Review: Angama Amboseli, Kenya

At the bottom of the mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro lies the beautiful Amboseli National Park, known for being the home of the super tuskers. For those not in the known, super tuskers are the elephants with the largest tusks which are often also among the oldest. One can imagine the amount of visitors flocking in to see these majestic creatures roaming around, together with all kinds of other wildlife, creating one of the most visited parks in the whole of Kenya.

Angama, a brand that carries conservation high up its sleeves, created a stunning property right next to this hotspot, but offers a totally different experience to its guest as it sits within its own private sanctuary, making sure guests can enjoy superb wildlife sightings without the crowds but still with the majestic Kilimanjaro in the background.

The welcome

We were barely coming to a halt with our jeep, or Faith and Anthony where standing ready to welcome us to this stunning property. Warm smiles all around and with some refreshments and cold towels in hand we felt instantly at home. Still, till today, too many hotels and lodges underestimate those initial moments when the guests arrive and they just want to feel genuinely welcome. Too often it’s forced, scripted and badly executed, yet here at Angama Amboseli the whole team nailed it in the most perfect way.

The room

Not long after our arrival and initial lunch, we made our way to our family suite which consists out of 2 standard suites which are connected by a light and airy hallway. Ideal for families like us, who are travelling with 2 kids aged 7 and 12. In total there are only 10 suites at Angama Amboseli, of which 2 are family suites.

You enter your suite through a small entrance hall which serves perfectly as a mud room in case of rain, or just to leave your dusty shoes all the rest of the time. After that you walk into a contemporary designed sleeping area with an oversized king bed which always scores bonus points in my books. There’s also a minibar, coffee and tea station, and of course floor to-ceiling windows which all look our over Mt Kilimanjaro.

Outside on the terrace you’ll have a cozy seating area and Angama’s signature rocking chairs which are ideal for an afternoon nap or just to enjoy a relaxed drink while looking outside to see which animals are roaming around in the sanctuary. We regularly saw zebra, impala, elephants, warthogs and so on from the comfort of our own suite.

The bathroom

Continue further into the suite from the sleeping area and you’ll pass through the dressing into the bathroom which has double sinks, a double shower and again those insanely beautiful views over Kili. The style is minimalistic with mostly black and white tones, yet it still feels warm and welcoming. Africology toiletries and products emphasise the will to keep things natural and organic.

The facilities

Even with its maximum capacity of 24 guests at any given time, Angama Amboseli offers some superb facilities. First and foremost there’s a lovely round pool which offers the same epic views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The perfect spot for an afternoon nap.

In terms of food there’s really nothing else to say but the fact that both the quality and variety are superb, not to mention the wonderful wine list that comes with it.

There isn’t a spa yet the suites are so spacious that they gladly transform your bathroom into a mini-wellness area whenever you like a treatment. My wife did put them to the test and was very happy to report that both the set-up and the treatment were top notch.

Of course there’s a shop to buy any last minute necessities or just some superb high quality souvenirs. But adjacent you’ll also find the incredible weaving studio where a handful of Maasai mamas craft the most amazing homeware and also jewellery. Of course it didn’t take long for our kids to help them along and learn everything from them. They even made some nice pieces themselves.

Talking about the kids, there’s also a games room dedicated to the younger guests, even though there are only 2 family villas at the lodge so there will never be more than 4 kids playing around. Now that’s just one of the many elements that really sets Angama Amboseli apart. No matter the size of the lodge, they make sure everything is available, and in the best way possible. Yes, that also includes a photographic studio where the resident photographers help you to edit your pictures, print them if you like, and so on. You can also rent proper camera gear so you don’t have to bring it along if you don’t want to carry all that weight.

Location

Most people will arrive in Nairobi from where it’s either a 3-4 hour drive to Angama Amboseli over nice tarred roads or a 50 minute flight straight into Kimana. You can also opt to fly into Amboseli airstrip from where it’s about 1 hour drive to the lodge.

The location couldn’t be more perfect. Set within its own private sanctuary called Kimana, it’s only a mere 40 minutes from the Amboseli National Park.

Other nice touches

From the minute we arrived till the moment we left, there was a constant flow of little surprises, small touches and genuine hospitality that is hard to come by nowadays, especially for families. As we were travelling with our kids, they were very well taken care off and it was easy to keep them busy. However, Angama also provided them with goodie bags upon arrival, extra attention wherever possible and tons of attention from the staff. On morning I came back from a game drive with my son, only to find my daughter in the suite painting the day away with some of the best tools and materials I’ve seen in a long time. Another time the youngest one is helping in the kitchen to prepare us some cocktails while mummy and daddy enjoy the views of Kili with some zebras in the front of it. Don’t get me wrong, this is certainly a stunning lodge for couples, but unlike many others they won’t side-eye you because you arrive with your kids.

Another small detail that really made my day (every day) was the fact that in the mornings the team would be waiting at our game vehicle with our favourite type of coffee, a hot water bottle places on our seat and a genuine smile to wish us a happy game drive. I mean…..what more could you ask for to start off your day?

One evening we were also surprised by a bunch of Maasai who came to perform at the campfire and afterwards talked briefly about their culture, traditions and so on. While I’ve seen many performances like these, I must admit that it was brief, informative and a great way for the kids to learn more about this tribe.

Cost

Of course none of this comes for free, but truth be told, in terms of value for money I thought it was one of the best safari lodges I ever stayed at. And I’ve done plenty all over the African continent. Angama Amboseli doesn’t work with different pricing throughout the year, instead they have a fixed rate of 1850 USD (around 1400 GBP) per person per night. Not cheap, but considering the conservation work they support with it, the level of service you get and the luxury of staying in a superb private sanctuary, make it more than worth while.

The best bit

The views of Mt. Kilimanjaro are majestic and because the sanctuary is private, you have all the wildlife for yourself without having the share it with dozens of other game vehicles. Certainly something that can’t be said when visiting Amboseli National Park. Hence why I would recommend to do maybe 1 game drive to the national park but remain within the sanctuary for the rest of your stay. And honestly, the game viewing is superb. We saw mating lions, a lioness with cubs, a cheetah with a kill, tons of elephants of which some were among the biggest tuskers in the world,…. Truly a great experience!

Finally one unique feature really sets Angama apart from all the other lodges I ever stayed at and that’s the Mnara which is Swahili for “tower”. And from the moment you drive up to this watchtower, you start to understand that Angama put as much effort into the design of the lodge as it did into the conservation of the wildlife and the surrounding area. It’s the ideal spot for a sundowner, and while we were sitting there, sipping our G&T’s, a herd of about 30 elephants casually passed by underneath us, as if we weren’t there. Another pinch-me moment in Africa.

The final verdict

Angama Amboseli is truly a place you need to experience in order to fully understand how good it actually is. From the perfectly designed suites, the omnipresent staff that is taking care of you in the most genuine way, the superb guides and trackers that take you on the best game drives to the amazing food and insane views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, it all works perfectly together, creating the one of the best safari experiences out there.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Angama Amboseli.

Kristof Eyckmans

Kristof Eyckmans is a travel writer from Antwerp, Belgium. He’s been living all across the globe and while he loves wildlife and nature, he can still enjoy a good urban jungle.