Amboseli National Park & Selenkay Conservancy

Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, is one of Kenya's most popular national parks. It lies 150 miles south-east of Nairobi, very close to the Tanzania border. The snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli.

Established as a national park in 1974 it covers 150sq miles and supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species). Years ago this was the locale around which such famous writers as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark spun their stories of big game hunting in the wilds of Africa.

The park encompasses dry lake beds, savannah woodland and extensive swamps constantly fed by springs emanating from the mountain. The water and seasonal lakes attract a wide variety of bird and animal life, in particular herds of elephant. Amboseli is one of the best parks in Africa to observe family groups of elephants and large bull elephants at close quarters.

The Selenkay Conservancy boundary is 10 miles north of Amboseli National Park, within the Amboseli eco-system, and is an important dispersal area and rangeland for wildlife migrating out of the park. In May 1997, the local Maasai community decided to set aside the area as a reserve for wildlife, so that the habitat could be protected and wildlife conserved, and entered into a partnership agreement with Porini Safari Camps and Gamewatchers Safaris.

Selenkay Conservancy is well off the beaten track and has not been visited by tourists until fairly recently. It lies in the heart of Maasailand and the animals are truly wild and not fully habituated to vehicles. The number of tourist visitors staying at the Amboseli Porini Camp within the 15,000 acre Selenkay Conservancy is limited to a maximum of eighteen per day to retain the wild and unspoilt nature of the area and to minimise the impact on the environment. Within the conservancy the following animals have been seen recently: elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, striped hyena, jackal, bat-eared fox, caracal, African wild cat, serval cat, genet cat, honey badger, mongoose, zorilla, porcupine, Thompson's and Grant's gazelles, grey bush duiker, gerenuk, impala, oryx, lesser kudu, eland, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, yellow baboon, vervet monkey. Birdlife is prolific, especially birds of prey.

Safari Accommodation In Amboseli

Safari Itineraries Including Amboseli

Air Safaris: 2 or 3 night safaris to Amboseli
Porini Maasai Safari: 4 to 6 nights safaris combining Amboseli & Mara
Porini Equator Safari: 4 to 6 nights safaris combining Amboseli & Laikipia
Porini Camps Safari: 6 to 9 night safaris: combining Amboseli, and 2 Camps in the Mara
Porini Wilderness Experience: 6 to 9 night safaris: combining Amboseli, Laikipia and Mara
Porini Birds & Big Game Safari: 8 to 12 night safaris: combining all 4 Porini Camps in Amboseli, Laikipia and Mara