Ol Malo Lodge & Ol Malo House

Laikipia, Kenya

(Ol Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House are located on a 5,000 Acre Ranch and Game Sanctuary, which stretches from the plains down the Laikipia Escarpment to the Ewaso Nyiro River on the edge of Kenya's North-Eastern Province. Ol Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House are situated on the Northern Edge of the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya. These Lodges lies about 314 kilometers from Nairobi, Kenya and will take about 5 hours driving. By Air, 45 Minutes from Nairobi (Wilson Airport) to Samburu or Shaba Airstrips. Private air charter flight fly direct to Ol Malo airstrip. There are also scheduled flight to Loisaba Airstrip and Transfer time to Ol Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House is 40 Minutes. One can also fly by schedule flight to Nanyuki, departing daily from Wilson Airport, to connect with a Private Air Charter to Ol Malo Airstrip)

Ol Malo means Greater Kudu - A ‘pet’ that often welcomes you to Ol Malo Lodge – which is right and proper given that this is the meaning of the place!

Ol Malo House & OL Malo Lodge

Ol-Malo; Ol-Malo means ‘The Place of the Greater Kudu’ the perfect Luxury Africa Safari Lodge is set in a 5000 acre ranch and game sanctuary along the Uaso Nyiro River, overlooked by the massive snow covered Mount Kenya in the background, and it overlooks the Mukagodo home of the nomadic Ndorobo people in Laikipia. Laikipia Kenya is a vast expanse of wild country in the central highlands of Kenya - it covers almost 2 million acres and runs from Mt Kenya in the East to the Rift Valley in the west. Laikipia lies outside the jurisdiction of National Parks, and is somewhere to get out of a vehicle and embrace the numerous safari activities that Kenya has to offer. Ranging from the foothills of Mt Kenya towards the north and west, the vegetation varies from indigenous forest to rock, arid scrub and steep river valleys. This area sees relatively little rainfall but can be deceptively cold at night during certain times of the year.

Ol malo is in a majestic setting - on a rock escarpment on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau, bordering the tribal heartlands of the nomadic Samburu people – the Francombe family and their Samburu neighbors have created a home for themselves and a dream destination for the privileged few who seek a glimpse into the true heart of Africa. They are pleased to be able to share their vision, their experience and their way of life with guests from around the world, either in the hospitality of the family home or in a large self-contained house in the grounds of one of the most stunning properties in east Africa.

Ol Malo Lodge
The most enchanting small lodge in Africa
Ol Malo Lodge is a striking building in an outstanding location – natural local materials sculpted into a warm and hospitable lodge set among the curves of a rocky hillside surveying one of the great views of the world.

Comfortable sitting dining and bed rooms are provided with shady terraces for protection from the sun – and open fireplaces for the cooler evenings. Smooth lawns and carefully tended shrubberies sweep down to a cliff edge, providing a vantage point for activity at the Ol Malo Lodge watering hole and salt lick below. A maze of slated pathways wind down to four rock and olive wood cottages. Each double room at Ol Malo Lodge has its own veranda and complete privacy. Large picture windows frame a wild, constantly changing landscape – clouds scud across the sky, stately eagles wheel and glide on thermals above the plains. An infinity pool adds to the beauty as well as the amenity of this place.

Built, owned and managed by Colin and Rocky Francombe, with the help of the Samburu people, Ol Malo Lodge has established a reputation in the world of eco-tourism that far exceeds its modest size and is a result of the Francombe family’s commitment to personal service and attention to detail. For just a handful of guests at a time, Ol Malo offers the perfect mix of comfort, luxury and life in harmony with nature.

Ol Malo House
(Ol Malo House is exclusive to one group of guests, able to accommodate 12 guests)

Accommodation is in Three Cottages:

* The House has 3 rooms

* Hippo Cottages has 2 rooms

* Crocodile Cottages has 1 Room

A new addition in the vast Laikipia region is Ol Malo House. Built on the edge of an escarpment with commanding views of the wild Ol Malo landscape below, the house has a large sitting room, dining room, a library and a children's/TV room and has three en-suite double bedrooms. This new building on the property – Ol Malo House – is exclusive to one group of guests, able to accommodate 12 guests with ease. Built in rock, olive wood and with a thatched roof, it continues the hand-crafted tradition established by Colin – but Ol Malo House is designed and created by the whole Francombe family: Colin and Rocky, with Andrew, their son, and daughters Anne and Julia.

