“What a marvellous example of how people and wildlife can live alongside one another. Thank you all.” Those are the words of Sir David Attenborough after his visit to Porini Amboseli whilst filming some ofthe BBC’s ‘Africa’series. You don’t get many finer accolades than that, and this is testament to what the camp is all about.
Part of its beauty is that it is a small camp with just nine spacious guest tents, but of course the location is everything, too. It is off the beaten track and can be found in a private conservation area (the Selenkay Conservancy) in the Amboseli National Park, in an important wildlife dispersal area. It is fully inclusive, with game drives done in specially-designed, open-sided off-road safari vehicles, for maximum viewing pleasure, with expert safari guides.
As well as day and night drives, you can enjoy an escorted walk with Maasai warriors to visit an authentic Maasai village. This isn’t as ‘touristy’ as it sounds. Unlike villages that are specifically geared for this kind of thing, there is no entry fee to the village and nothing for sale. Instead, it is an opportunity to truly meet the people and get an insight into their traditions and way of life.
The camp will re-open after the rainy season on 1st June by which time the area will be lush and green, offering plenty of grazing for zebra, wildebeest and more, and of course a plentiful source of food for the resident lions. Conservation efforts are clearly paying off here because the lion population is growing for the first time in a decade.The Selenkay pride now numbers over 20 and is the biggest pride in theAmboseli eco-system.
You can more of a feel for Porini Amboseli Camp by watching the following video:
