Ol Malo (Bush Home) :: Holiday Destinations

ABOUT OL MALO :

An ancient land inhabited by wildlife and peoples of a time long ago, undisturbed and living by the rhythm of nature. And there, as part of this untamed and beautiful landscape is Ol Malo - Place of the Greater Kudu- nestled into a rugged escarpement looking out across the time - honoured lands of Kenya's Northern Frontier District.

To stay at Ol Malo is to live by a different rhythm - measure the day by the time-worn patterns of nature. Wake up to see the mind-blowing sunrise, framing the snow-capped peaks of Mt Kenya. Celebrate the new day with a dawn ride into the wilderness. Feel night's chill burn off with the rising of the great equatorial sun. Keep tempo with the world by the roll of the camels stride. Visit the colourful Samburu nomads of the North and sink with the dying sun into the waters of the pool. At night luxuriate in the peace and comfort of Ol Malo and tune into the magical sounds of wild Africa under an ancient starscape.

Colin and Rocky Francombe, both born in Kenya of settler families, designed and built Ol Malo with a deep understanding of how it should be. They are glad to share their knowledge and love of this magical land, account their tales and adventures with it's wildlife and Samburu people and welcome you to their extra-ordinary bush home; Ol Malo, in Kenya.

To stay at Ol Malo is to abandon oneself and live by another drumbeat in a wild and beautiful land.

ACCOMMODATION :

Cottages

The four guest cottages are spread out along the cliff edge and are uniquely built out of natural rock and ancient olive wood, with thatched roofs and huge glass windows facing onto the view.

Ol Malo can take up to eight people at one time. Rooms can hold up to three people, if families wish to stay in the same room. All the cottages are different and each room offers the maximum in privacy and comfort, with huge king size beds, luxurious en-suite bathrooms and each has its own private veranda.

Some rooms are on a split level with the bathroom underneath the room, others have the bathroom on the same level. If there was ever a time one wished to soak in a bath and look out at a beautiful vista and at wild animals grazing then this is the place to do it!

Canvas Tents

Ol Malo has two tents, which are the most luxurious of tents made out of canvas and have small elephant motifs around the lining. Each tent has an ensuite bathroom made out of natural rock and a thatched roof covers the entire tent and veranda.

These rooms are just as comfortable and perfect if a large group wishes to stay at Ol Malo, since it allows guest numbers to reach a maximum of twelve.

Sitting Room

Ol Malo has a separate sitting room made out of natural rock and olive wood. Close the cedar door, sink into the sofas and with the warmth of the roaring fire, one could almost be forgiven for forgetting they are in the heart of Africa.

Pool

One of the most stunning parts of Ol Malo is the very private swimming pool built on the cliff edge, with its water spilling over. The pool is warmed by the hot African sun and has a separate shower/bathroom and eating area.

Dining Room

A short walk across a lawn finds you in Ol Malo’s dinning room. Made of natural rock and olive wood with a thatched roof and wide-open windows, it is testament to the meaning ‘Room With A View’.

FOOD & DRINK :

Home cooking is very much the theme at Ol Malo and all food and drink (excluding champagne) is included in the price of a stay at Ol Malo.

Guests are woken up each morning to hot tea/coffee and home made biscuits, bought to your rooms.

A full English breakfast is available and can either be taken at Ol Malo, or in the bush with the animals of the wild.

Lunch is served buffet style, by the pool. There is a wide choice of fresh meats, salad, home baked bread and desserts.

Dinner is a mouth watering three-course meal using local ingredients. Guests can enjoy meeting other guests, or have dinner on their own private veranda.

Spirits, wine, beer and soft drinks are all included in the price at Ol Malo. Champagne and sparkling wine are also available, but at additional cost and need to be requested for and organised prior to your arrival

For those of you who seek adventure, why not have a bush breakfast, or a candlelit bush dinner under the stars. Riverside picnic lunches are also available. All these can be planned with us on a daily basis and around activities to suit you.

Child Friendly Meals

The Ol Malo cooks will attempt to provide those favourite meals at a time to suit a family. Parents should let Ol Malo know when they would like their children to be fed and this will be arranged. Children can be entertained whilst parents enjoy a ‘ Sundowner’ before putting their children to bed. Nannies can be provided to look after children for short periods of time.

GAME :

Ol Malo is situated in the Northern Frontier District with no fenced areas. Over 50 species of animal and 280 species of bird life can be found at Ol Malo and in its surrounding Laikipia region.

Game to be found includes; Elephants, Buffalo, Giraffe, Grevy and Burchell Zebra, Gerenuk, Hartebeast, Grants and Thompsons Gazelle, Impala, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Hyena (spotted and striped) and Wild Dog.

Game is wild and unused to human company, which makes it all the more exciting when tracking the animals by foot, 4WD vehicle, camel or horse.