The hub of Ol Malo house is a large and beautiful sitting and dining room – with open fireplaces – encircled by three en-suite double bedrooms. Separate cottages create a further three double bedrooms: each private and comfortable cottage has arch windows and doors, en-suite bathrooms, and decor inspired by the area’s wild landscape, local flora and the life and culture of the Samburu people. Lighting is handmade by the Samburu women creates a warm ambience and welcoming atmosphere. A flagstone path leads to a large open area overlooking the infinity pool and this incredible land’s wide-open vistas – perfect for al fresco dining. A barbecue area creates a wonderful place in which to end the day under a star-studded African sky.

Ol Malo House is offered for exclusive use.

Included: House, staff, vehicles, guides, drivers and activities, Beer, table wine and soft drinks

Note: Premium spirits and cellar wine are extra and can be supplied by the bottle

Ol-Malo Lodge Accommodation Rates

Ol-Malo Lodge Rates for Adults and Children

Ol-Malo House Accommodation Rates

Ol-Malo House Accommodation Rates (6 Rooms, Sleeps 12 Guests)

Notes

* Exclusive use of Ol malo House for less than 6 guests, minimum charge is for 6 Adults

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House accommodation Rates include:

* Full board accommodation at Ol Malo House Lodge

* Shared Day and Night Game drives

* Soft Drinks, Beer, House Wines

* Local Airstrip Transfers

* Samburu Cultural visits

* Guided Walks

* Camel Rides

* Horse Rides

* Laundry

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House accommodation Rates Exclude:

* Domestic flights to Ol Malo

* Ground transfers in Nairobi

* Champagne, Premium Spirits and Cellars Wines

* Exclusive use of vehicle, subject to availability at 200 US Dollars Per Day

* Conservation Fee: Adult 80 US Dollars and Child 40 US Dollars Per Day

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Game drive Activities

Ol Malo 5,000 Acre Ranch and Game Sanctuary has Elephant, buffalo, Eland, Beisa Oryx, Grant gazelle, Impala, common and grey Zebra, reticulated Giraffe, Lelwels Hartebeest Gerenuk, Greater Kudu, Water Buck, Klipspringer, Steenbok, Gunthers Dik Dik, Warthog, Wild dog, Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, spotted and striped Hyena: where else on earth can you go out for a drive in an open vehicle - with a Samburu guide and driver – and be virtually certain to see such a wide-ranging selection of elusive, wild game?

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Activities

An experienced Ol Malo Samburu guide will take you on a nature walk to show you the Little Five – ant lion, leopard tortoise, elephant shrew, rhino beetle, buffalo weaver. Or you can choose to learn about the plants the Samburu use for medicine and food. Or stand in amazement at the sight of the 330 named species of birds found at Ol Malo.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Samburu Cultural visits

Pay a welcome visit to Ol Malo neighbors, the Samburu people. Visit their nursery school. Visit to the Ol Malo workshop to see the women beading or the children painting.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Camping under the stars

An Ol Malo night under the stars down on the river – an experience not to be missed.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Breakfast in the bush

Walk or drive to the shade of a tree for a wonderful breakfast (where the Ol Malo omelet is a specialty). Then ride, walk or drive to the river for a fabulous al fresco lunch in the shade of a giant fig tree.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Active Activities

Tube in tyres down the rapids or fish for catfish and barbell. Go horse or camel riding on the plains - a wonderful way to see the game, which won’t flee from horses and camels: you get very close to the action indeed. For the more adventurous – horse riding down towards the river; cross-country mountain biking; running with a Samburu warrior to set the pace.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Leopard Blind

Four bunk beds are set up in the leopard blind to allow you to spend the night there in the hope of catching a glimpse of the elusive leopard. For the extremely adventurous.

Ol-Malo Lodge/ Ol Malo House Hotel Sundowners

But perhaps the best way to end the day is watching the sun go down with a cocktail in your hand.

