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Journey overview
About this safari
Experience Amboseli National Park on a short private fly-in safari designed for travellers who want to spend more of their time watching wildlife and less time on the road. The journey begins in Nairobi with a private transfer to Wilson Airport, followed by a scheduled light-aircraft flight to the Amboseli area. On arrival, your Greatlink Safaris driver-guide meets you at the airstrip and your safari begins immediately with a game drive en route to your selected lodge or tented camp.
Amboseli is particularly celebrated for close encounters with large elephant herds and for the possibility of photographing wildlife against the immense backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. Its open plains, seasonal lake basin, acacia woodland and permanent swamps also support buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, hyena, lion, cheetah and a rich variety of birdlife. The mountain is across the border in Tanzania, and clear views are always dependent on weather and cloud cover.
This package includes two nights in Amboseli and gives you a flexible second day: choose separate morning and afternoon game drives or remain in the park for a longer full-day game drive with a picnic lunch when arranged. Your safari vehicle in Amboseli is a private pop-up-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser, giving you excellent visibility for wildlife viewing and photography.
Accommodation can be tailored to your preferred level: Economy, Standard or Luxury. Greatlink Safaris does not publish a fixed price for this safari because the final quotation depends on your travel dates, number of travellers, child ages, nationality or residency category, accommodation choice, flight availability and any special requests. Unless otherwise stated in your quotation, safari quotations are prepared in US dollars.
For official park information and current visitor rules, see the Kenya Wildlife Service Amboseli National Park page. Official KWS park-entry transactions are handled through the KWS eCitizen portal.
Safari highlights
Why travellers choose this journey
- Fly instead of drive: travel from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the Amboseli area by scheduled light aircraft, saving valuable safari time.
- Private 4x4 safari: all Amboseli game drives are in a private pop-up-roof Land Cruiser with an experienced driver-guide.
- Elephant country: search for Amboseli’s famous elephant herds across open plains and swamp habitats.
- Mount Kilimanjaro photography: enjoy the possibility of classic wildlife-and-mountain compositions when the weather is clear.
- Flexible full day: Day 2 can be arranged as separate morning and afternoon drives or as a longer full-day safari with picnic lunch.
- Accommodation to suit your style: choose Economy, Standard or Luxury safari lodges or tented camps.
- Door-to-door Nairobi transfers: private transfers are included between your Nairobi hotel or airport and Wilson Airport at the beginning and end of the safari.
Perfect forCouples, families, first-time Kenya safari travellers, photographers and time-conscious travellers who prefer a short fly-in safari from Nairobi.
Journey flow
Where this safari takes you
See the route in travel order, from the first stop to the final destination. Each stage connects directly to the detailed destination guide where available.
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Safari beginsNairobi
Safari endsNairobi
Safari Types
How this journey is designed
These categories describe the style of safari you are booking.
Fly-In SafarisSafari itineraries that use scheduled or charter flights to reduce long road transfers and max…
Photography SafarisPhotographer-focused safaris built around light, wildlife behaviour, patient sightings and fle…
Family SafarisPrivate safari itineraries planned around family-friendly pacing, rooming, child policies and …
Day by day
Your safari itinerary
Open each day to view the route, activities, meals, transport and accommodation details.
Your safari begins with an early private pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or the agreed airport meeting point. You will be transferred to Wilson Airport, Nairobi’s main hub for scheduled safari flights, in good time for check-in and the carrier’s mandatory reporting procedures.
Board your scheduled light-aircraft flight to the Amboseli area. A direct sector is normally short, although the exact flight time, routing and arrival airstrip depend on the operating airline and day’s aircraft schedule. On landing, meet your Greatlink Safaris driver-guide and transfer into your private pop-up-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser.
Your first game drive begins as you make your way toward your lodge or tented camp. Amboseli’s open terrain gives excellent opportunities to look for elephant herds, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, gazelles and predators while your guide introduces the park’s different habitats. If the sky is clear, Mount Kilimanjaro may appear dramatically beyond the plains.
Arrive at the lodge or camp for check-in and lunch. After time to rest, head back into Amboseli National Park for an afternoon game drive. Explore the plains and wetland areas as temperatures begin to cool and wildlife becomes more active. Birdlife is abundant around the swamps, and late-afternoon light can be excellent for photography.
