Nairobi to Amboseli Overnight Safari Review

If you are considering a short safari from Nairobi, you might think about an overnight excursion to Amboseli National Park. Very well, let me share all regarding my recent experience. After all, this option is often suggested for people short on time, I’ll let you decide if it’s the correct decision for you, your own needs, and seeing that you need to weigh everything carefully. After all, planning is incredibly helpful when it comes to ensuring that you end up getting good memories.

The Drive: Nairobi to Amboseli

The drive from Nairobi to Amboseli might be longer than you expect; it’s almost a long one, like seriously long! We actually left Nairobi around 7:00 AM, hoping for a reasonably quick trip, that is, but the reality check involved about 4-5 hours on the road. Roads are roads; anyway, part of the drive can get fairly bumpy. And so, you should prepare to have your bones shaken about. Still, if you enjoy seeing the local villages and the scenery, then you’ll maybe find it a fascinating aspect. Maybe.

Too it’s almost so worth it to carry snacks and drinks. Basically, if you are the type that gets carsick really easily, it might be a clever idea to pop a motion sickness pill before heading out.

First Impressions of Amboseli

Seeing Mount Kilimanjaro towering over the park is something else entirely when you get your first view of Amboseli. Yet it’s almost one of those “pinch me” instances – well, providing that the clouds actually cooperate, I mean. More or less, it forms like a dramatic backdrop to everything that you will see. I mean, the openness of the landscape itself truly feels vast. When we entered the park, the first thing that hit us was just how many animals there were. Anyway, everywhere you look there are like herds of elephants, zebras grazing peacefully, and definitely the odd giraffe munching on the taller trees.

I want to say seeing all of those big animals in their natural area just has something different about it, really. Very much more amazing than any zoo or animal show, I tell you. The atmosphere can be great, just greatly dependent on a number of circumstances, you see?

The Game Drives: Day and Night

The game drives tend to be a major element of the safari. I mean, we did one in the afternoon and one at night. Anyway, in the afternoon we spotted loads of elephants up close. I am talking, they were SO close. So, you could clearly see the details of their skin. Yet, it’s almost like a humbling experience, I want to say. You feel really, like truly respectful of these big creatures when you happen to be practically within touching distance of them.

Basically, that nighttime game drive got even wilder. In some respects, we got lucky and saw lions hunting. Actually, I couldn’t help but get an eerie feeling. Seriously, you cannot compare what it felt like as they were out doing the thing they naturally would at night. We aslo saw quite a bit of hyenas then, I recall, in some ways it makes you really grateful for having a safari guide who can really zoom in with those search lights of his. Basically, it’s quite necessary. Even more than necessary. Arguably so. It definitely helped point the various hidden sets of eyeballs glowing back at you in the night.

Accommodation: What to Expect

Anyway, the lodge we resided at had its own special feel, kind of like, let’s call it, rustic appeal. Or it seemed a little aged. I mean, the room had a mosquito net. It’s really useful, that. Really, and so it can be a very critical feature to protect yourself when sleeping around the plains, that is, because nobody wants malaria. Or an irritation when you are intending to wind down from excitement.

The food there was pretty OK, or so it appeared. At least nothing too fancy. But also nothing bad or below standard to make you go out looking. More or less what I’d call solid meals right there on the spot, you see? Moreover, you could share notes with other travelers there at the dining area and connect from common experience if you were so minded.

Is an Overnight Safari Enough?

For someone just looking to have a taste of safari life, a quick overnight trip arguably will do, since there is time constraint. Maybe you only have an extremely short amount of days to stay. Yet, it’s almost like, if wildlife and landscapes fascinate you, perhaps you may think about staying an additional day or two. Seeing that with an additional amount of time you have the flexibility to explore extra parts of the park and get a better, that is, clearer Kilimanjaro viewpoint if it ends up shrouded the first time. Maybe. Actually, think it all boils down to how deeply you like to, really delve into such an event, that is.

Anyway, consider how much you may love wildlife to gauge just how much enjoyment will come about when choosing the length for yourself. At the end, more is not always necessarily the best. Just the optimal for the specific amount of days you have.

Things to consider to Prepare.

I think bringing some really useful gears will greatly enhance an overnight Safari from Nairobi, so in some respects, one needs a proper planning, so you get the most out of an incredible adventure.

• Neutral-colored clothing: So the animals wont get scared! Yet it’s almost you need to dress like you are doing photography. Very sneaky colors!
• Sunscreen: Yet, it’s almost like Nairobi could get you fooled with overcast weather. So when you are out, its like BAMM! You can get sun burned quickly!
• Hat and sunglasses: If I had to pick, this and sunscreen, and I would happily last a whole day. It does make a huge difference.
• Camera: Naturally, that the biggest reason everyone packs before they sleep! At the end, capturing memories trumps all other minor concerns for many people. So it is best you have something more sophisticated then a phone to pull this off.
• Binoculars: Okay you bring it to a national park because well.. thats probably what national parks is there for. Bring the kids and be all educational. It sounds great when you say it out loud at least.
• Insect repellent: The mosquitos could get real intense! So you do yourself the best favor. Be sure to test your repellants at home though so they do not sting and irritate you. It would probably just ruin the adventure if that happens, not saying it has!

I mean all this combined with a sense of excitement can only amount to some very big fun times for anyone, especially one taking such overnight safaris, to have great days.

Safari Expectations, in General.

Having great attitude with a whole heap of anticipation would set yourself right to enjoy. Yet it’s almost so that I thought it would do you a huge favour with some ideas of an overall idea for a Safari.

• Unpredictability: Very much wildlife viewing varies everyday, if not hourly! Its so easy to go to and fro and feel different. Maybe. You could find everything or nothing on a trip, or have a specific set expectation but its not set in stone!
• Guides: Guides can totally just make or break the trip. That they did or didn’t see wildlifes doesn’t necessary relate back to the guiding job of the personnels. If a guide just wants you to check off points and they show lack of passion or even seem to avoid wanting you to take your time with things.. thats like .. probably one to skip. Not literally.
• Photography: Everyone wants the trophy worthy image! Okay, well… there are hundreds of thousands of other visitors to do contend with. It requires much much waiting. Lots of skill to make some memorable captures. A lot of skills actually so one should invest much to come out with some.

At the end, Safaris is one such adventurous endevour. Always just exciting times all day and night.

Here are some of what you’ll get in our quick excursion in point form!

• Amazing views of Kilimanjaro… weather premitting of course.
• Quite a few amazing sightings of huge, that is, big herds of Elephants up real close.
• The possibility, anyway, of experiencing nighttime game drives!
• Rustic but more or less cozy enough stays.

Hopefully those few notes give an outline when trying to assess or think about visiting an Amboseli trip. Enjoy!

#Nairobi #Amboseli #Safari #Kenya #Wildlife #TravelReview