Ol Malo House
Ol Malo House is located within the Ol Malo Ranch on the edge of the Laikipia Escarpment in central Kenya.
Ol Malo are especially known for their hospitality, with two generations of the Francombe family sharing the hosting and management over their two properties (Ol Malo House and Ol Malo Lodge). Ol Malo House can be booked as a complete unit of six bedrooms, or on a separate individual basis. It is very unique in style and particularly fun for families, whether taken privately or on a shared basis, due to the ‘Flintstones meet The Hobbit’ design. The property is very well run with great attention to detail and friendly service. There is a relaxed feel to the place and the accommodation and food should be viewed as very comfortable and homely rather than luxurious and sophisticated. Rather than an intensive wildlife experience, Ol Mala House offers a unique, hosted wilderness stay with an emphasis on relaxing, exclusivity, culture and a wide range of activities. Ol Malo therefore fits very well in between Kenya’s prime wildlife destinations.
Rooms
Ol Malo House has a total of six guest rooms, all designed in the combined Flintstone/Hobbit style which is fun and very comfortable. There are three rooms in the main house (one of which is mainly suitable for children), two separate cottages house a further three rooms: Crocodile Cottage with a double room, and Hippo House with a king and a twin room separated by a small sitting room.. All rooms have plumbed en suite facilities.
Central Areas
The main central house is built of natural stone with thatched roof and has a large central lounge, fireplace, dining room and library. There is a central spiral staircase that leads to a rooftop terrace offering huge views over the valley, an ideal spot for sundowners, and an outdoor infinity pool around which is a large BBQ area where al fresco dining takes place.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
Laikipia covers a significant portion of dramatic countryside in northern Kenya, sandwiched between Samburu and Mount Kenya in the east and the Aberdare Mountains and Great Rift Valley in the west. The central section of the area is covered by a lava plateau which creates a series of rocky escarpments offering epic views, whilst a series of rocky outcrops and hills dot the landscape revealing the landscapes much more ancient history (some of these rocks are thought to be around 80 million years old). The region is divided into a number of private ranches, conservancies and community lands with farming (cattle mainly), wildlife conservation and local populations all existing in relative harmony. As the region is increasingly closely managed, and the local communities are made more aware of their role in conserving wildlife and benefitting from this, there has been an increase in properties dedicated solely to wildlife, and in these areas the wildlife populations are growing steadily. Some private ranches have been concentrating on wildlife conservation for many years and offer superb game viewing experiences, though in general the Laikipia region is better known for its wilderness, scenery and the wide variety of activities on offer.
The terrain and habitat is varied with two main rivers dissecting the region – the Ewaso Nyiro and Ewaso Narok. These rivers are fed from Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains respectively, and provide year round water through what can otherwise be described as a dry and harsh environment. Around 250 species of birds have been recorded and the mammal list includes greater kudu, gerenuk, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, lion, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Thompson and Grants gazelle, eland, Beisa oryx, defassa waterbuck, striped hyaena, spotted hyaena, baboon, vervet monkey, jackal, warthog and many smaller species such as caracal, African wild cat, serval, genet, civet, porcupine, aardvark, aardwolf and rock hyrax.
Activities
Game drives by day and night are available from Ol Malo House, though this is not the prime reason for your visit as game viewing can be unpredictable.
Cultural visits usually form a significant part of your stay with the local region being home to several Samburu and Ndorobo villages. Ol Malo work closely with the local communities and have supported various initiatives, in particular starting the Samburu Trust. Guests at Ol Malo can learn about the trust and experience first-hand conservation and community activities if they choose.
Walking, horse riding, mountain biking and camel riding are all possible on the ranch, and various options exist from shorter activities to more dedicated, longer excursions.
For the adventurous, fly-camping is possible, or perhaps you will choose to spend a night out under the stars on their sleep out platform or in their Leopard Hide!
Andrew Francombe is also a qualified helicopter pilot and offers helicopter trips around northern Kenya. This is a fantastic chance to reach remote and beautiful places and enjoy the aerial exploration.
It is also possible to visit the working side of the cattle ranch, or to go tubing on the river when water levels allow.
Lastly, simply relaxing in camp is an activity to be encouraged. At Ol Malo House there is a rooftop terrace which offers stunning views and is a great place to spend a few hours, especially leading up to sunset.
Seasons
Ol Malo is open from December to March and then again from June through to October.
Ol Malo House is really the ideal solution for families looking for an exclusive escape into the African wilderness. The whole concept takes its inspiration from the Flintstones and was built with a lot of humour and a sense of fun. Children will love it! For private bookings extra beds can be supplied as required and families can choose where everyone sleeps. For shared house bookings, the Hippo Cottage is perfect for families of four, whilst the Main House works best for larger families.
The balance between relaxing and enjoying time together as a family, whilst making the most of the adventure experience that Ol Malo offers, is hard to beat. The hosting is superb and management, guides and staff will engage with children of all ages. The range of activities is simply fantastic for families. Adventurous families will certainly need plenty of time at Ol Malo, so as to experience everything on offer. The accommodation options are practical and comfortable, with a high degree of flexibility. The emphasis on culture and the ‘African way of life’ will be very different from other parts of Kenya where the wildlife takes centre stage. Highly recommend for families.
Ol Malo work closely with the local communities and have supported various initiatives, in particular starting the Samburu Trust. The Trust, which began with a small number of women and children, now covers over 1 million acres of Samburuland and gives support to nomad schools, local villages, water reservoirs and wildlife conservation.
Ol Malo Ranch provides a supply of home grown produce for the kitchen by various means; sheep providing lamb, beef and dairy cows, camel milk for lactose intolerance, chickens eggs, freshly picked vegetables and acacia honey harvested from the trees. Whilst Sausage, the resident pig, ensures no food goes to waste!
