Our Story

Karl's connection to East Africa is generational: his grandfather, Erik von Heland, managed Karen Blixen's famous coffee farm outside Nairobi from 1919 to 1922. Karl and his wife, Eva Hamilton, who spent five years of her childhood in Ethiopia, have since spent 45 years taking safaris across East Africa.

That connection led Karl to seek a local partner. He met Rimoine through his relative Kjell Nordenskiöld, who helped support Maasai students attending university. When Karl set out to build a safari camp offering an authentic, high-quality experience, he asked Rimoine to find the perfect location. Rimoine succeeded, finding a beautiful, quiet valley adjacent to the Maasai Mara Reserve — the site of Entumoto today. Early investment also came from friends with their own history in Kenya, including Anders Abenius, whose love for the country was sparked while reporting on the legendary Safari Rally in 1989.

Construction began in 2009. The original investors were Karl's friends who were passionate about the project, including former journalist and media entrepreneur Anders Abenius, who remains an active co-owner.

The ownership group now includes Kajsa von Geijer (former HR and Sustainability Director at Thule), Susanne Hobohm (investor and former journalist), Rimoine Ole Kararei, and three long-term team members: Festus Mbindyo (CFO), John Murage Ndirangu (Camp Manager) and Isaac Kasura (Senior Guide).

We believe that every member of the Entumoto team counts, and this local ownership is central to our commitment to the community and the standards we maintain.