About Karen Blixen Group A Danish-Kenyan Safari Story
Karen Blixen Group is a one-stop safari house: a Kenyan hospitality and travel group owned by Karsten Ree Holdings, Denmark. It brings together Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages in Nairobi, Karen Blixen Camp in the Masai Mara, The Out of Africa Experience, our destination management company, and The Safari Souvenir & Gift Shop by Karen Blixen. Our conservation partner is the Karen Blixen Camp Trust. From fine restaurants and bars to game drives, spas and balloon safaris, we offer a collection of stays and experiences that blend luxury with nature, history and culture.
Our story links Denmark and Kenya twice: through a Danish author who loved this country a century ago, and through a Danish family that invests in it today.
A Story Rooted in Karen
The Karen Blixen Legacy
Karen Blixen was born in Rungstedlund, Denmark, on 17 April 1885. She arrived in British East Africa in December 1913 and married Bror Blixen in Mombasa in January 1914. Together they farmed coffee at the foot of the Ngong Hills, and she ran the farm until she returned to Denmark in August 1931. Her memoir Out of Africa, published in 1937 under the pen name Isak Dinesen, introduced Kenya to readers worldwide and inspired the 1985 film. Her farmhouse, built in 1912, opened as the Karen Blixen Museum in 1986, and the Nairobi suburb of Karen carries her name.
- Out of Africa, 1937
- Ngong Hills
- Karen Blixen Museum
A Garden Estate with a Century of History
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages stands on what was once part of the Blixens' coffee farm, a 5-minute walk from the Karen Blixen Museum. At its heart is the Swedo House, built around 1908 by the Swedo-African Coffee Company, from which Bror Blixen bought the farm in 1913. Blixen's farm managers and her brother lived there until 1931. Today the restored estate holds 12 rooms and suites plus a honeymoon suite, four restaurants, a pool and the Body & Calm spa.
- The Swedo House
- 13 rooms & suites
- 4 restaurants
A Bridge Between Denmark and Kenya
The Danish connection is more than history. In January 2012, the cooking and hospitality school at Karen Blixen Camp welcomed its first students, through a public–private partnership with Danida, Denmark's development agency. With support from DANIDA, 111 young Maasai have since trained as professional chefs, many of whom now cook in lodges across the region. For over a decade, our kitchens have also partnered with Zealand Business College (ZBC) in Denmark, bringing European pastry and culinary techniques to Kenya.
- 111 Maasai chefs
- Danida partnership
- ZBC Denmark
What We Stand For
Four principles guide every Karen Blixen stay, journey and project, from Nairobi to the Mara.
Authentic Luxury
Comfort and fine food that never lose the feeling of the place.
Remarkable Places
From a historic coffee estate in Nairobi to the banks of the Mara River.
Community First
Local employment, vocational training and support for Maasai artisans.
Conservation
Solar-powered operations, a zero-waste sewage system and long-term wildlife projects in the Mara.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about who we are, our history and the businesses that make up Karen Blixen Group.
01Who owns Karen Blixen Group?
Karen Blixen Group is owned by Karsten Ree Holdings, Denmark. It includes Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages, Karen Blixen Camp, The Out of Africa Experience and The Safari Souvenir & Gift Shop by Karen Blixen, and a Kenyan team runs the group from Nairobi.
02When did Karsten Ree buy Karen Blixen Camp?
Danish entrepreneur Karsten Ree bought Karen Blixen Camp in the Mara North Conservancy in 2012. He then launched initiatives supporting wildlife and Maasai communities, which became the Karen Blixen Camp Trust in 2016.
03Is Karen Blixen Coffee Garden on Karen Blixen's old farm?
Yes. Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages is on part of the Blixens' former coffee farm in Karen, Nairobi, a 5-minute walk from the Karen Blixen Museum. Its Swedo House dates from around 1908.
04Where is the Safari Souvenir & Gift Shop by Karen Blixen?
The Safari Souvenir & Gift Shop by Karen Blixen is inside Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, 336 Karen Road, Karen, Nairobi, and also sells online. It offers Kenyan crafts, jewellery, Maasai beadwork, safari clothing and coffee.
05Is Karen Blixen Group connected to Denmark?
Yes. The group is Danish-owned and named after Danish author Karen Blixen. It also partners with Danida and Zealand Business College in Denmark to train young Maasai chefs.
06What is the Karen Blixen Camp Trust?
The Karen Blixen Camp Trust is a Kenyan nonprofit, incorporated in 2016, that works alongside Karen Blixen Camp. It supports wildlife conservation, habitat protection and vocational education for Maasai youth in the Mara.