“A piece of paradise! Many happy family memories were created during our stay in this wonderful house”
A delightful private home-from-home with panoramic views south to Mount Kenya and north to the Lolldaiga Hills, Olepangi House is designed with flair and style and furnished with antiques and fabrics from the owners’ far-reaching travels. It makes the perfect place to relax and reconnect with friends and family.
“Beautifully-kept grounds, large tastefully-decorated rooms, world class views complete with visiting elephants, giraffes, zebras etc., and a staff as friendly, competent and helpful as you could find, Olepangi is just exquisite.”
A stunning architect-designed private home, filled with a remarkable collection of antiques and textiles from around the world, Olepangi House features five very comfortable and spacious ensuite bedrooms.
When enjoyed as a three-bedroom house, the East-wing Master Bedroom is exquisite and features a 7-foot wide British Raj bed made in India dating from around 1840 and stunning antique fabrics. Its private sitting room area leads out to both a north and south-facing balcony with possibly the best views on the property.
Downstairs, there are a further two bedrooms, one with a Queen-sized bed and its own private balcony with swing chair. The third bedroom features two twin beds and is perfect for children. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms with handmade soaps and body creams made in Kenya.
When booking the full five-bedroom house, the West Wing offers an additional Master Bedroom with its own private sitting room and balcony. It enjoys an ensuite indoor shower room and has access to a luxurious outdoor bathroom with shower, double sinks, a loo and a bath with a view. Downstairs is an additional large twin-bedded room with its own balcony and swing sofa.
The high-ceilinged drawing room connecting the East and West wings is home to much of the owner’s personal collection of art, antiques and curiosities from their travels across Africa, Asia and beyond. It features a large open fireplace, separate dining area, multiple verandas and views of Mount Kenya to the South and Ole Naishu to the North.
For alfresco dining, there is a stunning large central garden space perfect for breakfasts and starry nights. The gardens feature a water fountain, fire pit, outdoor dining table, lounge chairs and morning breakfast table facing Mount Kenya.
While Olepangi House is private and self-contained, and a wonderful away-from-it-all getaway in its own right, there are also plenty of opportunities for guests to get involved in a range of fun and adventurous activities on the surrounding farm, in the local community or in the area’s several world-class wildlife conservancies and safari destinations.
Olepangi House sits close to the charming Olepangi Farm Cottages – a highly recommended boutique lodge filled with comfort and creativity. The house can be booked separately or in conjunction with the cottages and all the accommodation is set on a 120-acre equestrian property which looks across the Ngishishi River to 36,000-acre Ole Naishu, a working cattle ranch full of wildlife.
There’s always something new, interesting and creative happening around the farm and lodge, and the atmosphere is always fun, informal, creative and relaxing. With charming and hospitable owner-mangers, an artist-in-residence programme and a delightful and diverse stream of guests from inside and outside Kenya, Olepangi is a unique, original and inspiring destination.
Guests have the use of the stunning Olepangi swimming pool and pool house, and a variety of farm activities and community visits are available for adults and children. Guests can enjoy a horse ride in the surrounding community area or a picnic ride along the Ole Naishu border. Riding lessons are available in an all-weather arena on well-schooled ponies and horses. The farm also has a bush polo ground and polo lessons can be arranged for advanced riders.
If guests can tear themselves away from the relaxing pleasures of the farm, excursions and game drives to the Lolldaiga Hills, the Ngare Ndare Forest and other nearby ranches and conservancies are also highly recommended.
Summary
- A lovely and sophisticated bush home, imaginatively furnished and decorated
- Gorgeous gardens, indoor & outdoor dining, fire pit, spectacular views
- Explore Eastern Laikipia and Mount Kenya – or relax and unwind on the farm
- Just 20 minutes’ drive from the beautiful, wildlife-rich Lolldaiga Hills
- Stunning swimming pool and pool house (shared with Olepangi Farm Cottages)
- 120 acres of grounds, horse stables, horse riding, farm and community activities
- Warm & engaging owner-managers and staff, organic farm-to-fork meals
- ‘Young Farmers’ Club’ with all kinds of fun, practical, eco-friendly outdoor pursuits
- Accommodates up to 10 guests in 5 double/twin bedrooms
Destination - Laikipia
Straddling the Equator and stretching from the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya to the eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley, the Laikipia plateau is one of Africa’s most exciting and exclusive wilderness safari destinations – with abundant wildlife, spectacular scenery, extraordinary cultural and bio-diversity and some of East Africa’s most successful nature and game conservancies.
