ANGAMA AMBOSELI
A JEWEL WITH MOUNT KILIMANJARO AS A BACKDROP WHERE THE LAST SUPER TUSKERS ROAM
The views from Angama Mara looking down from the Oloololo Escarpment at the Mara Triangle in Maasai Mara, are traded at Angama Amboseli for those looking up, at the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.
This is an intimate lodge in the heart of Kimana Sanctuary, set within a Fever Tree forest where some of Africa’s last Super Tuskers roam — elephants with tusks so large they drag along the ground as they walk. Angama Amboseli is a gentle start, or a perfect finish to any East African safari. You will find contemporary international design, lovely, heartwarming service and top-notch amenities. As at Angama Mara, the people behind the magic is what really set the Angama experience apart.
With just 10 Guest Suites in the heart of Kimana Sanctuary, Kenya’s first community-owned conservancy, Angama Amboseli is respite from the world. This is a haven for the prolific elephant population in this ecosystem, here you will be able to get up close to relaxed resident herds and their calves as they saunter through the Sanctuary just as you do.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodation is a contemporary take on African design, each tented suite is a mix of canvas, concrete and stone accented by woven rattan and grass, all in earthy, neutral colors. Designed by the same team behind Angama Mara and Angama Safari Camp, the concept draws inspiration from the two giants of the landscape – The Elephants and Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s bold and elegant with rounded edges and curves; rough textures on the outside, a gift from the elephants — their dung, mixed with concrete, and a calming sanctuary inside.
The elegant tented suites feature a super king bed and a dressing area connecting to a bathroom with a double vanity and double shower. To maximize the views of Kilimanjaro, each suite has floor-to-ceiling screened doors leading to a private deck with a shaded lounge area, and outdoor shower.
Dining
Head chef, Edmund Mwaita, and his team produce delicious, freshly-prepared à la carte meals using quality local products, in celebration of the best Kenyan ingredients. Dining arrangements are flexible; you may either join other guests in the main lodge for a lantern-lit dinner, or have private intimate dinners served on your own deck outside your suite. Packed lunches are prepared for you should you choose to visit Amboseli National Park. And in the evening, the Baraza fire pit offers an idyllic setting for storytelling, drinks, and marshmallow roasting by the fire.
COMMUNITY
Kimana is the first of its kind as a community-owned wildlife sanctuary. There are 844 Maasai family members involved in providing benefits for the surrounding community while protecting precious wildlife spaces from further human development
CONSERVATION
Following the success of their property in the Mara, this is Angama’s second project. Working alongside NGO Big Life Foundation, they lease land from Maasai farmers to provide a safe passage for elephants passing through an area under threat from agriculture.
The lodge is a vital part of the Kimana Sanctuary, a key wildlife corridor linking Amboseli National Park to the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo West National Park. Angama Amboseli partners with Big Life Foundation to support local conservation efforts and community empowerment. Aiming to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and poaching, restoring migratory pathways and protecting these animals for generations to come.
As wildlife migrate between Chyulu Hills, Tsavo National Park, and Amboseli National Park; Kimana Sanctuary provides a safe haven and passageway for them to graze and move about safely. Big Life recognizes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach. This approach is at the heart of Big Life’s philosophy that conservation supports the people and people support conservation.
At night, village lights from surrounding communities twinkle at the base of the mountain, a reminder of the growing pressures of human and wildlife co-existence which forms an important part of Angama Amboseli’s conservation story.
ACTIVITIES
Game Drives – Exclusive traversing rights and unrestricted game viewing, guests can enjoy everything from night drives to early morning Pyjama Safaris. Game drives are tailored around you, what you’re most passionate about, where else you’ve visited, what you’ve seen and how you’d like to spend your time. With exclusive access to Kimana, you can decide how long you’d like to be on a drive and what times you’d like to leave and return. You will enjoy expertly guided game drives, searching for some of Kenya’s last big tuskers, you might return to camp and find them nibbling on trees outside tents or drinking water from the infinity pool.
Walking Safari led by an expert Guide, who have deep knowledge of the terrain, flora and fauna of this little oasis, on foot is an enchanting way to experience a safari. Follow animal pathways and tracks, get close to the resident eland, zebra and giraffe and observe the smaller inhabitants like antlions and dung beetles up close. It can be an easy walk, ideal for families, or you can explore for longer if that suits your mood. It’s advisable to set out earlier, before the heat builds up, allowing you to immerse yourself in Amboseli’s distinctive ecosystem at a relaxed pace before you return to the lodge for breakfast.
Amboseli National Park. Derived from the Maasai word for ‘salty dust’, Amboseli National Park is just a 45-minute drive from the lodge, as a guest you can enjoy as a half- or full-day excursion with a picnic lunch at a private Angama spot. This is one of the best places in Africa to see huge herds of elephants marching single file across dusty pans or having a bath in the dry lake beds. In the savanna and woodlands, you may spot lion or cheetah, while in the wetlands, hippo, flamingo and some of its other 400-odd species of birdlife can be found.
The Studio. At the Lodge, The Studio House is an impressive hub of activity, featuring a safari shop, an art gallery, and a stunning photographic studio for reviewing and editing your latest game drive shots. You will also be able to relax by the sublime pool area with shaded loungers and breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
WILDLIFE
Thanks to its perennial stream, the Sanctuary boasts the greatest habitat diversity and wildlife density in the area attracting scores of eland, reedbuck, warthogs in their hundreds, along with giraffe, zebra and wildebeest. Even the elusive leopard, cheetah and serval can be seen here along with many species of bird.
Craig, the largest living Super Tusker in the world. At 53, Craig is the undisputed king, sporting tusks estimated to weigh over 110lbs each. When you have an up-close and personal wildlife encounter with such a presence, you feel it deep in your core, getting a chance to photographing this wild giant is a spiritual interaction that will stay with you for a long time.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kimana Sanctuary is the perfect place for photographers and those keen to witness the beauty of nature. Have your eyes and cameras at the ready as you bumble through the savannah, woodland and Fever Tree forests, witnessing the diversity of game, a plethora of bird species — and of course, Mt. Kilimanjaro watching over you.
Under the expert guidance of the in-house team, you can coordinate private, complimentary sessions for in-studio photography tutorials and editing
Angama Amboseli’s Photographic Studio is a hub for creativity, storytelling, education and collaboration. Offering services from photoshoots to camera rentals and tutorials to enhance your photography skills, it provides the finest means to capture lasting memories of your safari adventure. The Studio offers new cameras and lenses available for rent
You can also hire a photographer to accompany you in capturing precious memories during your safari through Kimana Sanctuary or Amboseli National Park, or while you gaze upon Kili on a walking safari
