“Everything got quiet and all that noise went away. And I remember being like, ‘Hang on to this, Anna, because you're so clear in this is what the plan is. Don't let the world's noise steal that from you.’ So it's been there in the back of my head while we've been pulling the hotels out of the sinking sand. When we're ready, we're gonna pivot and this is gonna be a place for healing.”
We're in great company with Anna Campbell, a passionate conservationist and wellness advocate who has transformed her late mother's vision into one of Kenya's most enchanting boutique hotel experiences, Mukima Manor—a sanctuary for wildlife and wellness—in one of the country's most breathtaking safari regions.
Anna shares how she's stewarding this century-old manor and accompanying 300 acres of rewilded land as both a love letter to her mother's legacy and a haven where guests can slow down, reconnect, and restore.
In this New Year's episode, we explore what it means to set intentions not through resolutions but through presence—grounding ourselves in nature's rhythms, opening up to strangers who become companions in adventure, and remembering that true wellness lives at the intersection of wild exploration and quiet healing.
Top Takeaways
[1:55] Anna's Kenyan childhood was beautifully untamed. Listen as she shares stories that instilled an innate respect for the land, a joy in recognizing that less truly is more.
[4:25] Remembering Anna’s mother Leslie as a force of nature—brave, creative, and surefooted in ways that seemed almost effortless, taking risks that others might have called bonkers.
[7:30] With such optimism and pride, Anna speaks of her mother and husband—honoring Leslie's creative legacy while relying on Shawn's unwavering strength, the kind of partnership that turns what could have been insurmountable challenges into a love letter to both past and future.
[15:35] The profound experience of caring for her mother sparked Anna's passion for health and wellness—turning heartbreak into healing by creating a sanctuary where others can restore themselves.
[19:25] Mukima Manor's mornings arrive with birdsong, cool mountain air, the crackle of leaves underfoot, and mist rising off the lake—a sensory wake-up call that reminds you why this rewilded sanctuary feels so alive.
[23:30] Living sustainably isn't a compromise, it's an alignment—a quiet luxury where guests consume only what's clean and kind, from chemical-free shampoos to carrots pulled straight from the garden, because wellness begins at the source.
[26:30] Mukima Manor's adventures are yours to choose, tailored so no two days (or family members) need follow the same path.
[30:00] Wellness isn't just clean eating and meditation, it's beautifully multifaceted—which is exactly what Anna's upcoming retreats at Mukima Manor aim to celebrate.
[33:05] For those craving both beach and bush, Anna offers the best of Kenya—intimate hospitality that feels like staying with your most adventurous friend who knows all the hidden gems.