Ranching, conservation and high-end tourism go hand-in-hand, with few of the constraints that often apply in Kenya’s national parks and reserves. Night game drives, bush walks, bike tours, horse-riding, camel treks, scenic flights and helicopter safaris are a few the exhilarating pursuits on hand in the extensive private ranches and conservancies that make up much of the region.
Laikipia hosts a wealth and diversity of wildlife second only to the Masai Mara in Kenya. It has significant populations of predators and the “Big Five”, with over 50% of Kenya’s rhinos, thousands of elephants, about 25% of the world’s endangered Grevy’s Zebra, and an increasing population of rare Wild Dogs. The region is home to more at-risk species than anywhere else in East Africa.
Location - Lolldaiga Hills
Olepangi Farm Cottages and Olepangi House sit 6km outside the small town of Timau and are around 20 minutes’ drive from the main gate of the Lolldaiga Hills Ranch and Conservancy. The Lolldaigas consist of 49,000 dramatic and uncrowded acres 20 kilometres north of the Equator and 40 kilometres north of Mount Kenya. A well-managed combination of wildlife conservancy and commercial livestock ranch, they are home to a huge variety of wild animals and birds, as well as 4,500 cattle, sheep and camels. Despite their proximity to more widely visited areas of Laikipia, limited visitor numbers and a total absence of commercial tourist accommodation ensure that the Lolldaigas feel remote, untouched and firmly off-the-beaten-track.
The Lolldaigas are home to large herds of Elephant and Buffalo, together with Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Jackal, Cheetah and plentiful plains game. Larger antelope species include Hartebeest, Oryx and Eland, while Grevy’s Zebra and Wild Dog are among several rare and endangered species. With such varied topography, landscapes and habitats, the conservancy’s roads range across hilltops, up and down steep valleys, around dams, and across open savannah plains, ensuring that game drives and excursions here are always diverse, scenic and rewarding.
Ranging in altitude from 1700 to 2300 metres, the Lolldaiga Range is an ancient land form, comprising of a series of magnificent high folding hills, cedar forests and steep wooded valleys, interspersed with open grassland and bush. A well-documented series of archaeological finds, cave paintings and burial mounds show that the area was home to early mankind several thousand years ago. Over the last five centuries the region has been inhabited by the nomadic Laikipia Maasai, from whose language the name “Lolldaiga” comes, “Daiga” meaning braid.
In Detail
Olepangi House
- Stays are available on a 3-bedrom or 5-bedroom basis
- Five ensuite bedrooms in total
- 1 bedroom with King-sized bed
- 2 bedrooms with Queen-sized beds
- 2 bedrooms with twin single beds
- All bedrooms have ensuite bath/shower rooms
- Two upstairs sitting rooms with roof terraces
- Central high-ceilinged drawing room and dining room
- Multiple balconies, terraces and verandas
- Inside and outside dining areas
- Private landscaped gardens
- Swimming pool, pool house, dining room & bar – shared with Olepangi Farm Cottages
- 120 acres of shared gardens, grounds and farmland to explore and enjoy
- Televisions
- CD player
- DVD player
- Wi-fi internet
- Cellphone signal
Suggested activities at Olepangi Farm and nearby
- Exploring and experiencing the farm, gardens and grounds
- Walking and hiking locally
- Community walks with the legendary Mr Kariuki
- Horse rides in the local community area
- Riding and polo lessons on the farm
- Yoga and massage
- Making flavoured gins and essential oils
- Games drives into the Lolldaiga Hills
- Riding Safaris in the Lolldaigas and Ole Naishu Ranch
- Ngare Ndare Forest – forest canopy walk and Blue Pools
- Game drives and safari activities in Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- Hiking in Mount Kenya National Park
- Visit Solio Ranch – home to over 300 rhinoceros
Young Farmers Club for children (and adults) – activities include
- Farm and community walks
- Bird watching
- Milking the cows
- Horse feeding and grooming
- Horse riding – lessons available
- Bread, butter and jam making
- Collecting eggs from the chicken run
- Walking and playing with the dogs
- Picking flowers and vegetables
- Planting and sowing seeds
- Composting
- Building dens
- Picnics and sports
- Swimming in the river
Visitors' Book
“Olepangi had been on my travel wish list for a long time – I had heard so many wonderful things about it. It’s a beautifully-kept house, with lovely furniture and crockery and my family and I had the most fantastic three nights there. Elizabeth and her team looked after us like we were family. From dinners down by the river, farm-to-table meals, overnight oats, fresh juices, and the views from the pool house, it was nothing but exceptional. Thankyou for making our holiday so memorable.”