ACTIVITIES :

In addition to going on Game Drives, Bush Walks, Swimming and enjoying the stunning views that Ol Malo is home to, there are other activities available for guests of all ages.

Camel Rides

Ol Malo has a family of camels that can be ridden across the plains, or around Ol Malo.

Horseback Rides

Ol Malo’s ponies love both children and adults and there is no better way of experiencing the real Kenyan outback than on the back of one of these great friends.

Local Samburu Manyatta

Ol Malo is home to the Samburu who love meeting Ol Malo’s guests. During your stay you can have the chance to meet the local Samburu children, visit their school, paint, learn tribal dancing, make beaded artifacts, and visit their manyatta (village). There is also the chance to learn about hunting with spears and try your hand at spear throwing.

Nature Walks

Africa is not only about the Big Five – at Ol Malo we will try and spot the Little Five too. Our guides are experts in finding the smaller things of interest – spiders, insects, harvester ants, flowers and plants

Camping under the Stars

For the more adventurous and those who wish to leave the comfort of Ol Malo, why not spend the night under the stars? To listen to local stories by a roaring campfire, learn about the stars in the African sky and fall asleep to the sounds of the wild – this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Overnight In The Look Out Hut

This fantastic hut lies just by a water hole which is visited by different types of animals. Fitted with bunk beds it can be an exciting place to spend the night and you never know who could wake you up in the morning.

Mountain Biking

The hilly terrain around Ol Malo is perfect for mountain bike lovers. Bikes are available for use on a daily basis and guests will be shown the best routes depending on their mountain bike experience.

Children's Safari Journal and Gift Pack

Upon arrival at Ol Malo, each child will receive a gift pack. This will include a safari journal, small gift and post cards to friends. The safari journal can be used to identify the animals and birds, insects and plants, seen on the safaris. This will then be signed by Rocky & Colin Francombe, or Nderi and is a great book to show friends when back at home.

Child Listening Service

A listening service is available whilst parents are having drinks and dinner and are away from their rooms at night. Should a child wake the parents will be called immediately.

Aside from the above, other children’s activities include;

Face Painting in local tribal colours
Treasure hunt around the Ol Malo grounds
Swimming races in the pool
Checking off birds and animals on a list
Cooking African meals on a bush stove
Picnics in the bush

LOCAL CULTURE :

Colin and Rocky, along with their daughter Julia, do a great deal in the area to help their Samburu neighbours. They have set up "The Ol Malo Trust", a trust fund providing help for the Samburu with their medical needs, food and support through severe drought and offering guidance towards important environmental developments.

The work they do with the Samburu is extremely inspiring and we have found that guests love to see and become involved in various projects. There are a number of activities that allow you to become part of the Samburu community during your stay. These include visits to their manyatta, where you will be invited into their home and be shown the amazing way they live, you can also visit the local school, be shown how to hunt with spears and learn to paint with local materials.

Ol Malo Designs - Development through Art

Ol Malo Designs is a Company owned and run by Julia alongside Colin and Rocky at Ol Malo. The whole theme of the Company is to provide employment and help for the Samburus, and develop their talents through art. Julia employs a team of Samburu women who do the most incredible beadwork to her designs, and a team of Samburu children who paint the most amazing pictures under her guidance. The beadwork and paintings are sold in the Ol Malo Designs shop, thus providing the Samburus with employment and money for their work, as well as encouraging them to promote their talents. During the severe drought in 2000, Ol Malo fed over 200 families who had lost all their livestock and were literally starving, through this method.

Ol Malo Designs, as well as having the very strong Samburu line, also works with artisans from all over Africa. There are both antique and modern designs ranging from necklaces to engraved glass, from wooden animal carvings to table mats, or even leather cufflink boxes to picture frames. Every item is very individual and uniquely chosen and designed by Julia herself.

It is possible for people to order goods and Ol Malo Designs will then arrange for them to be shipped overseas to your doorstep, if you do not want to carry extra luggage home with you.

Unique African artifacts and support to the local community is very much the theme at Ol Malo Designs, and it is a must to visit for those interested in local culture and individual works of art, especially if you wish to take home a piece of Ol Malo.

NEWS :

KENYA UNVEILS ITS HIDDEN HONEYMOON PARADISE 22nd February 2002

LAUNCHES INTO THE FAMILY HOLIDAY MARKET 19th February 2002

MOUNTAIN BIKING 24th July 2002

- OL MALO BUSH HOME - KENYA UNVEILS ITS HIDDEN HONEYMOON PARADISE - [ 22nd February 2002 ]

If you have your heart set on a Kenyan Honeymoon, then look no further than the stunning and very exclusive East Africa Bush Home of Ol Malo. Set on the edge of an escarpment, the lodge overlooks the rugged and wild lands of the Northern Frontier district and is set in 5,000 acres of privately owned conservation land.

