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5-Day Amboseli Safari Tours

Amboseli National Park is one of my favorite parks in East Africa, and it has so much going for it. You won’t find better views of Mt Kilimanjaro than you do from Amboseli, and there’s nothing better than watching the clouds clear suddenly around the summit while you’re spending time with the park’s much-loved elephants. It’s a conveniently compact park, and I’ve also always seen lots of lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, spotted hyena and so much more on my visits here. Best of all, this is Maasai country, and some of my happiest East Africa memories are of learning from the Maasai in the conservancies that form part of the wider Amboseli Basin. And with 5 days in the park, you really can get to know the park at a whole new level.

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1-20 of 96 Amboseli National Park 5-day trips, itineraries, holidays, packages & vacations

5 Questions About 5-Day Amboseli Safaris

 
 

5 Questions About 5-Day Amboseli Safaris

Answered by Anthony Ham

Will I be able to see the Big Five on an Amboseli tour?

“Three of the Big Five (lion, elephant and buffalo) are commonly seen in Amboseli National Park. Leopard is also present although they can be difficult to see. The only member of the Big Five (which was an invention of colonial hunters to describe the five most dangerous animals to hunt) that is not present is the rhino. If you want to see rhino, the nearest parks with rhino populations are Nairobi National Park and Tsavo West National Park. It may not have all of the Big Five, but Amboseli very rarely disappoints when it comes to what you can see. It’s one of the best places in Kenya to see elephant and there are large and easily seen populations of so many other species, including lion and cheetah. Another highlight of wildlife viewing here is that you can get closer to the animals, including the elephants, than you can in almost any other park.”

1

Is self-drive a good option for a 5-day Amboseli safari?

“Self-drive safaris are not as common in Kenya as they are in other places, including southern Africa, but a self-drive safari to Amboseli is certainly possible. Operators working out of both Nairobi and Mombasa can make the arrangements. Driving yourself around the park is easy, with well-maintained trails for much of the year. They can get a little muddy after rains and during busy periods. If you encounter any difficulties (which is unlikely), there are usually plenty of other vehicles around and you’re never far from help. Best of all, you’ll have complete freedom to explore the park with your own vehicle. The main problem is getting here: the Nairobi–Mombasa road is filled with traffic and trucks and is not my favorite road. As with all roads in Kenya, you should never drive this road at night, and even in the daytime you should drive with caution.”

2

What are the options for extending an Amboseli trip with a beach holiday?

“It’s easy to combine your 5 days on safari in Amboseli with a beach holiday, and safari operators have lots of experience in making this happen. In fact, a visit to Amboseli is one of the most popular add-ons for those enjoying a beach holiday at Diani Beach, Malindi, or on one of the splendid beaches along the southern Kenyan coast, close to Mombasa. You could travel by road between Amboseli and the coast, but it will take a whole day along a busy road. It is far better to fly. This usually means traveling in a small plane (with anywhere between six and 20 seats) between the coast and one of the airstrips in or close to Amboseli National Park. Depending on demand, you may need to fly via Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to make the connection to the coast.”

3

How much does a 5-day Amboseli safari cost?

“Because every person’s safari is different and no two tour operators are the same, prices vary greatly. As a general rule, you can expect to pay anywhere from around US$150 per person per day for the cheapest budget camping safari, up to US$500 and more per person per day for the full luxury experience. One factor that keeps prices high is the daily park entrance fee of US$60/35 per adult/child per day. This fee may or may not be included in the cost of your safari as quoted by the operator, so always ask. There are many variables when considering the cost of your 5-day Amboseli safari. The most obvious of these is accommodation. A luxury lodge will cost much more than a basic campsite with communal facilities. The type of safari you choose also plays a role: a private safari (where you have your own guide, vehicle and driver all to yourself) is pricier than a self-drive or group safari. And the time of year when you’re traveling also has an impact: high-season prices operate from July to October and from December to March, and can be double the prices you can expect to pay in low season.”

4

Will I be able to see Mt Kilimanjaro?

“With 5 days at your disposal in Amboseli, you’ll almost certainly see the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, which at 5,895m/19,340ft is Africa’s highest peak. The mountain’s foothills are always visible. They rise over the southern boundary of the park and sometimes feel so close that you could reach out and touch them. The summit is much less predictable because clouds often cover it, even on days when the skies are clear elsewhere. That’s because Mt Kilimanjaro is so tall that it creates its own weather patterns. On good days, the clouds will part to reveal the summit for hours at a time. On other days, they may just clear for an hour or so after sunrise, and for another hour before sunset. When the clouds do clear, you’ll understand why Amboseli is famous for having the best Kilimanjaro views anywhere, even though the mountain actually lies across the border in Tanzania.”

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Amboseli Reviews

4.4/5 231 Reviews
Expert
Lizzie Williams  –  
South Africa ZA

Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Guaranteed wildlife-viewing at the foot of Kilimanjaro
5/5

Amboseli has instant likeability and although it can be crowded with game-viewing vehicles, there are plenty of good reasons for its popularity. For a start, it’s a straightforward drive from Nairobi via the newish C102 road – the...

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Expert
Mark Eveleigh  –  
United Kingdom UK

Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.

One of Kenya’s most picturesque parks with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro
5/5

I creaked into Amboseli after a frantic break-neck drive with the military convoy from Tsavo in a near-dead Suzuki Vitara hire-car. I had a soldier riding with me and the cartridge of his AK47 wore a hole through the dashboard because of...

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Flore  –  
Netherlands NL
Reviewed: Feb 25, 2024
4/5

It was big, we saw almost all the animals except the rhino (but the rhino doesn’t live in Amboseli) and no cats. But we went on safari on for 1,5day. But the experience was so cool and wonderful, we would definitely go again.

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Aleksandra  –  
Italy IT
Reviewed: Feb 16, 2024
5/5

Amboseli is great, but you can not see all the animals you can find in Maasai Mara. It is iconic for the view of mount Kilimanjaro and the many elephants. It is also recommended for birdwatching and has wonderful landscapes.

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Gašper  –  
Slovenia SI
Reviewed: Sep 22, 2023
4/5

Amboseli was quite hot and dusty. We saw Kilimanjaro, elephants (even the one with huge tusks), lions setting hunting formation. I was still amazed, but if I compare it to Masai Mara, I cannot give it the same rating.

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Bruno Vidal de Souza  –  
Germany DE
Reviewed: Sep 14, 2023
5/5

Because of the swamps the National Park concentrate a really high quantity of animals. It is absolutely beautiful and you see A LOT of animals all together. In really large quantities, it felt like a movie. Another unique thing is the view...

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