Ol Malo Lodge

On sweeping lawns overlooking the watering hole and salt lick are the Lodge’s 4 luxurious cottages. Built with rustic stone, wood and thatch, each one creates the feel of a traditional bush home. All cottages are spacious double en suites with their own private verandas where guests can take in the scenic views in total peace.

With no formal restaurant, guests can enjoy Ol Malo’s delicious wholesome meals in a variety of spots around the Lodge. Wake up to some tea and homemade biscuits in your cottage before heading to the informal dining area for breakfast. Lunches tend to be served from buffets by the pool, while dinners are a little more formal as 3 course meals that can be enjoyed in the dining area, on your cottage veranda or by candlelight under the stars.

The Laikipia is home to a wondrous variety of wildlife, birdlife and unspoilt natural habitats that you’ll get to see with the camp’s great team of guides, far away from the touristy crowds. Venturing out into the savannah with an expert guide and driver is the perfect way to experience the Kenyan wilds with amazing chances to see a wonderous array of animals like elephant, buffalo, eland, lion, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, giraffe, zebra, dik dik, leopard and more!

Another great way to experience game viewing is from the saddle! Instead of a car, mount up on a horse or camel for a brand new perspective. As the animals are far more comfortable around horses and camels you can get even closer and have a far more intimate viewing experience. And for the more confident riders, Malo  Lodge offers more adventurous rides down by the river.

If you fancy a break from driving and want to stretch your legs then there are plenty of scenic walking paths to explore. Your guide can show you the Little Five – the ant lion, leopard tortoise, elephant shrew, rhino beetle, and buffalo weaver – tell you about the different plants used in food and medicine, and show you some of the many bird species in the area. There are some things you can’t fully appreciate on a game drive, so once you slow down your eyes will be opened to all these new things you hadn’t noticed before. Only by getting up close are you able to fully appreciate the role of every little piece of the ecosystem.

Guests and Ol Malo Lodge are welcome to visit the nearby Samburu village, their school and the local bead workshop. This is the best chance you’ll have to learn all about the Samburu people, their culture and ways of life.

With so many picturesque sites at your door how could you pass up the chance to enjoy a bush breakfast or lunch? Picnic breakfasts and lunches can easily be packed up for you to take on your game drives so you can enjoy some delicious food and al fresco dining surrounded by the gorgeous Kenyan wilderness.

Ascend over Ol Malo and glide across the Laikipia plains, the Suguta valley sand dunes and to the Jade Sea.

Ol Malo run a working family ranch and aims to be as self-sufficient as possible. You’re invited to come and take a look, learn about how the ranch functions and even lend a helping hand.

Ol Malo is partnered with the Samburu Trust, which was founded in 2009 by Julia Francombe, daughter of Ol Malo’s owners, to conserve the Samburu way of life and protect the Samburu people and their land. The close bonds between Malo and the local Samburu communities mean that guests are invited to visit the nearby communities for rare personal experiences. The Trust operates a number of initiatives in education, healthcare, conservation, women’s empowerment and eco-tourism.

The Trust’s wildlife mission is to protect all wildlife safe from poaching, keep animal migration routes open and reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Due to factors such as population growth, urban development, and increases in illegal firearms, natural migration routes are becoming blocked and threats are growing towards wildlife, their habitats and local communities. The Samburu Trust created a team of Samburu warriors to provide security and protection, building on their ancient traditions and culture of warriorhood, and it’s the Trust’s aim to expand the team and continue empowering them to protect their land and protect the migration routes

The Samburu Trust is working to develop a unique education system tailored to children coming from pastoralist families. They built a small school so local children could have access to an education that was suited to the culture, land and traditions of the Samburu people. It’s the goal to train more teachers, continue to develop a curriculum that’s relevant to pastoralist children, to add more classes to the school, and to expand it into a full primary school.

The Trust’s healthcare programme began with the objective of improving the health of women and children during the drought in 1999-2000. At the time over 80% of the community was suffering from trachoma, an eye disease transmitted by flies that leads to blindness. Through a combination of preventative measures, itinerant clinics and knowledge of Samburu migration routes, the Trust was successful in restoring the sights of over 500 people who had trachoma as well eradicating it in other nearby communities.

There are also a number of health risks threatening the Samburu people due to their day-to-day conditions/lifestyles, especially in cases of children. These include dehydration, burns, injuries caused by wildlife like snakes and elephants, malnutrition and common infections, so the Trust’s healthcare programme has since expanded to continuously support the Samburu people.

The Waso River was the main water source in Northern Kenya but following the drought in 1999-2000 the migration of thousands of people and animals placed too much strain upon the river and in 2009 it dried up for the first time in living memory. The Samburu Trust made it their mission to provide a sustainable water system that benefitted both local communities and the environment. With the help of Samburu Elders and knowledge of animal migration routes, the Trust created a network of reservoirs to provide clean water as well as alleviate pressure on the river’s ecosystem.

During the 1999-2000 drought the Beads for Food programme was set up, whereby Samburu women exchanged their beads for food to feed their families. It later developed into a workshop where the women could come together and practice their crafts. The money they earned meant they had financial stability and the freedom to live their lives as they chose. By uplifting women, the entire community benefits – women can feed and educate their children and pass on their skills to the next generation of young women.