Bespoke safari planning for the discerning traveller
Our Experience
The Exclusive East Africa portfolio builds on our many years of experience working with the region’s most distinctive safari destinations and most desirable private holiday homes.
We are as discerning and uncompromising as you when it comes to finding the perfect place to stay – only ever recommending a small selection of properties in which we and you can have absolute confidence.
We have loved discovering and getting to know each unforgettable destination – and we are delighted and excited to present them in depth and detail and to share them with you.
Based here in the heart of Nairobi’s safari community, many of the owners, managers and staff of these favourite properties are colleagues, friends or neighbours. For us, proximity and personal relationships are always key.
Our Approach
We believe in stepping back from the busier tourist trails and away from the ordinary and predictable. We avoid pre-arranged itineraries and well-worn safari circuits.
Our insistence on the individual, the intimate, the impeccable and the inspiring means we will never overwhelm you with choices or present you with a bewildering array of options.
We will be more than pleased to listen, discuss, advise, plan and put together a trip that’s carefully tailored to your personal requirements.
We know our way around East Africa – and use our local knowledge, experience and personal connections to provide a seamless and individual travel experience – from private flights into the wilderness to insider advice on Nairobi’s vibrant cultural and culinary scene.
Our Team
A group of dedicated travel professionals, we are hands-on, committed, engaging and enthusiastic.
Living, working and exploring here in Kenya, we have a direct line into the latest and most exciting developments in East African travel – and to the people and places driving change and innovation in tourism across the region.
We are genuine, upfront, accessible, thoughtful, independent and transparent in our recommendations. Attention-to-detail and above-and-beyond personal service are our watchwords
We are here to guide and advise in any way we can – and we’re ready answer each and every question you may have – so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Andrew McGhie – Founder  Before settling in Kenya, Andrew spent 15 years in the world of illustrated books in London – working with design-led publishing houses such as Conran, Hamlyn and Quadrille. Falling in love with East Africa and escaping to Kenya’s coast whenever he could, he started to design, build and renovate traditional Swahili houses on the magical island of Lamu – and then to share them with friends and international visitors. This new focus on beautiful, characterful and well-chosen holiday accommodation inspired the flourishing East African Retreats travel business – introducing discerning resident and overseas guests to handpicked holiday homes and boutique safari destinations around Kenya. Andrew lives with his family in Nairobi and, when not seeking out new and exciting places to stay, he enjoys tennis, books and fly fishing for trout in the Kenyan highlands.
 Juliet Muthoni – Reservations Manager  Juliet leads the Exclusive East Africa and East African Retreats travel teams and has spent over two decades working with many of the region’s leading high-end holiday destinations. From luxury beach villas to tented safari camps, from boutique hotels in the city to horse riding safaris in the bush, Juliet’s knowledge and experience are extensive, and her dedication, patience and attention-to-detail are second-to-none. Juliet grew up on her family’s farm beside Lake Nakuru in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley – a keen birdwatcher, she loves to escape Nairobi for the bush whenever she can, and particularly enjoys traditional safari trips to the Masai Mara and Laikipia.