Arijiju’s owner grew up in the bush, and built the house to ensure that his London-based family connect to their heritage, and learn to embrace and protect nature. Dedicated to conservation, Arijiju has been sustainably built and its tourism model funds local conservation projects.

Carved into the bedrock, Arijiju blends so discreetly into the landscape that it’s hard to spot, even from the air. Determined to make the house as unobtrusive as possible, the exact position of the house, anchored by views of Mount Kenya, was chosen so that each of the bedrooms gets an elaborate, equatorial lightshow at sunrise

THE SETTING

Far from the crowds of other safari spots, Laikipia is one of the last true bastions of wilderness, and the house was built using local timber and stone to tread as lightly as possible. At once contemporary and ancient, elemental and artisanal, its design was partly inspired by the monasteries of neighbouring Ethiopia. The living roof and roughhewn stone walls conceal five expansive suites, a cinema room, study, living room and dining room.