By Angama Amboseli
Published November 8, 2022
A tourist lodge that is touted as being a gentle start or finish to any East African safari is set to open in Kenya’s world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve in November 2023.
Known as Angama Amboseli, the lodge of just 10 suites in the private 5,700-acre Kimana Sanctuary is set against the famed backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro.
“Angama Amboseli will be a gentle start or finish to any East African safari, and a lovely contrast to the wide open plains of the Maasai Mara,” says Steve Mitchell, Angama’s CEO and Co-Founder.
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The tented suites — including two sets of interleading family units welcoming children of all ages — feature a super king, extra length bed, a personalised drinks armoire and a dressing area connecting to a bathroom which includes a double vanity and a double shower. To maximise the views of Kili, each suite has floor-to-ceiling screened doors leading to private a deck with a shaded lounge area, an outdoor shower and of course, Angama’s signature rocking chairs, perfect for mountain gazing.
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The Guest Area will feature indoor-outdoor dining with an expansive baraza and a sundowner fire pit where guests can watch the light change on Africa’s tallest mountain throughout the day. The Studios will house a safari shop, a fun games room for the whole family, a gallery and makers’ studio for Kenyan artisans — along with a photography studio to assist guests with everything from hiring cameras and editing pictures to photoshoots. However, the focal point is sure to be the raised rim-flow swimming pool, fringed by fever trees and fronted by a drinking trough for the elephants — and Kili’s snow-capped peak in the distance.
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With exclusive traversing rights and unrestricted game viewing, the best time to view the mountain is in the early hours of the morning on a pyjama safari. The Sanctuary is home to eland, buffalo, reedbuck, giraffe, zebra, warthogs in their hundreds, along with leopard, cheetah, serval, and many birds of prey — offering remarkable density of wildlife for the ecosystem. Guests may also choose to visit Amboseli National Park, a short 45-minute drive from the lodge.
Easily accessible, there are scheduled daily flights from Wilson Airport to the Sanctuary’s private airfield or nearby airstrips, operated by Safarilink. Private charters are also welcome for direct connectivity to and from the Maasai Mara. By car, guests can enjoy an easy 3h30minute drive straight from Nairobi to the gate on a paved road.