It all started with a walk of 1 ,760 kilometers, or nearly 1,100 miles, across East Africa in 2019, when couple Brian and Ntiankiki traveled through Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. They decided to build their home in what would eventually become Bomanoma, an eco-lodge that serves as an African oasis. They married in 2021 and welcomed their first child, daughter Zuri Naeku Ash, in the same year.
Bomanoma is a combination of two words. According to its website, boma is Swahili for a traditional African homestead, and noma is Swahili for badass. When Brian and Ntiankiki began getting more more visitors to their home, they decided to turn it into a formal establishment in 2020. The result is a perfect balance of traditional Maasai culture and modern technology.
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Bomanoma is an African eco-lodge that offers unique accommodations with modern amenities. Together with an organic farm, it sits on five acres of land just outside Narok, Kenya. It’s located in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, home of the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe.
It features a typical African homestead layout where several houses together make up a boma, surrounded by a large fence.
The houses are designed like traditional Maasai houses, which are circular or oblong, measuring 2 meters by 3 meters. They feature low ceilings and rounded corners.
Natural building materials that are readily available and traditional methods are used in the construction, such as the low-cost and fireproof cob walls made with a mixture of subsoil, straw, water, and lime. The materials keep the building warmer at night and cooler during the day. The Makuti thatched roofing is made from woven sun-dried coconut palm leaves.
Bomanoma offers a wide choice of sleeping accommodations. The family home, which is ideal for a family or a small group, has two bedrooms — one with a 4-by-6 bed and the other with a 6-by-6 bed — as well as a small living room.
Three private cottages offer enough space for a couple or even just a single person. The hostel-style dormitory, with its three double-decker bunk beds, is a budget-friendly option. Bathrooms are in a separate structure.
People who want to have a closer-to-nature experience can rent tents or bring their own, spending a memorable night under the stars.
The gazebo is the go-to place to chill or to meet like-minded fellow travelers for some friendly conversation while charging a phone or other electronic devices. Solar-powered electricity is available in all the rooms and gazebos. Unlimited, high-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the premises.
The viewing tower actually holds a water tank. The tower pumps water from the well below, and gravity allows the water to flow down to the irrigation system that feeds the organic farm.
A guest bedroom designed with privacy in mind is integrated into the vertical structure , and the topmost level serves as a viewing point where guests can watch the African sunset.
An integral part of the Bomanoma eco-lodge is its organic permaculture farm, which includes an edible and market garden where a variety of produce such as cassava, kale, lettuce, and parsley grow. The herb garden provides a variety of spices used fresh in the eco-lodge's kitchen.
To help ensure sustainability, food waste compost is recycled back into the farm, and rainwater is collected for irrigation. The property contains a tree nursery as well as four beehives. Demonstrations are available, and guests are welcome to try their hand around the farm.
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In the Bomanoma kitchen, a brick and cob oven offers an efficient way to bake bread and pizza. In addition, a grill is available for roasting meat and produce sourced from the organic farm.