“We had a really great stay at Olepangi House. All the rooms are spacious and comfortable and the whole place was designed and decorated beautifully. The bathrooms are also just gorgeous with an impressive bathtub for the master bedroom. There is loads of great outdoor seating from where you can watch the elephants wandering around the reserve opposite.”
“My second visit this year and the experience has been wonderful both times. The environment is great for a weekend away with friends celebrating life. There is lots to do (hike, yoga, swim, milk cows, ride horses, massage) and also places to just hide out and do nothing but enjoy nature, bird watch and listen to the sounds of the river. The host, Elizabeth, is gracious as always, interacting with guests at regular intervals, but giving you space to enjoy your visit as you please. Thomas and team are also a very friendly, helpful and responsive.”
Rates
Standard Season
From $2095 per night for up to 6 guests in 3 bedrooms
From $3295 per night for up to 10 guests in 5 bedrooms
Please contact us for comprehensive information on rates, special offers, inclusions & exclusions, optional extras and terms & conditions of booking
“Beautifully-kept grounds, large tastefully-decorated rooms, world class views complete with visiting elephants, giraffes, zebras etc., and a staff as friendly, competent and helpful as you could find, Olepangi is just exquisite.”
A stunning architect-designed private home, filled with a remarkable collection of antiques and textiles from around the world, Olepangi House features five very comfortable and spacious ensuite bedrooms.
When enjoyed as a three-bedroom house, the East-wing Master Bedroom is exquisite and features a 7-foot wide British Raj bed made in India dating from around 1840 and stunning antique fabrics. Its private sitting room area leads out to both a north and south-facing balcony with possibly the best views on the property.
Downstairs, there are a further two bedrooms, one with a Queen-sized bed and its own private balcony with swing chair. The third bedroom features two twin beds and is perfect for children. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms with handmade soaps and body creams made in Kenya.
When booking the full five-bedroom house, the West Wing offers an additional Master Bedroom with its own private sitting room and balcony. It enjoys an ensuite indoor shower room and has access to a luxurious outdoor bathroom with shower, double sinks, a loo and a bath with a view. Downstairs is an additional large twin-bedded room with its own balcony and swing sofa.
The high-ceilinged drawing room connecting the East and West wings is home to much of the owner’s personal collection of art, antiques and curiosities from their travels across Africa, Asia and beyond. It features a large open fireplace, separate dining area, multiple verandas and views of Mount Kenya to the South and Ole Naishu to the North.
For alfresco dining, there is a stunning large central garden space perfect for breakfasts and starry nights. The gardens feature a water fountain, fire pit, outdoor dining table, lounge chairs and morning breakfast table facing Mount Kenya.
While Olepangi House is private and self-contained, and a wonderful away-from-it-all getaway in its own right, there are also plenty of opportunities for guests to get involved in a range of fun and adventurous activities on the surrounding farm, in the local community or in the area’s several world-class wildlife conservancies and safari destinations.
Olepangi House sits close to the charming Olepangi Farm Cottages – a highly recommended boutique lodge filled with comfort and creativity. The house can be booked separately or in conjunction with the cottages and all the accommodation is set on a 120-acre equestrian property which looks across the Ngishishi River to 36,000-acre Ole Naishu, a working cattle ranch full of wildlife.
There’s always something new, interesting and creative happening around the farm and lodge, and the atmosphere is always fun, informal, creative and relaxing. With charming and hospitable owner-mangers, an artist-in-residence programme and a delightful and diverse stream of guests from inside and outside Kenya, Olepangi is a unique, original and inspiring destination.
Guests have the use of the stunning Olepangi swimming pool and pool house, and a variety of farm activities and community visits are available for adults and children. Guests can enjoy a horse ride in the surrounding community area or a picnic ride along the Ole Naishu border. Riding lessons are available in an all-weather arena on well-schooled ponies and horses. The farm also has a bush polo ground and polo lessons can be arranged for advanced riders.
If guests can tear themselves away from the relaxing pleasures of the farm, excursions and game drives to the Lolldaiga Hills, the Ngare Ndare Forest and other nearby ranches and conservancies are also highly recommended.
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