Bringing It to Life

Playful, humble, mysterious, bold — these are the words that come to mind when asked to describe the character of Angama Amboseli. The personality of the lodge has developed from the place, the views, the experience — and most importantly the feelings it gave us — which lead to the design and overall look and feel. Of course, the lodge itself will be influenced hugely by the team who will welcome our guests and make it home.

The great elephants of Amboseli have, without a doubt, been our greatest inspiration and influenced everything from tent design to colours, fabrics, furniture — even the material of our walls. Annemarie Meintjes (Angama's design consultant) and I share a love of elephants so it’s been a great joy to indulge ourselves in all things ellie, celebrating everything about these gentle giants. They are endlessly fascinating, from their deeply textured skin to their interestingly shaped feet, the way they can be fierce one moment and frivolous the next. This spirit also lead us to create a place for children and families — you won’t find a sharp edge anywhere on the property but you will find many areas for children to explore, experience and play.

Our other great inspiration was the ever-looming Mount Kilimanjaro, the 'shy mountain'. She is very mysterious and full of surprises, showing herself fully some days, peeking out for only a moment the next. Her size is truly humbling and we knew that just like in the Mara with the endless view of the sky and the plains from your bed, we needed to be able to see her from every guest tent. That was a non-negotiable.

There are a number of other elements that have journeyed with us from the Mara to Amboseli: nods to architectural and design elements, amenities and the food and experience philosophies. Guests will recognise the modern simplicity of our tents, the 'help yourself' concept of our armoire, our much-loved baraza and the hand of our linens. Hopefully, guests will also recognise the same attention to detail, from the way we have carefully selected every single item, always considering how it will make them feel, how it can enhance their experience and provide them with a deep sense of being cared for.

We want to delight our guests in new ways. We want them to feel safe to explore, to observe, to play, to laugh, to connect, to paint. We want them to be able to view Kili whenever she’s out and feel humbled and inspired to learn about this very precious ecosystem, help them to connect with their surroundings, their friends and family, and by doing so, with themselves. 

Perhaps most of all though, guests will feel the familiarity of the Angama Way. We are the same team that strives to look after guests day in and day out, delivering the experience of a lifetime through meaningful interactions with people and nature in this incredible wildlife sanctuary.

We officially open our doors in November 2023 and are so looking forward to welcoming you. In the meantime, you can find more information on our website, or sign up for our newsletter for more updates.