Up next is a quaint little self-catered house with a pretty appropriate name – Ol Talet, meaning ‘the place with a view from above’ in Masaai. Another gem of a place tucked away in the picturesque landscapes of The Great Rift Valley, at the edge of Olepolos hill.
Ol Talet sits only about 45km out of Nairobi, passed Champagne Ridge, Corner Baridi and Kiserian town, right next to popular Nyama Choma joint – Ole Polos Country Club. It should take you about 1hr 30mins to get there from CBD, Nairobi (but really depends on the kind of driver you are and the traffic situation).
Ol Talet is a two-storey cottage that can comfortably accommodate 6 people, which was perfect because guess how many we were? Yep, 6.
Here’s a breakdown of the amenities:
- 3 bedrooms (1 double and 2 twin rooms)
- 1 bathroom (with an EPIC shower)
- Fully equipped kitchen (with a cooker, fridge, pots, pans, crockery, cutlery etc) – just bring your own food
- Living room with TV and DVD player (with a selection of movies to choose from)
- Plunge pool
- Terrace/balcony with dining table and chairs (and views for days!)
- Grill (on request)
- A little garden on the property as well
*to really appreciate the place, click to enlarge pics
The Ol Talet cottage exudes warmth. Once you’re in, your worries are left behind and appreciation for nature and life kicks in. An easy (and close) escape from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. The structure is made up of a combination of stone, wood and a thatched roof, giving it a really homely and rustic feel. Inspired by the Masaai, the décor is quite tasteful as well. It’s simple and contemporary with the highlight being a wall of tribal masks and stained glass window by the stairwell.
The views from the terrace and living room are breathtaking but my personal favourite was the panoramic view of Masaai land from the shower. And it gets better… it’s a rain shower! A glorious shower staring out to the Great Rift Valley, contemplating life and wondering if my dog misses me at home! Honestly, salute to the architect and her/his prime positioning of this bathroom because it will forever be engrained deep in my memory. In fact, my brain’s already releasing serotonin just thinking about it! But the large windows in there are really to thank for the epic views. So swing them open, bask in the shower of your life and if you’re like me, sing your heart out.
If there’s 6 of you, then please be conservative with the water or the last two are getting cold showers (but also just because you should be anyways!). FYI a morning shower in there is life!
Costs and Info:
Price is 19,000/- for the entire cottage per night (approx 3200/- pp if there’s 6 of you)
Check in is 1PM and check out 10AM.
Give Priscilla (0721 954 767) or Chema (0722 845 541) a call to book the place. Or email them at stay@oltaletcottages.com.
There’s also another cottage in the vicinity called Oloika that accommodates 6 people. It’s about a 150m walk up from Ol Talet so if you’re a bigger group then you can book this out too. Oloika is equally as beautiful and well maintained but the views from Ol Talet are to die for!
Ol Talet is a great base if you want to explore the south of Ngong Hills, check out Lake Magadi or discover Olorgesailie (a pre-historic site where early humans lived about 1.2 million to 490,000 years ago). Definitely grab a bite at Ole Polos Country Club and have a swim there if it’s a hot day.
What did we get up to?
We were there for 1 night, got there for about 11am and unpacked the car. Ol Talet is a bit of walk from the parking area so it was definitely a workout taking things up. The housekeeper gave us a quick tour of the place and was only a call way in case of anything. Once settled in, we chilled out for majority of the day, drank some wine, made a few cocktails, grilled some meat, chatted and examined the flora and fauna around. And thank god for the plunge pool that saved the day from the blazing heat. We didn’t fill it right to the top, but just enough to keep our lower halves cool.
The next morning, we made breakfast, sipped on that good good Kenyan tea and absorbed the views one last time before heading out to Lake Magadi, which was another 1hr 20mins drive down south of Magadi Road. What used to be one bumpy ride with monstrous potholes has just been re-tarmacked (lucky you!).
Magadi is totally worth the trip, super hot but worth it. From never ending pink salt flats, gorgeous landscapes to medicinal hot springs, it’s a must-see! We made it to the hot springs but it took me a while to get my foot in, the temperature was 40 degrees C+. Once my body adjusted, it was thoroughly therapeutic. I’d say aim for an early morning or late evening dip in there and avoid the afternoon sun.
I’ll leave you with an interesting fact. Did you know Magadi is one of the cleanest towns in Kenya? Thanks to Africa’s largest soda ash manufacturer, TATA Chemicals, that is based out there and actively keeping the environment clean. Thanks TATA!
Female adventurists curing our wanderlust one trip at a time 