Ol Malo, which means ‘Place of the Greater Kudu’ in the local tribal language; Samburu, has four unique guest cottages spread out across the cliff top. Each room is made out of natural rock and ancient olive wood, with thatched roofs and huge glass windows facing out onto a dramatic view below the cliff edge.

It is here that honeymooners can wake up each day to see the breathtaking sunrise framing the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya, or watch the many wild African animals roaming the lands of the Laikipia plateau below.

Ol Malo is privately owned by Colin and Rocky Francombe who know how special a honeymoon is. At Ol Malo newlyweds will be treated like royalty and can either be at one with each other, or mingle with other guests of Ol Malo.

Newlyweds will be greeted with flowers and champagne in their rooms and during their stay will be treated to a riverside picnic on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, as well as an intimate candlelit dinner on the private veranda of the bedroom. Ol Malo also present a special gift to remind newlyweds of their honeymoon at the end of a stay.

For those keen to be active and see Northern Kenya at its most wild, why not take part in the many safaris, bush walks, bush breakfasts, camel and horse back riding available. Whilst for those keen to relax after all the wedding madness, relax by the pool with its water gently falling over the cliff edge and soak up the African sun, before ending a perfect day with an ‘Ol Malo Sundowner’ and watching the animals visit the nearby waterhole.

Honeymooners can indulge in the first class cuisine found at Ol Malo, enjoying the local dishes and fine wine, whilst tuning into the magical sounds of wild Africa under an ancient starscape. The dining area of Ol Malo is testament to the meaning of ‘A Room With A View’.

At Ol Malo to spend the first days of married life together and be at one with nature, is to abandon oneself and live by another drumbeat in a wild and beautiful land.

- OL MALO BUSH HOME - LAUNCHES INTO THE FAMILY HOLIDAY MARKET - [ 19th February 2002 ]

Have you ever wanted to give your family the trip of a lifetime, to experience and witness some of the real wonders of nature? To treat yourself and your family to a luxurious and exclusive holiday that will be a special memory for years to come? Then now is the time to escape to one of Kenya’s hidden Jewels - ‘Ol Malo’ Bush Home.

‘Ol Malo’ has just opened its doors to families and is offering some incredible activities and attractions, which really will be the talk of any classroom. ‘Sleeping In The Look Out Hut’ right by the water hole and wondering whom your wake up call will be from. ‘Camping In The Bush’ under the stars, listening to African legends by a roaring campfire and falling asleep to the sounds of the wild. Or ‘Spending Time With The Local Samburu’, attending their school, learning how to throw spears, tribal dance and make beaded artefacts.

In addition to Game Drives, Bush Walks and Swimming, families can ‘Hunt For The Little Five’- spiders, insects, harvesters ants, flowers and plants. Fill in their ‘Safari Journal’ stating what creatures they have seen at ‘Ol Malo’, or have fun exploring the real ‘Kenyan Outback On Horse back’. There is also an ‘Ol Malo Gift Pack’, which is perfect to take home and give to your best friend.

‘Ol Malo’ is the height of luxury and recognises that parents want time to themselves too. Whilst parents relax by the spectacular pool, with its water flowing off the cliff edge, children can enjoy ‘Face Painting’, ‘Treasure Hunts’, ‘Picnics In The Bush’ and ‘Learn How To Cook African Meals On A Bush Stove’.

‘Ol Malo’ also offers ‘Child Friendly Meals’ and a ‘Child Minder’, which means parents can enjoy a ‘Sundowner’ before putting children to bed. A ‘Child Listening Service’ is also available.

‘Ol Malo’ is situated at the northern edge of the Laikipia plateau, nestled into a rugged escarpment looking out across time-honoured land. It is a bush home created by two children of Africa - Colin and Rocky Francombe.

‘Ol Malo’ which means ‘Place of the Greater Kudu’ in the local tribe language; Samburu, has four guest cottages and two tents spread out across a cliff top. Each room is uniquely built out of natural rock and ancient olive wood, with thatched roofs and huge glass windows facing out onto a dramatic view below the cliff edge. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms and two rooms also have a third bed.

Home cooking adds to the unique family feel at ‘Ol Malo’ and the dining area is testament to the meaning of ‘room with a view’. Enjoy local dishes and fine wine, whilst tuning into the magical sounds of wild Africa under an ancient starscape.

To visit ‘Ol Malo’ with the family you have created and to be at one with nature, is to abandon oneself and live by another drumbeat in a wild and beautiful land.

- OL MALO BUSH HOME - OL MALO MOUNTAIN BIKING - [ 24th July 2002 ]

Ol Malo has introduced a new and exciting activity - Mountain Biking! You can now ride around the plains watching the game as you go, as well as working off the the extra calories from the amazing food that comes out of the Ol Malo kitchens!