Hotels in Amboseli – Enjoy luxury in the Wild

Amboseli National Park is the second most popular park in Kenya after Maasai Mara. It is located in Kajiado county 260km ( 160 miles) away from Nairobi and lies at the border of the neighbouring country Tanzania. It lies at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro offering a great view of Africa’s largest mountain.

Amboseli is a Maasai word that means “salty dust”. The Amboseli paths are made up of a loose surface of volcanic soil that is usually dusty in the dry season and impassable in the wet season. The park lies in the shadow of Mount Kenya hence is usually dry and hot for most parts of the year, receiving rainfall in the months of April-May and October-November.

A stay at the National Park gives you an up-close view of free-range elephants, a great view of Mt Kilimanjaro and a visit to a dried-up Pleistocene Lake Amboseli. Other wildlife species in the park include; buffaloes, impalas, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and many more. There is also a number of bird species that can be seen patched up on the animals’ back while they are grazing.

The big question when visiting this park comes when choosing a place to stay while on your safari. Below are some hotels in Amboseli that are bound to give you a safari feel with great views of the dry Savannah plains.

Ol Tukai Lodge

Located at the heart of Amboseli surrounded by wilderness, Ol Tukai Lodge offers great views of Mount Kilimanjaro. The facility offers a pool, restaurant and guest lounge.

The rooms are elegantly furnished with great views of the mountain and the Savannah grassland. With luck, one can spot elephants grazing at a distance on the terrace.

Vehicles rentals are provided for game drives at an added fee at the lodge. Other activities while at the lodge include bird watching and visiting the Masai village.

Click Image for the best price

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

Amboseli Serena is located beside a copse of acacia trees and a gently flowing natural stream, facing Mount Kilimanjaro. The lodge is furnished in Maasai-inspired designs and offers a garden restaurant, pool and a sundeck with an uninterrupted view of the great landscape.

Accommodation is provided in a single-storey building with each room reflecting a Maasai Manyatta theme, locally inspired furniture and paintings with bright colours adorning the bed covers.

Activities in the area include; guided nature walks, bird watching, bush dinner/breakfast that can be arranged upon request and visiting the Maasai Village.

Click Image for the best price

Kilima Safari Camp

Situated next to the gate of the Amboseli National Park, Kilima Safari Camp has a great view of the animal watering holes as well as Mt Kilimanjaro. All accommodating rooms in the camp offer a sitting area and a private bathroom with some having a claw-foot tub.

Guests can unwind with a massage treatment upon request, swim by the big pool or bask on the sun loungers by the pool. Other activities while at the camp include guided game drives and bush walks. Masai culture education as well as evening Masai dance performances.

Bush dinners, night game drives and barbecue dinners can be arranged upon request.

Click Image for the best price

Kibo Safari Camp

Kibo Safari Camp is a luxury tented camp at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in the Amboseli. The camp is custom-designed with furniture made from locally sourced logs giving it a bush-stay feel.

The tents come with a patio and a seating area offering great views of the mountain. There is also a bar, a garden and a shared lounge for some relaxation while at the camp.

Activities while at the camp include; game drives and nature walks. Maasai dancers entertain guests in the evening while explaining each dance and what it symbolizes.

There is also a special package for the honeymooners including bush dinners and great surprises from the manager.

Click the image for the best price

AA Lodge Amboseli

AA Lodge is located 20km from the Amboseli airstrip and has facilities like a large swimming pool, restaurant, shared lounge, a business centre and a games room.

The rooms are fully furnished with a reading table, hairdryer, safe and a private balcony overlooking the great Savannah. Guests can choose either American, Continental, halal or vegetarian breakfast. There are also a number of local cuisines and drinks served at the restaurant and bar.

Click image the for the best price

Sentrim Amboseli Lodge

Sentrim Amboseli is 2.5km from the Amboseli National Park and 2.1km from Elephant Trust Research Firm. The property features an outdoor pool, garden and sun terrace. There is also a children’s playground to keep the young ones busy while at the lodge.

Guests can enjoy an English/Irish breakfast every morning while at the lodge.

