Our take
Ol Malo is a family-run bush home on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau, with four lodge cottages and a separate private-house option. Horse and camel outings, guided walks and northern Kenya adventures give it a character beyond conventional game drives.
Natural stone, thatch and timber shape Ol Malo’s buildings above the valley, with the Francombe family’s ranching background influencing both the hospitality and activities. It is a place to explore on different terms, moving between wildlife, landscape and time with Samburu hosts. The shared pool and living spaces keep the house atmosphere central, rather than making every hour an organised excursion.
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A closer look at the accommodation, atmosphere and setting.
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Accommodation
The main lodge has four individually designed guest cottages with en-suite bathrooms and private outdoor space. A separate six-bedroom Ol Malo House can be booked exclusively for a larger party. The lodge offers an intimate shared setting, while the house provides a private base with its own team; specify which arrangement you want when planning your stay.
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Food & drink
Farm-to-table cooking draws on the ranch and its gardens, with generous shared meals at the heart of the stay. Private dining and outdoor settings add variety for couples or groups, while breakfasts can follow a riding or walking outing. The house’s own chef and team provide a different level of privacy for an exclusive booking.
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What to do
Guided drives, bush walks, horse riding and camel outings offer several ways into the surrounding landscape. Samburu visits and beadwork introduce local skills, and the treehouse and leopard hide provide unusual overnight options. Helicopter excursions and supported Nomad journeys extend farther into northern Kenya and need separate planning. Riding experience, ages and activity conditions should shape the programme.
Planning your stay
Ranch activities and the house format provide possibilities for families beyond long drives. The six-bedroom house suits a larger family group, while lodge cottages offer a smaller arrangement. Specific sleeping layouts and age-appropriate riding or walking should be established before booking.
Ol Malo’s range of ways to explore is more distinctive than a checklist of lodge facilities. Horseback outings, camel-supported walking and an optional treehouse night can make a longer stay feel quite different from a conventional vehicle-led safari.
Choose between the lodge and exclusive-use house before checking availability. Helicopter and Nomad extensions are separate experiences, not routine inclusions in every stay. The cliffside setting also makes room position and movement around the property worth discussing in advance.
Compare the alternatives
Explore the accommodation and setting of each property before choosing your combination.
Laikipia
Loisaba Lodo Springs has eight spacious tented rooms above the Laikipia plains, with wide views towards Mount Kenya. Personal hosting, generous verandas and access to Loisaba Conservancy’s riding, walking and wildlife programme give it a more private lodge-style safari atmosphere.
Explore the property
Laikipia
Loisaba Tented Camp stands on an escarpment above the Laikipia plains, with twelve tents and wide views towards Mount Kenya. An infinity pool, adjoining family combinations and varied conservancy activities offer a balance of comfortable camp time and active safari.
Explore the property
Laikipia
Loisaba Star Beds offers an unusual Laikipia stay on a rocky kopje, with four-poster beds that roll onto open platforms beneath the sky. Four accommodation units overlook a valley and waterhole, combining a simple bush atmosphere with Loisaba’s varied safari activities.
Explore the propertyMake it part of a journey
Ol Malo can add an adventurous northern chapter to a Mara safari. We would first establish which activities genuinely appeal, then allow the nights they require rather than trying to fit riding, walking and a remote excursion into a brief stop.
These journeys are starting points. We adapt the route, accommodation and length of stay around your plans.
Explore Laikipia or read our Kenya seasonal guide.
Your questions
The main lodge has four individually designed guest cottages with en-suite bathrooms and private outdoor space. A separate six-bedroom Ol Malo House can be booked exclusively for a larger party. The lodge offers an intimate shared setting, while the house provides a private base with its own team; specify which arrangement you want when planning your stay.
Guided drives, bush walks, horse riding and camel outings offer several ways into the surrounding landscape. Samburu visits and beadwork introduce local skills, and the treehouse and leopard hide provide unusual overnight options. Helicopter excursions and supported Nomad journeys extend farther into northern Kenya and need separate planning. Riding experience, ages and activity conditions should shape the programme.
Ranch activities and the house format provide possibilities for families beyond long drives. The six-bedroom house suits a larger family group, while lodge cottages offer a smaller arrangement. Specific sleeping layouts and age-appropriate riding or walking should be established before booking.
Ol Malo can add an adventurous northern chapter to a Mara safari. We would first establish which activities genuinely appeal, then allow the nights they require rather than trying to fit riding, walking and a remote excursion into a brief stop.
Tailor-made Kenya
We will explain how it compares with the alternatives and whether it fits your preferred dates, route and pace.
Start planning