Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro

Activities include guided drives inside the national park which is rich in game and famous for its elephant population. On the private Tawi Conservancy, guests can enjoy walks, drives and night drives with expert local guides. Sundowner drinks are poured at the bush bar at the end of these activities.'

The elephants are no doubt the kings of the park and they are available in big numbers. These elephants can be seen and photographed easily because of the flat terrain. The elephants in Amboseli, which are also considered to be among the biggest in the country, mainly enjoy the swamps, in which they get cool waters that they share with hippos that hide beneath the papyrus.

A large resident population of wildebeest together with Burchell’s zebra also have a home in the park. Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, bufallo, warthog, black rhino, Maasai giraffe, impala, waterbuck and dik-dik, are also among the grass-eaters there. Baboons and vervet monkeys live in the scarce woodlands.

Lions, spotted hyenas, wild cats, jackals and caracals represent the carnivores. Cheetah and leopards are not so common. As far as birds are concerned, there exists more than 400 species, including pelican, flamingo, kingfisher, African fish eagle, ibis, secretary bird, crowned crane, grey and Goliath herons, cattle egret, black-winged stilt, little grebe, Egyptian goose, martial eagle, pigmy falcon, Maasai ostrich, marabou stork, white-backed vulture, lappet-faced vulture, yellow-necked spurfowl, kori bustard, hornbills and many others. The park gathers a big population of water birds after the rains.

'TAWI LODGE is located on a private conservancy of 6,000 acres just five minutes from Kimana Gate, the eastern entrance to Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895m) - the world's largest free-standing mountain.

The community-run conservancy, together with African Wildlife Foundation, promotes and maintains a harmonious development for the wildlife and the Maasai people along the corridor between Amboseli and the Chyulu Hills.

The lodge is an eco-friendly operation, which takes maximum care of the environment and its people. It consists of 12 cottages ideally located on bush land facing Kilimanjaro and offers a bio-pool.

Each cottage has its own wooden-deck veranda and a fabulous view of the highest mountain in Africa, even from the comfort of your bed or your bathtub

Double or twin cottages, all have en-suite bathrooms fitted with both a bath and shower. A fireplace and a mini-bar for those very special sundowners will make you enjoy even more your stay. Lighting and water systems are powered 24h thanks to an invertor fed by solar, generator and wind. A butler service is provided for maximum privacy and comfort.

Other facilities at Tawi Lodge include reception, bars, dining area, library, shop, a unique bio-pool and a relaxing massage area with hot bath and also an a cellar with a selection of fine wines. The style of the lodge is a harmonious combination of modern (for your comfort) and traditional (to remind you that you are in Africa).

Access is 3 hr 1/2 by road from Nairobi, 35mn scheduled flights to Amboseli airstrip then 45 min drive to the lodge or by private charter to Tawi airstrip.

Before and after dinner, relax by the campfire, or at the very special bush bar, and listen to the magical sounds of the savannah - all this under the spectacular African sky where the stars seem brighter than anywhere else.