Satao Elerai

Located 25km from Amboseli National Park and 22 km from Elephant Trust Research Firm. Satao Elerai is an Eco-friendly luxury camp set up on the rough-dry terrain of the Amboseli area.

The accommodating rooms are decorated in locally sourced logs giving an African hut feel. The units include a seating area and/or a balcony offering a great view of wildlife.

Other facilities at the camp include an outdoor pool, a restaurant that serves English cuisines and a continental breakfast. There is a terrace along with a garden for guaranteed comfort while in the wild.

Click the image for the best price

Tawi Lodge

Tawi Lodge is an eco award winning lodge. The lodge and cottages sprawl long the edge of the dry acacia woodlands while facing the great Mount Kilimanjaro.

Set on its own private conservancy area, huge herds of elephants can be seen grazing nearby while the birds and other animals species chirp away on the acacia trees.

Click on the image for the best price

Little Amanya Camp

Amanya camp is a holiday home that offers a relaxing and a comfortable with the same luxuries and outdoor freedom you get at home. The design and structure of the camp guarantees morning and evening views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Accomodation include self-contained spacious tents. The ensuit tent have a flush toilet, warm and cold shower as well as a bath tub.

Click on the image for the best price

Check out other tourist destinations in Kenya here.

Booking.com
Please share the post

You may also like...

14 Responses

  1. Non-stick says:

    Excellent review of safari lodges and hotels in Amboseli and the area. Thanks for the view into the options. Well done.

    When I was researching before going on my safari with the family it was tough to find out if they welcomed children. Consider adding this feature to the reviews as it would help families.

    Well done.

    • Anita says:

      Thank you for the feedback. Well most of these lodges are tented camps out in the wild but there are those that indicate to have a children playing area which is made to mean they are friendly to kids. 

      However, when out there you are always cautioned not to let your eyes off the children as they can easily wander off to the bushes where there are wild animals.

  2. Todd Matthews says:

    This is a great review of possible locations to stay in Amboseli. The scenery around these locations is unbelievable and definitely would be worth a first-hand experience. For anyone looking to take a dive into Amboseli, this is an article to check out. The Kilima Safari Camp to me would be the most attractive. From the scenery to the activities to do here, it seems like the ultimate say when in Amboseli. 

    • Anita says:

      Yes, Amboseli is the second most visited park in Kenya. Every visitor who has being here always reports of having a great adventure. Kilima Safari Camp is situated in a very unique area facing Mount Kilimanjaro and offers great views especially from their pool area.

  3. Dale says:

    What a great review of the stay options available.   Im not sure if a vacation of this sort is in our budget but never say never.  I think it would be the ultimate holiday.  I was wondering about one thing I never read and may have missed it.  Is there internet offered in any of these establishments and if so is it free or do they charge?

    • Anita says:

      Thank you for reading my article. Never say never, an opportunity may come up one day and you find yourself taking a safari to the Amboseli. If you click on the link on each of the hotels indicated, you will get more details on internet connections available. Some have free WiFi services in the common areas like the lounge and restaurant while some don’t, others provide internet at their business center at a charge.

      However, you need to note that this safari lodges are in the wilderness and operate on generators for electric power which is switched on in the evening and switched off in the morning. Hence internet availability is limited but not to worry as this is a vacation area and great place to stay away from technology and just connect with nature.

  4. Victor says:

    This is simply awesome! I enjoyed reading this article because it makes me want to plan my next trip 🙂 I will share this link with my wife because we are actually planning on traveling and the pictures that you show are a totally attractive. I may be a little by scared at first but I’m sure that the experience would be amazing!!

    • Anita says:

      Hey Victor, thank for your compliment. I hope you get to visit Kenya. You should not be scared of trying something different and new just take it as an adventure. You just need to have a positive mind, great plan and an adventurous spirit and you will surely enjoy yourself.

  5. Taylor says:

    Everything about this seems so amazing! I want to book a trip right now! 

    Thank you for providing such detailed descriptions of what is available at each accommodation. I was surprised that a few of them had pools! I’m not sure why, but I never thought about safari accommodations having swimming pools. It makes them seem all the more attractive. The picture of the pool at Kilima Safari camp is absolutely breathtaking!