Return to your lodge or tented camp before or around sunset for dinner and overnight.
AccommodationAmboseli lodge or tented camp — Economy, Standard or Luxury option as confirmed in your quotation. MealsBreakfast where applicable before departure; Lunch; Dinner TransportPrivate Nairobi transfer; scheduled light-aircraft flight; private pop-up-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser in Amboseli ActivitiesWilson Airport transfer; scheduled fly-in; arrival game drive; afternoon game drive; elephant viewing; wildlife photography; birding
Spend a full day exploring Amboseli with your private driver-guide. The programme can be adapted to your preferred safari rhythm. You may choose an early-morning game drive followed by breakfast and a rest at the lodge, then return to the park in the afternoon; alternatively, arrange a longer full-day game drive with a picnic lunch so that you remain out in the wilderness for most of the day.
Early mornings are especially rewarding for photography and predator activity. When cloud conditions cooperate, Mount Kilimanjaro can dominate the southern horizon and create one of East Africa’s most recognisable safari backdrops. Your guide will also search for Amboseli’s elephant families, which move between the open plains, acacia areas and permanent swamps fed by underground water originating in the Kilimanjaro ecosystem.
As the day progresses, explore the park’s different habitats for buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, hyena and antelope. Lion and cheetah may also be encountered, although all predator sightings depend entirely on natural movement. Amboseli is also an excellent birding destination, with waterbirds concentrated around the wetlands and raptors scanning the open country.
Where routing and conditions allow, your guide may include Observation Hill for elevated views across the Amboseli basin. Return to your lodge or tented camp in the evening for dinner and your second overnight stay.
AccommodationSame Amboseli lodge or tented camp. MealsBreakfast; Lunch or picnic lunch; Dinner TransportPrivate pop-up-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser ActivitiesMorning and afternoon game drives or full-day game drive; elephant tracking; wildlife photography; birding; Observation Hill when practical
Start the final morning with an early game drive, subject to the confirmed flight schedule. The cooler hours shortly after sunrise can be excellent for wildlife activity, and this is one last opportunity to search for predators and photograph elephant herds in soft morning light.
Return to the lodge or camp for breakfast, check out and meet your driver-guide for the transfer to the designated Amboseli airstrip. Depending on timing and the location of your accommodation, the transfer may include final wildlife viewing as you leave the park area.
Board the scheduled flight back to Wilson Airport in Nairobi. On arrival, a Greatlink Safaris representative will meet you and transfer you privately to your Nairobi hotel or to the agreed airport terminal for your onward arrangements.
The safari ends after the Nairobi transfer. If your international or regional flight departs the same day, Greatlink Safaris will plan the connection using the confirmed domestic flight schedule, but adequate connection time should always be allowed because safari flights can be affected by weather and operational changes.
AccommodationNo accommodation included after the Nairobi transfer unless separately requested. MealsBreakfast TransportPrivate 4x4 airstrip transfer; scheduled light-aircraft flight to Wilson Airport; private Nairobi transfer ActivitiesEarly-morning game drive where flight timing permits; airstrip transfer; scheduled return flight; Nairobi drop-off
Shape your safari
Safari choices for your quotation
Select the options that interest you when requesting a quote. No fixed public price is shown because the final quotation depends on dates, traveller numbers, availability and your preferred travel style.
Accommodation
Good-value safari accommodation selected according to your dates, availability and rooming needs. The exact property is confirmed in your personalised quotation.
Comfortable mid-range safari accommodation with the confirmed meal plan and convenient access to the Amboseli safari area.
Premium safari accommodation selected for stronger location, service and overall lodge or camp experience, subject to availability.
Service
English-speaking guiding is standard. Request another available guide language when submitting the safari enquiry; confirmation depends on dates and guide availability.
Before you travel
Know before you go
Flight schedules: the Nairobi–Amboseli sector is operated by scheduled safari airlines. Direct flight time is short, but the exact departure, arrival, routing and airstrip are confirmed with your final booking and can change for operational or weather reasons.
Light-aircraft baggage: safari flights normally have stricter luggage limits than international airlines and often require soft-sided bags. Your confirmed carrier’s current allowance will be provided with your travel documents. Excess baggage, when accepted, may attract an additional charge.
