As Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) reflects on her life in Africa, she remembers arriving there in 1913 as a wealthy Dane, just on the brink of marrying a prominent Swedish noble. However, an unexpected twist of fate leads to heartbreak when her initial fiancé abandons her. In a bid to find companionship, she proposes to his brother, Baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer), entering into a marriage of convenience that aims to establish a dairy ranch in Nairobi, British East Africa, with Karen providing the necessary financial support. Their plan is to formalize the union once she joins him a few months later.
Upon her journey to Nairobi, Karen's train is interrupted by a big-game hunter, Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford), who hands her a significant ivory haul and shares his connection to Bror. After reaching her destination, Karen is met by Farah (Malick Bowens), the Somali headman. Attempting to familiarize herself with her new life, she visits the elite Muthaiga Club but faces resistance while seeking her husband in the men-only area. Nevertheless, she and Bror soon marry, raising her status to that of Baroness Blixen.
The optimism of her new life quickly dissipates when Karen learns that Bror has disregarded their initial plan for a dairy farm in favor of less promising coffee crops. Frustrated by Bror’s lack of involvement in their business venture, she shoulders the burden of managing their farm alone. Over time, she becomes immersed in the local culture, helping the Kikuyu squatters, establishing schools, tending to their needs, and mediating conflicts. At the same time, she strives to create a typical European household that stands out among the other colonial elites.
As Karen grows closer to Africa and its people, her affection for the land intensifies. She forges a deep friendship with Felicity (Suzanna Hamilton), whose character draws inspiration from the life of Beryl Markham. Their companionship flourishes, and Karen's relationship with Bror reaches a boiling point, leading to an intimate encounter. However, Bror's persistent infidelity drives Karen to find solace in storytelling during lonely evenings.
The advent of World War I brings the colonists together as they form a militia led by Lord Delamere (Michael Kitchen), which includes Denys and Bror. As part of this collective effort, Karen intelligently sets off on a crucial expedition to gather supplies for the soldier group, fulfilling her duty with resilience.
When Karen unexpectedly contracts syphilis from Bror, she is thrust back to Denmark for treatment, leaving Bror to manage the farm alone. After her recovery, Bror continues his safaris, allowing their marriage to dissolve into indifference. During a New Year’s celebration, Karen shares a poignant moment with Denys, signaling the beginning of her emotional drift from Bror.
As their relationship evolves, Denys enhances Karen’s life with adventure by introducing her to the thrill of flight in his Gipsy Moth biplane. However, their romance is strained as Bror prepares to remarry, prompting Karen to seek a divorce. When Denys considers a private safari with Felicity, the tension escalates, leading to a painful confrontation that ultimately fractures their bond. Denys, unable to align his wandering spirit with Karen's desires for commitment, decides to leave.
After their split, the farm—which once flourished—now lies in ruins as fire consumes their land and possessions, compelling Karen to prepare for her return to Denmark. She pleads with the newly appointed governor to ensure land for her Kikuyu workers while holding a heartfelt rummage sale to part with her belongings. In a meaningful farewell, Denys visits their empty home, revealing a shift in his feelings, expressing a desire to accompany her back to Mombasa, only for fate to intervene tragically.
Denys embarks on a scouting trip in his biplane but never returns, his crash in Tsavo delivering devastating news to Karen from Bror. Heartbroken, she attends his funeral, reciting a poignant line from A.E. Housman’s poem, which encapsulates the untimely end of lives too vivid to be forgotten.
In the wake of Denys' death, Karen is invited to the men's salon at the Muthaiga Club, where she is honored by her peers amidst her grief. As she plans to leave behind the land that shaped her, she entrusts Farah with Denys' compass, requesting him to utter her name one last time, hoping to cherish the memory of his voice. Ultimately, Karen departs Africa, but not before becoming a celebrated author under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen, known for her memoir, Out of Africa, chronicling her extraordinary experiences in this beautiful yet harsh land.
