Overview
Situated on the northern edge of the Laikipia plateau, Ol Malo is nestled into a rugged escarpment looking out across the time-honored lands of Kenya’s Northern Frontier District. These miles of dense thorn bush are favoured by the shy, elusive antelope from which the lodge takes its name, “the place of the Greater kudu”. An ancient land inhabited by wildlife and peoples of a time long ago, undisturbed and living by the rhythm of nature and as part of this untamed and beautiful landscape, is Ol Malo.
A family-owned working ranch and wildlife sanctuary, Ol Malo gives a unique insight into the thriving co-existence of wildlife and cattle on the Lakipia plateau. A stay with the Francombe family at their beautiful home ensures an intimate and highly personalised experience. With only four cottages, Ol Malo offers the perfect mix of comfort, luxury and life in harmony with nature. Unconstrained by rules and regulations, Ol Malo is ideal for riding, walking, camping out, day and night game drives but ultimately connecting with the land and its people on a personal level.
As Ol Malo is a working ranch, it enables the Lodge to provide farm fresh produce for guests as well as protect the land. There is nothing better than serving ranch raised meats, freshly laid eggs, milk, organic honey and vegetables selected from the garden. Meals can be tailored to dietary needs and guests are welcome to get involved in the ranch activities. An early morning visit to the dairy herd to fill the milk jug for breakfast is the highlight for many children.
The Francombe family were among the early trail blazers of the “Bush Homes” concept of building and operating small owner-operated tourism enterprises and their lodge and home has stood the tests of time.
“I remember when I was little, my dad he said ‘if you are passionate about something you will make it happen, it doesn’t matter what you have to go through’. My Dad ran a ranch, a big cattle ranch. He was there for 25 years. He always wanted his own thing. And so this bit of land came up for sale and he just bought it and basically just started again,
in life. He said ‘everything here is ours and its ours for the rest of our lives’”