Kilimanjaro visibility: Mount Kilimanjaro is a natural landscape feature and visibility cannot be guaranteed. Early mornings often provide favourable conditions, but cloud cover can change quickly.
Wildlife: all wildlife is free-ranging. Greatlink Safaris plans game drives around local conditions and current sightings, but no particular species or encounter can be guaranteed.
Park rules: Amboseli is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service. Guests must follow KWS rules on speed limits, designated roads, safe wildlife-viewing distances and plastic-free national parks. Current official visitor guidance is available on the KWS Amboseli page.
Emergency evacuation cover: where stated in your confirmed quotation, the safari includes temporary emergency medical evacuation cover through AMREF Flying Doctors or another contracted provider. This is not a substitute for comprehensive personal travel and medical insurance, and all provider terms and exclusions apply.
Timing: road transfers, airstrip transfers and game-drive timing are estimates. Traffic, weather, flight operations, airstrip conditions, park regulations and wildlife movement may require adjustments while preserving the overall safari programme as closely as possible.
Included
What is included
- Private pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or the agreed Nairobi airport and transfer to Wilson Airport on Day 1.
- Scheduled light-aircraft ticket from Nairobi Wilson Airport to the Amboseli area and scheduled return flight to Wilson Airport on Day 3, including applicable airline taxes included in the confirmed ticket.
- Meet-and-assist service at the Amboseli airstrip and all scheduled airstrip transfers in Amboseli.
- Two nights’ accommodation at the confirmed Amboseli lodge or tented camp in the selected Economy, Standard or Luxury category.
- Meals specifically shown in the final itinerary: Day 1 lunch and dinner, Day 2 breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Day 3 breakfast. If breakfast is included at your Nairobi hotel before departure, it remains subject to that hotel’s arrangement and flight reporting time.
- Private game viewing in Amboseli National Park in a pop-up-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser unless another vehicle is specifically confirmed.
- Services of an experienced professional English-speaking driver-guide. Other guide languages can be requested and are subject to availability and confirmation.
- Game drives described in the itinerary, including the arrival game drive, Day 2 morning/afternoon or full-day game drive arrangement, and Day 3 early-morning game drive where flight timing permits.
- Amboseli National Park conservation/entry fees for the park visits included in the confirmed itinerary, based on the traveller categories supplied at quotation stage.
- Drinking water in the safari vehicle during game drives and road transfers operated by Greatlink Safaris.
- Emergency medical evacuation cover through AMREF Flying Doctors or another contracted provider when expressly shown in the final confirmation, subject to provider terms, geographical limits and exclusions.
- Private transfer from Wilson Airport to the agreed Nairobi hotel or airport after the return flight on Day 3.
- All applicable Kenyan government taxes and local statutory levies relating to the services specifically included in the confirmed safari quotation.
Not included
What is excluded
- International or regional flights to and from Kenya, unless they are specifically added to your quotation.
- Kenya entry authorization, visa or immigration costs that may apply to the traveller.
- Comprehensive travel, medical, cancellation, baggage and personal-accident insurance. Emergency evacuation cover, where included, is not a replacement for travel insurance.
- Medical consultation, treatment, hospitalization, medication, search-and-rescue costs or any expense outside the limits of the confirmed emergency evacuation plan.
- Accommodation, meals, airport transfers or services in Nairobi before Day 1 or after the Day 3 transfer unless specifically listed in the quotation.
- Alcoholic drinks, premium beverages, soft drinks and other lodge/camp beverages unless expressly included by the selected accommodation.
- Tips and gratuities for driver-guides, lodge staff, porters and other service teams.
- Laundry, telephone calls, spa treatments, souvenirs and other items of a personal nature.
- Optional activities not shown as included, such as cultural visits, private sundowners, specialist photographic activities or other lodge/camp experiences.
- Excess baggage charges, extra baggage seats, luggage storage or additional baggage transport required because of light-aircraft restrictions.
- Any additional transport, accommodation or services arising from voluntary itinerary changes requested by the traveller after confirmation.
- Costs caused by circumstances beyond the operator’s reasonable control, including major flight disruption, severe weather, government restrictions or other force-majeure events, except where a supplier or applicable booking condition specifically provides otherwise.
