There is one other good reason to spend some time in Amboseli. Kilimanjaro. Amboseli is the single best place in East Africa from which to observe this impressive mountain rising up to over 19,000 feet above sea level. It is said that ‘Tanzania has the mountain, but Kenya has the view,’ and that is most definitely the case from many vantage points in and around Amboseli.

Ideally of course, the objective is to get some of the elephants and Kilimanjaro in the same frame. Which – rather surprisingly – is not that hard to accomplish. With a little bit of effort and anticipation on the part of your guide, the elephants are almost always in the right spot. Kilimanjaro not so much – it disappears behind a blanket of fog, mist and clouds all too often.

Elephant Gorge Lodge

On our late May visit to the Amboseli area we spent two nights at a relatively new property –  Elephant Gorge Lodge – located in a private conservancy about 30 minutes’ drive from the eastern gate of Amboseli. The best feature of the property is the open lounge and dining area which has a superb view over the Amboseli flats. The waterhole right in front of the main building attracts elephants and giraffes, among others.

There’s an attractive pool on the left side of the lounge and a spa which offers a full range of massages and beauty treatments. The food offerings were consistently good and nicely presented with impeccable, friendly service. The overall impression was one of a happy, capable crew which enjoyed having guests around.

The rooms are more than comfortable with a divided toilet/shower/bath addition and a small desk area where devices can be charged. Packing space is limited and the lighting could be better. Guests can move between the rooms and the main area only by golf cart; walking around on one’s own was prohibited. At least when we were there; possibly as a result of thick vegetation.

Amboseli game viewing

I’ve always been of the opinion that Amboseli is a good introduction to the wildlife of Kenya – or East Africa for that matter. This visit hasn’t changed that. Over the course of just two drives into the park we saw dozens of elephants of all sizes, hippos, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest, Thompsons and Grants gazelles, black-backed jackals and a cheetah with a youngster. The birding at Amboseli is fantastic and over the course of a couple days we racked up about 50 different species.

Amboseli issues

Amboseli is a unique and wonderful park but traffic and dust will no doubt have an impact on your stay there.

Congestion

Amboseli traffic has increased noticeably since our last visit about three years ago. Several new camps have opened during this timeframe and more will continue to in the future. Add to that the growing number of visitors driving from both Malindi and Nairobi, and Amboseli starts to feel rather crowded on some days.

Amboseli is a small park with a limited road network so it’s not always possible to find your own quiet spot. As soon as a good sized herd of elephants head in a direction which will take them across one of the roads, the vehicles start heading that way. At a cheetah sighting the road was all but totally blocked at times with other vehicles driving into your line of sight.

It is still possible to avoid the worst congestion around high profile sightings but would-be visitors should know they’re not going to have Amboseli to themselves. Get an early start in the morning.

Dust

Dust has always been an issue at Amboseli, which is in the rain shadow of Kilimanjaro. Seeing dust devils in the distance – often several at the same time – is as typical of Amboseli as is elephants rooting around in the swamps.

Dust can be a photographer’s best friend such as when a herd of elephants kick up plumes of dust or even spray themselves with generous clumps of it. It adds drama and color, and what could be a ho-hum elephant photo can be immeasurably better with some of the fine Amboseli dust flying in all directions.

What isn’t fun is driving in a cloud of dust practically all the way along the main road coming from the eastern Kimana gate to the center of the park. Guests staying at camps like Tawi, Elephant Gorge and Angama Amboseli run that gauntlet – mostly in open-sided vehicles – as many as four times per day. So be sure to bring some masks or at least a buff or scarf to protect you from the dust. And protect your cameras and other electronic gear in a suitable dust-proof bag.

The camps in private concessions on the east side of Amboseli do have one major advantage compared with the camps inside and to the west of the park: the presence of giraffes. The area right around Elephant Gorge Camp had dozens of giraffes which feed on the acacia and other trees found there. There are practically no giraffes inside the park due to the elephants having stripped away all the trees over the years.

While we personally still enjoy Amboseli and its amazing elephants, and still encourage travelers to spend two nights there (not more), we can see a time when it may be advisable to spend time in Tsavo East instead. Lots of elephants too – and equally good general wildlife viewing – in a less traveled, more rewarding setting. Not really an option for visitors who want to see Kilimanjaro. If it’s mostly an elephant experience then Tsavo East fits the bill admirably.

Soroi Amboseli Lodge

On our last day in the Amboseli area we inspected the soon to be opened Soroi Amboseli Lodge. We liked what we saw and have already added it to the rotation of camps we’d consider for our guests. Being inside the western sector of the park, guests staying at this 16-roomed camp (with one deluxe room, two family rooms and a spa tent) will not have to deal with long, dusty drives in or out.

For more information about the two new Amboseli camps (Soroi Amboseli and A&K Sanctuary Kitirua), or for assistance with planning your own Kenya trip email Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com or call our office at 1-800-513-5222 and leave a message with the answering service. 

Property photos provided by the respective properties.