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An Introduction to Amboseli

It was with great zeal that Charlotte researched Amboseli and Kimana Sanctuary in advance of our groundbreaking. Here are some of her findings
Above: Jeremy Goss captures the magic of Amboseli
Above: Jeremy Goss captures the magic of Amboseli

Preliminary research told me that 'Amboseli' stems from the Maa (the language of the Maasai people) word ‘empusel’ meaning ‘salty, dusty place’. Amboseli National Park (392 km2) is actually a blip in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem which is a whopping 8 000 km2. About a four-hour drive or a one-hour flight from Nairobi, Amboseli is arguably Kenya's most-loved and visited national park behind the Maasai Mara.
 
'There is no doubt that despite its relatively small size, Amboseli National Park holds its own as one of East Africa’s favourite safari destinations… it is a land of exquisite contrasts, iconic scenery, and extraordinary biodiversity' Africa Geographic

One of Amboseli's iconic scenes — marching one by one
One of Amboseli's iconic scenes — marching one by one
It's a photographer's paradise as the elephant herds make their daily trek to find water
It's a photographer's paradise as the elephant herds make their daily trek to find water

Amboseli very quickly became one of my favourite parks after a recent work trip with Angama’s marketing team (yes, I do have the best job). Home to over 420 different species of birds and an abundance of plains game, you’ll be hard-pressed not to find something to fix your binos on. Of course, what Amboseli is best known for is its elephants. Here you will find the last genetic links to Africa’s Super Tuskers — elephants with nearly 50 kg (100 lbs) tusks that scrape the ground as they walk. These genes, once common throughout Africa, have been hunted into oblivion making these elephants rare and precious ambassadors of their kind.

The views of Kili seem to change by the hour
The views of Kili seem to change by the hour
It's hard to keep your eye off her snowy caps
It's hard to keep your eye off her snowy caps

One can’t talk about Amboseli without mentioning 'Kili', or Mount Kilimanjaro to the unacquainted. She looms 5 895 metres high, just 50 km to the southeast of Amboseli in neighbouring Tanzania. Sometimes shrouded in fluffy white clouds, sometimes beaming in the morning sun, she’s an ever-present companion and beautiful addition to any view and/or photograph (be careful, she’s stolen plenty of hearts). Her snowy caps are the source of many of Amboseli’s water sources, one of which is a perennial stream that flows through Kimana Sanctuary — the future home of Angama Amboseli.

The first of many <a href=https://angama.com/blog-posts/inside-angama/when-the-wise-wazee-came-to-stay/>meetings</a> with the Kimana elders
The first of many meetings with the Kimana elders Photo: Steve Mitchell

Kimana is a community wildlife sanctuary, the first of its kind in Kenya, established in 1996 and owned by no fewer than 844 family members. The ecosystem that surrounds Amboseli National Park is composed of a number of group ranches like this, land owned and occupied by Maasai people. As conservationists are forever working to gain space for wildlife beyond park boundaries, these parcels of land are a key component if they can provide alternative sources of income and benefits, preventing the landowners from turning to farming. This type of community-based conservation is fundamental to Angama’s operational philosophy and a crucial component of sustainable tourism efforts which drive us (when we're not delighting guests).

It all summed up in a photo: elephant footprints leading through pinchpoint and across the highway
It all summed up in a photo: elephant footprints leading through pinchpoint and across the highway
Children, farms, traffic, wildlife — its all here in our new home
Children, farms, traffic, wildlife — its all here in our new home

The Sanctuary and its neighbouring conservancies form a critical wildlife corridor that connects Amboseli National Park to the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo West National Park. It is said that more than 80% of large mammals of Amboseli are found outside of the formally protected area of the National Park during the wet season and it is through this corridor that they must pass. The most endangered part of the corridor is at our doorstep — just past our gate, known as the 'pinch point', is a path only 70m wide and 600m long with a busy highway cutting right through it.

The late Tolstoy, one of the biggest elephants I have ever seen, dwarfed by Kimana's fever trees
The late Tolstoy, one of the biggest elephants I have ever seen, dwarfed by Kimana's fever trees
It was a privilege to have seen him; his passing has left a deep impression on us all
It was a privilege to have seen him; his passing has left a deep impression on us all

The highway is just one of the perils these animals must face; there are all-too-tempting farms situated on either side of the bottleneck. Unlike the Mara, our new neighbouring communities are mostly subsistence farmers, and for them, farming is often their only choice. As we learned recently with the unfortunate passing of Tolstoy, one of the Super Tuskers, farmers are forced to prevent their sole source of income from being destroyed by unpaying visitors. We hope our presence will provide an alternative model, inspiring other ecotourism companies to enter the area with substantial land-use fees and other economic benefits flowing back into the communities, helping to redefine the value of the land and the animals we share it with.

Filed under: Stories from Amboseli

Tagged with:

Amboseli , Angama Team , Kilimanjaro , Super Tuskers

About: Charlotte Ross Stewart

Charlotte may be the youngest member of the team, but she is a storyteller wise beyond her years. Tasked with sharing the stories that flow out of Angama on social media, blogs and beyond, her love of people, literature and nature make this the perfect role for her.

Browse all articles by Charlotte Ross Stewart Meet the angama team

Keep Reading

A Tribute to a Super Tusker 27 May 2022 With the tragic passing of Tolstoy the Super Tusker in the future home of Angama Amboseli, professional wildlife photographer Federico Veronesi reflects on a decade of unforgettable encounters By Federico Veronesi
Breaking Ground, Not Promises 21 October 2022 Two and a half years of discussions and planning all came together a week ago in a groundbreaking that will go down in history By Steve Mitchell
Maasai, Milk, Mr & Miss 22 June 2024 Angama Amboseli sits in Maasailand, so it was only right that we celebrated this indomitable culture in the lodge’s inaugural Cultural Day By Isaac Naiganya
This Week at Angama #218 8 April 2022 With some of the newest cubs in the Mara reunited with a long-lost sibling, Adam can’t help but wonder if he’s witnessing the rise of a new pride in the Triangle By Adam Bannister
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Comments (1):

Azei

29 June 2022

We can't wait to delight our guests at Kimana and grow with the families surrounding this gem!

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