About This Package
Discover two of Kenya's most spectacular and underrated parks on this 6-day mid-range safari. Amboseli National Park needs little introduction — its unforgettable tableaux of elephant herds silhouetted against the cloud-wreathed bulk of Mount Kilimanjaro are among the most photographed images in Africa. Over two days you explore the wetland swamps, open plains and acacia woodlands where some of Africa's most studied elephant families roam freely. Tsavo West National Park is a revelation: a vast wilderness of volcanic hills, lava fields, and natural springs that attract the full complement of East African wildlife. Mzima Springs — a crystal-clear oasis pumping 50 million gallons of fresh water daily from the Chyulu Hills — allows underwater viewing of hippos and enormous Nile catfish through a viewing chamber. The Shetani lava fields and Roaring Rocks viewpoint add geological drama. You stay in mid-range lodges with comfortable ensuite rooms, and all meals are included.
Destinations Covered
What Is Included
Your Day-by-Day Itinerary
6 days of carefully planned experiences.
Nairobi to Amboseli National Park
Heading south from Nairobi on the Namanga road, you cross into the Amboseli ecosystem where the first dust clouds of elephant herds appear on the horizon. Kilimanjaro — Africa's highest mountain and the world's largest free-standing volcanic peak — appears and disappears in the shifting equatorial cloud. Check in to your lodge then drive to Observation Hill for a panoramic first view of the park. An afternoon drive visits the Enkongo Narok swamp where hippos wallow and elephant families wade up to their bellies in the reed-fringed shallows, a classic Amboseli scene.
Full Day Amboseli — Elephant Families & Kilimanjaro Views
Amboseli's most famous residents are its elephants — studied continuously since 1972 by researcher Cynthia Moss and the Amboseli Elephant Research Project. Individual animals and family groups are all named and documented, and your guide can identify specific families from a distance. Morning drives visit the eastern section of the park where secretarybird stalks the grassland and cheetah occasionally sprint after Thomson's gazelle. The most spectacular views of Kilimanjaro usually occur between dawn and 10:00 AM before cloud builds, and once again in the late afternoon when the mountain turns gold and then pink at sunset.
Amboseli to Tsavo West National Park via Chyulu Hills
Drive west from Amboseli, skirting the base of the Chyulu Hills — a chain of young volcanic cones just 500 years old, still smoking gently, covered in pristine montane forest. Entry into Tsavo West through the Chyulu Gate reveals a dramatically different landscape: lava fields, volcanic hills, seasonal rivers and the vast Ngulia Valley. An afternoon game drive explores the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary where 70 black rhinos have been carefully protected and breed successfully, making this one of Africa's most important black rhino conservation sites.
Full Day Tsavo West — Mzima Springs & Roaring Rocks
Mzima Springs is one of Kenya's most extraordinary natural features: 50 million gallons of crystal-clear volcanic water bubble up daily from the Chyulu Hills aquifer, creating an oasis of life in the dry Tsavo. An underwater observatory allows viewing of hippos and enormous Nile catfish from below the surface — a truly unforgettable experience. The afternoon visits Roaring Rocks viewpoint, a wind-swept volcanic ridge from which you can see from Kilimanjaro in the east to Chyulu Hills in the north, with the entire Tsavo wilderness spreading in every direction. Shetani Lava Flow — a 7 km long black lava field less than 200 years old — is an eerie moonscape through which wildlife moves like apparitions.
Tsavo West to Nairobi via Nairobi National Park
A morning game drive in Tsavo West's Ngulia Valley catches the park at its best: lion roaming the open lava plain, leopard in the rocky outcrops, and Tsavo's famous red elephants cooling themselves in wallows. Drive north through the park, ascending into the Taita Hills and onwards to Nairobi. En route, a brief stop at Nairobi National Park's main gate offers the possibility of seeing lion and giraffe with the Nairobi City skyline as backdrop — one of Africa's great surreal wildlife photographs.
Nairobi City Day or Departure
Day free for city exploration, shopping at the Maasai Market, visiting the Giraffe Centre or Karen Blixen Museum, or early departure for flights.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Where You Will Stay
Accommodation is tailored to your budget and preferences. We work with a curated selection of lodges and camps across all categories.
Comfortable tented camps and mid-range lodges. Great value with all the essentials for an unforgettable safari.
Well-appointed lodges and permanent camps with excellent food, experienced guides and genuine bush atmosphere.
Award-winning camps and lodges with private guides, gourmet dining, plunge pools and world-class service.
Tell us your budget and preferences in the enquiry form and we will match you with the best available properties along the route. All our partner lodges are personally vetted by our team.
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