    • Anita says:

      Yes, Amboseli is such an amazing experience whether you do a day safari or you stay overnight each moment is special. A pool is necessary since this area is really hot most time of the year and there is need to cool off especially in the afternoon when the heat is too much and a game drive is not possible.

      Again most game drives take place early morning and late evening so most tourists use the afternoon time to sun bask and swim to cool off.

  6. Sophia says:

    I am planning a trip to Kenya for next May. That gives me 6 months to prepare for everything. I did a search on google for hotels in Amboseli and found your site. This is perfect! So I plan on passing through Kajiado county so I want to find the right accommodations. I would like to have a hotel that has a view of the wildlife up close, as you say “grazing” and I definitely would need some views of Mount Kilimanjaro because I plan on bringing my photography equipment and taking some nice pictures of the area.

    Wooo weee does Kilima Safari Camp look very luxurious amid the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, I can clearly see that this would be the ideal lodging for me. I love the pool, it just looks so amazing and relaxing! I have to admit though the room pictured for Kibo Safari Camp looks awfully inviting and cozy too! I know I won’t be sleeping the entire time I am there but having a room like that can really add to the novelty of the trip!

    I don’t know about AA Lodge Amboseli however, according to the picture you have for this establishment, it just looks kind of plain, and nothing special. I know you say that the rooms are furnished and breaskfast is served every morning but what about the views? 

    Sentrim Amboseli Lodge looks cozy inside, but the outside I could take or leave. Just because like I said I wanted a view of Mount Kilimanjaro to take pictures of. I want to make sure it also has a nice pool and is a little more luxurious that I normally go for because this trip is going to be a very special one in which I plan to splurge and pamper myself. I want to stay in a place that reflects the type of experience I want to have while visiting Kenya afterall. 

    Satao Elerai clearly has a great view, but like I said – does it show Mount Kilimanjaro?

    You know I really appreciate that you put together this list of places that are great for staying at while in Amboseli, thanks to you I think I am going to go with Kilima Safari Camp as I love the view of the mountain, the fact that there is a pool, views of wildlife. And… can I ask, what is a “claw-foot” tub?

    • Anita says:

      Hello, glad to know you are coming to Kenya in 6 months time. Kindly ensure you also get details about the weather on your planned days as May is the long rain season, note in my post I have indicated Amboseli paths have loose surface of volcanic soil that is dusty in the dry season and impassable in the wet season. I would advise you to take this time and research and learn as much as you can about your planned trip to ensure you have everything in place and all your expectations are met. You can check out different reviews on TripAdvisor for everything from flights, accommodation, different locations, food etc. I always use it even for repeat trips to places I have been before.

      Different safari lodges in the Amboseli offer different experiences and it depends on your preference. Accommodation prices are also different depending on the kind of luxuries being offered. People preferences are also different as some people only require night accommodation since they spend most of the day out on game drives while others want to relax in the lodges and watch wildlife from a far.

      The positive about the Amboseli is that it is on a flat plain and the Mountain is visible from different angles but you can insist on a room that faces the mountain directly in any of the lodges if you so wish.

      A claw-foot bath is a 19th century luxury bath-tub that is normally bigger than a normal tub and is considered a variable antic to have.

  7. Matiss says:

    Hey, just wanted to let you know that we’ve really enjoyed the article of yours, Anita!

    We’ve been really wanting to visit wild life in Africa for such a long time. We’ve heard good things about Amboseli National Park, which is why we’ve at least initially decided to look into that. And it’s also close to the Kilimanjaro, which is perfect.

    Loved that the article gave a very solid idea on the type of hotels they have around there, all of which I personally found absolutely gorgeous and incredible. I mean, I’m a humble guy – a shack for me would be completely fine just to have the opportunity to be in that environment. 

    Nonetheless, the fact that the hotels are brilliant just makes it a much more pleasant and more memorable journey. I’m really looking forward to it. 

    Thank you for all the insights, I sincerely appreciate you for putting together the article!

    Cheers and have a Great One!

    • Anita says:

      Thank you Matiss for your review. Am glad that you found my article helpful and I hope it has drawn you closer to planning that trip of see wildlife in Africa.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.