Review: Remote and wild Reteti House in northern Kenya

Location: Reteti House overlooks dramatic mountain peaks and wide open savannahs from its remote hillside setting in the breathtakingly beautiful Namunyak Conservancy in northern Kenya. The property is a 10-minute drive from the region’s airstrip, which can be reached with a one-hour flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. The conservancy spans more than 1,300 square miles and is a vast tapestry of sun-scorched plains, arid riverbeds and clusters of acacias.

First impressions: We hop from the plane onto the dusty orange airstrip to be greeted by our guide Kalamon Leogusa, who’s not sporting the khakis and beiges usually donned in the bush, but instead a riot of bright pinks and blues adorned with intricately beaded accessories. Namunyak Conservancy is in Samburu County, and seeing Kalamon in traditional dress sets the tone for our stay in the region with safari and conservation specialist Sarara, where Samburu culture isn’t just spotlighted, but celebrated. We jump in our 4x4 vehicle and wind through a series of sandy tracks, occasionally spying jackals sheltering from the sun, before arriving at Reteti House. There is no grand entrance, just a flight of steps set into the hillside, but this is a property that doesn’t need grandeur – it has authenticity and natural beauty by the bucket load. The Samburu staff – helmed by lodge manager, astrologer and all-round fantastic storyteller Tilas Lekango (aka Mr T) – greet us like old friends, and I instantly feel at home.