Partnership with Big Life Foundation helps protect critical wildlife corridor.
NEW YORK – Angama Amboseli, the intimate, new 10-suite lodge from the team behind Maasai Mara’s iconic Angama Mara, has opened in Kenya’s private 5,700-acre Kimana Sanctuary against the dramatic backdrop of Africa’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro.
Elephants are the star of the show at Angama Amboseli (including some of Africa’s last, massive “Super Tusker” elephants, which roam the Fever Tree forest around the lodge) and their presence informs every element of the lodge — from the elephant-ear-shaped vanity mirrors in the suites’ bathrooms to the elephant dung used to build the lodge’s exterior walls to the infinity swimming pool equipped with a drinking trough for elephants.
Designed by architect Jan Allan and interior designers Annemarie Meintjes with Alison Mitchell, Angama Amboseli is inspired by traditional round Maasai manyatta structures, using all local materials, including furniture made from ebonized mvule and coconut palm woods, and textiles of local rattan, grasses and sisal.
To maximize the views of Kilimanjaro (arguably the best vantage point to capture the iconic peak), each suite at Angama Amboseli features floor-to-ceiling screened doors leading to a private patio with a shaded lounge area, an outdoor shower and Angama’s signature Fermob rocking chairs. The lodge’s guest area features an indoor/outdoor dining area with baraza fire pit, safari shop, game room for the whole family, gallery and makers’ studio for Kenyan artisans, and photography studio.
Kimana Sanctuary – owned by 844 local Maasai family members and managed by Big Life Foundation — is an extraordinary 21st-century conservation story, located at the “pinch point,” a narrow wildlife corridor that is all that remains of a centuries-old migratory path due to farming and encroachment which connects Amboseli National Park to the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo West National Park. With exclusive traversing rights and unrestricted game viewing, Angama Amboseli offers remarkable density of wildlife, including elephants, eland, buffalo, reedbuck, giraffe, zebra, warthogs, leopard, cheetah, servals and many birds of prey — all of which can be viewed on an early-morning “pyjama safari” when the views of Mount Kilimanjaro are best.
“Angama Amboseli provides guests a gentle start or finish to any East African safari, and a quiet contrast to the wide open plains of the Maasai Mara,” says Steve Mitchell, Angama’s CEO and Co-Founder. “Guests can expect Angama’s signature blend of warm and gracious Kenyan service, well-considered guest experiences, contemporary African design and an intimate wildlife experience, especially with the extraordinary ellies.”
Angama Amboseli is easily accessible via daily Safarilink flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the Sanctuary’s private airfield or nearby airstrips; and private charters are also welcome for direct connectivity to and from the Maasai Mara. The lodge is a 3.5-hour drive from Nairobi.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
