HakiPensheni: Spectacular views of Kilimanjaro from Amboseli National Park

Elephants graze at the Amboseli National Park. In the background is a spectacular view of Mount Kilimanjaro. PHOTO | FILE | XINHUA

By Sandra Chao-Blasto

In Summary

One can go for a game-fly and view the wildlife up close from the air.

A visit to Amboseli National Park will confirm that while Mount Kilimanjaro is located in neighbouring Tanzania, the best views are from the Kenya side. It is the perfect place to be if you are looking to see some of the big five up close - especially the elephant

While the largest elephant populations are found in Tsavo National Park, the best possibility for you to see big herds together is at Amboseli, which in Maasai means salty dust.

If you are lucky, you can see a herd of more than 50 elephants in one go.

While the park is wholly managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service on behalf of the national government, there are some sections that are under the management of the Kajiado county government.

Its location about 230 kilometres to the south east of Nairobi makes it an ideal quick getaway for both families and couples.

Getting to the national park is quite easy and can be done either by road or air. You could fly into the park using local airlines like Safarilink and Air Kenya which would cost you about $250 per person (about Sh25,000) for a return trip.

The flights take off from Wilson Airport and take about an hour to reach the airstrip in Amboseli. Most of the planes carry between 10 and 12 passengers so it is possible to fly in with your family.

With some of the more experienced pilots, it is possible to go for a ‘game-fly’ – viewing the in their natural habitat from a safe distance up in the air.

You could also take the three-hour drive. While Namanga might be a shorter route, the unfortunate state of the road is not worth the trouble. It is much more convenient to travel all the way to Emali along the tarmacked Mombasa road and from there onto the dirt road to Remito Gate.

Ingenious plan

The Kimana gate is much more convenient for those traveling from Mombasa or Tsavo West National park.

Amboseli is sparsely populated when it comes to vegetation - a combination of several factors including the loose soil type which makes it easy for herbivores like the elephants to pull out the grass and shrubs.

To counter this, KWS have come up with an ingenious plan of fencing the park. The whole park has no boundary fence but from time to time, they fence off a few parcels of land using an electric fence to keep destructive wild animals like the elephants off the area.

Fencing

Only after the vegetation has regenerated is it opened to the wildlife. This process of regeneration takes between three and five years.

Lake Amboseli which is believed to be fed by the rain as well as underground water systems that originate from Mount Kilimanjaro is the best place to spot flamingoes and many of the over 600 bird species making this an ideal location for birdwatchers.

Observation hill is the one of the highest spots in the park and gives you a 360 degrees view of the park.

With prior arrangements from either the lodge you are staying in or KWS officials, it is possible to organise for a sundowner at the hill, giving you a perfect view of the sunset against the mountain’s backdrop.

Park entry costs Sh1,000 for adults and Sh250 for children. The proximity of this bustling park makes it a suitable location for a fun day trip with the family should you choose not to spend the night there.

You could arrange with KWS for a tour guide to accompany you in your car for the game drive, have a picnic at one of the public campsites then have a game drive as you leave the park for home.

Opting to camp will cost an extra Sh500 for adults and Sh250 per child.

The presence of lodges within and outside the park provide good alternatives for those who might not really be the adventurous outdoor kind of a person.

Available accommodation caters for all people from those on a budget to those looking for luxury.

Accommodation

While Ol Donyo Lodge is actually located on the slopes of the Chyulu Hills National Park, it is easily accessible from Amboseli.

The exclusive luxury lodge has just 20 rooms that sit at the heart of the 275,000-acre Mbirikani Group Ranch. Each of the rooms is fitted with professional cameras that allow guests to enjoy more of the scenic Kilimanjaro views.

The rates per person sharing go for US$535 (Sh53,500) per night. During peak season, the rates can go up to US$810 US dollars (81,000)for each night.

The rates are inclusive of accommodation, activities that can be undertaken like horse riding, meals, transfer to the Chyulu airstrip as well as non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

Satao Elerai Camp located on a 5,000-acre private conservation area just outside Amboseli is part of the Out of Africa collection.

The exclusive camp has just 14 rooms comprising of five lodge-style suites and nine deluxe tents that face Mount Kilimanjaro complete with large balconies and day beds for guest relaxation.

It will cost you US$410 (Sh41,000) per adult sharing per night during the peak season and US$320 (Sh32,000) during the low season in the months of April to June

Tortilis Camp is an Eco lodge located just outside the park. It was built in 1993 and is part of the Elewana collection of hotels and lodges. Each of the 16 tents have a spectacular view of the mountain with the main bedroom consisting of either twin or double beds.

They have a family tent that consists of two bedrooms - one with a double bed and the other with twin beds - though each of the rooms can fit an extra bed for children.

The private house is an actual house with similar features to the family tent which it also shares a pool with that overlooks the drylands.

Popular hotel brands well-known for their nationwide hospitality like the Serena, Sopa and Sentrim also have outlets within the Amboseli eco-system.

Lodges and camps like Ol Tukai Lodge, Campi ya Kanzi, Kibo Safari Camp and Porini Amboseli Camp are also available for accommodation.

The rates range from Sh10,809 per person per night to Sh42, 750 during peak season.

Accommodation