Ol Malo Lodge lies about 314 kilometers from Nairobi, Kenya and will take about 5 hours driving. By Air 45 minutes from Nairobi (Wilson Airport) to Samburu or Shaba airstrip. Ol Malo is a 5,000 acre ranch and game sanctuary, which lies along the edge of Kenya’s north-eastern province. Without apparent effort you will move in Africa time, totally controlled by sunrise and sunset, it will be as if the real world doesn't exist anymore, and you may find yourself viewing the abundant game from much closer than a safari vehicle. You could be high on a camel, on horseback, or on a mountain bike if you choose. One thing is certain you will almost certainly see and get close to game that is so protected and undisturbed by human contact; they come to Ol-Malo Lodge as a place of security and safety. You will almost certainly view Elephant, Giraffe, Leopard, Lion, Hyena, Common Zebra, and the rare Grevy's Zebra, more endangered than the Rhino. At night you will return to perhaps a dusk swim, watching perhaps a herd of Elephant arriving at the waterhole, absolutely memorable cuisine, and perhaps a night in the game hide watching Leopards close up but in total safety.

When owner Colin Francombe talks you through the panorama from the verandah at Ol Malo Hotel in Laikipia, it feels as though you’re standing on a great map of Kenya, Some 100 kilometers to the South is Mt Kenya. A little closer are the Lolldaiga Hills, and a short distance to the east, Samburu lies just behind a ridge of hills. Go north from here and you enter Kenya’s wild Northern Frontier district. Ol Malo Lodge lies on the edge of Laikipia, this area of Kenya feels tantalizingly like the edge of civilization; Ol Malo Hotel was one of the first of Kenya’s bush homes, so of course a large part of staying here is getting a taste of what it’s like to actually live here, as the Francombes do.

Colin, Rocky and their son Andrew are relaxed and affable hosts, so you quickly feel as though you’ve known them for a while. Conversation is easy and, inevitably when you enter a world as different as this is compared to most people’s lives, there are numerous stories of animals, people and places. Ol Malo Lodge is still very much a home; the family dogs are much in evidence (they’re well behaved so you won’t be bothered by them if dogs aren’t your thing) and family photos hang on the walls, giving a glimpse of enchanted African childhoods. Principally this is somewhere to soak up the intoxicating and rarified atmosphere of this part of Africa and just take it all as it comes. If you take this approach it’ll knock your socks off.

The plains and dense bush round Ol Malo Lodge contain an enormous number of species, some unique to the area, this is the birthplace of mankind and home to some of the greatest bio-diversity on earth. Those with an inclination to take in the wonders of the natural world will have a full program of events to cover. Elephant, buffalo, Eland, Beisa Oryx, Grant gazelle, Impala, common and grey Zebra, reticulated Giraffe, Lelwels Hartebeest Gerenuk, Greater Kudu, Water Buck, Klipspringer, Steenbok, Gunthers Dik Dik, Warthog, Wild dog, Leopard, Cheetah, Lion, spotted and striped Hyena: where else on earth can you go out for a drive in an open vehicle – with a Samburu guide and driver – and be virtually certain to see such a wide-ranging selection of elusive, wild game?

An experienced Samburu guides will take you on a nature walk to show you the Little Five – ant lion, leopard tortoise, elephant shrew, rhino beetle, buffalo weaver. Or you can choose to learn about the plants the Samburu use for medicine and food. Or stand in amazement at the sight of the 330 named species of birds found at Ol Malo.

Ol Malo Lodge is a striking building in an outstanding location – natural local materials sculpted into a warm and hospitable lodge set among the curves of a rocky hillside surveying one of the great views of Africa. Comfortable and accommodating sitting and dining rooms provide shady terraces for protection from the sun – and open fireplaces for the cooler evenings. Smooth lawns and carefully tended shrubberies sweep down to a cliff edge, providing a vantage point for activity at the watering hole and salt lick below. A maze of slated pathways wind down to four rock and olive wood cottages. Each double room has its own veranda and complete privacy. Large picture windows frame a wild, constantly changing landscape – clouds scud across the sky, stately eagles wheel and glide on thermals above the plains.