedy in 1980. Paolo was killed in an automobile accident as he was returning to Laikipia. He had carried with him a crib, specially built in the shape of a boat for the child they were expecting. Despite the pleas of her relatives, Gallmann chose to remain on the rugged land she had shared with Paolo. But unthinkable tragedy would next strike Emanuele, just after his 17th birthday. Gallmann had always been concerned about her young son's passion for snake handling, and those fears proved warranted when he was killed by the poisonous bite of a puff adder.
At that moment Gallmann, who formally became a citizen of Kenya in 1997, could rightfully have abandoned Africa. But her resolve only intensified. Her soul had been scoured, her understanding of the essence of life elevated. And so began Kuki Gallmann's dedication to preserving the mysterious continent that had so captivated Paolo and Emanuele.
Tell Me More About Mukutan Retreat Located In Ol Ari Nyiro Ranch, Laikipia, as an African Safari Accommodation in Kenya
• From the untamed wildlife to the rugged terrain to the guest cottages constructed solely from native materials, the Mukutan is quintessential Africa - undisturbed and unpredictable. The retreat is situated more than a mile above sea level on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, the cradle of mankind. It is located in the heart of Ol Ari Nyiro, the 100,000-acre wildlife reserve of world-renowned conservationist Kuki Gallmann.
• Lodging is provided by three traditional dwellings, perched at the edge of the gorge and patterned after native African rondavels.
• Each hut offers luxurious accommodations with double beds, a fireplace and a private veranda overlooking the cliffs.
• Each is dressed with Swahili and Lamu furniture and built of local stone, papyrus and native woods.
• The paradox of the Mukutan Retreat is that it remains exquisitely civilized, yet it is the very antithesis of civilization.
• There is no electricity at the Mukutan Retreat; the obtrusive hum of an electric generator is forbidden.
• Power is collected by solar panels, although most illumination is by candlelight.
• In fact, upon reaching the Retreat, the last several hundred meters are covered on foot to eliminate the sound of vehicles and preserve the ancient silence of the Mukutan Gorge.
• The bellhops are camels, carrying luggage to the cottage doors. Mukutan proprietor, Kuki Gallmann, has painstakingly modeled the Retreat to be the penultimate African destination. Every object is a hand-selected part of a perfect puzzle that delivers the lore of Africa in its authentic sense.
Africa Safari Culinary & Dining Experience At Mukutan Retreat in Laikipia
• Renowned cuisine at the Mukutan is a mixture of exotic tastes and classic Italian gourmet dishes. All ingredients are grown organically on the ranch. Food preferences can also be catered to on an individual basis upon request.
• Natural springs surrounding the retreat make for abundant drinking and bathing water. All drinking water is filtered. Bottled water is available.
Kenya Safari Nature Experience and Adventure Tour Activities At Mukutan Retreat Located In Ol Ari Nyiro Ranch, Laikipia
• At the Mukutan Retreat, visitors gain passport to one of the most undomesticated locales on the planet.
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By day, elephants, zebras, cheetah, leopard, rhinos, lion, giraffe and
buffalo that romp in plain view surround guests. At night the same
wildlife can be heard in concert outside the safety of the three
traditional cottages that cling to the edge of the Mukutan Gorge and
comprise the luxurious accommodations of the Retreat.
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