1 day
Amboseli Day Trip from Nairobi
Elephants, swamps and Kilimanjaro in one long day from Nairobi, about 15 hours door to door.
Mid-range
Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Full-service lodge with a pool, big rooms and mountain views, on private land near the park.
- Tier
- Mid-range
- Location
- Private land, about 20 km from Kimana Gate
- Rooms
- 83 rooms
- Pool
- Pool and children's pool
- Kilimanjaro view
- Gardens and restaurant
- From
- USD 110 pp sharing
From USD 110 pp sharingLowest published rate per person sharing a room, full board, per night, found in October 2026. Indicative only: it changes with season and room type, and we confirm your price in writing.
Or call +254 725 431 452
Where Amboseli Sopa Lodge is
Amboseli Sopa Lodge stands on 200 acres of private land in the former Kimana Tikondo Group Ranch, outside the park. The lodge puts the distance to Kimana Gate at about 20 km, roughly a 20 minute drive, and about 250 km from Nairobi by road, with a paved road except for the last 4 km of all-weather murram. The drive takes three to four hours.
The lodge has a tented lunch and bar venue within five minutes of the park gates, so a full day in Amboseli does not mean cutting your game drive short for lunch.
Getting to Amboseli Sopa Lodge
The lodge gives the distance as 250 km from Nairobi on a paved road, apart from the last 4 km of all-weather murram, with a drive of three to four hours. By air, it lists a flight of about 40 minutes from Wilson Airport to the Amboseli airstrip, followed by roughly an hour's transfer to the lodge. We plan the days around that.
Kilimanjaro views, honestly
The lodge sits in the foothills of Kilimanjaro. The Kibo restaurant has glass windows and doors facing the mountain, and Hemingway's Bar sits on top of boulders at the highest point of the property with 360 degree views. How much of the mountain you see from your own cottage depends on the cluster you are given. The mountain is in Tanzania, and early morning gives you the best chance of seeing the full summit, with a second window around sunset. Your odds are best from January to February and June to October and lowest from March to May. A stay of two nights or more gives you more than one dawn to try.
Rooms
Sopa has 83 rooms in rustic cottages spread through mature gardens, all with Maasai-themed wall murals and a veranda. The lodge lists 40 rooms with two queen beds, 21 rooms with one king bed (one of them a honeymoon suite) and 22 rooms with one queen bed. Six rooms have interconnecting doors for families, 24 of the twin rooms can become triples on request, and two rooms are suited to guests with limited mobility. A two bedroom Presidential Suite is also listed.
Facilities and meals
The lodge has a restaurant, an outdoor dining terrace, bars and a lounge, a swimming pool with a children's pool, a gift shop and an open-air craft market where local women sell beadwork. There is Wi-Fi in public areas, a children's menu and babysitting listed among the features, and the lodge lists game drives, nature walks and bird watching. Bush and outdoor dining and traditional dances are also offered.
A typical day at Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Your guide takes you out for a morning drive, either returning to the lodge for lunch and a swim or staying out with a tented lunch near the park gates. In the late afternoon you drive again, then return in time for a sundowner at Hemingway's Bar, which looks out over the property from its boulders, and dinner in the Kibo restaurant.
Who Amboseli Sopa Lodge suits
It suits families and groups who want space, a pool and a children's pool, and travellers who like a resort-style rhythm: a game drive in the morning, lunch and a swim at the lodge, then out again in the late afternoon. Our family safari pairs well with it. To see where it sits among the nine lodges, read our lodge comparison.
How Amboseli Sopa Lodge fits our packages
Sopa is a dependable mid-range base across many of our itineraries:
- 3 Day Amboseli Safari: two nights, with a full day at the swamps and Observation Hill.
- 2 Day Amboseli Safari: one night, a sunset game drive and a dawn on the mountain.
- Amboseli Group and Family Safari: a relaxed pace for families and groups.
- Amboseli Safari from Mombasa: a coast departure by road or by train to Emali.
- Amboseli Honeymoon Safari: four days and three nights built around quiet drives and a candlelit dinner.
Rates at Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Typical published rates: roughly USD 110 to 160 per person per night depending on season, ask us for the current rate. Rates are per person sharing a room on full board and change with the season, so we confirm the price in writing before you pay.
Book Amboseli Sopa Lodge with us
Send your dates and group size. We confirm rooms, including interconnecting rooms for families, and build the safari around your stay.
Safaris that stay here
Packages including Amboseli Sopa Lodge
3 days, 2 nights
3 Day Amboseli Safari
A full day at the swamps and Observation Hill, with two dawns for Kilimanjaro.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Amboseli Sopa Lodge inside the park?
Amboseli Sopa Lodge is outside the park, on private land about 20 km and 20 minutes from Kimana Gate.
How many rooms does it have?
Amboseli Sopa Lodge lists 83 rooms in cottages, including a honeymoon suite, six interconnecting rooms and two accessible rooms.
Does it have a pool for children?
Amboseli Sopa Lodge has a swimming pool and a children's pool.
Can I see Kilimanjaro from the lodge?
Kilimanjaro is visible from Amboseli Sopa Lodge on clear mornings and evenings, from the Kibo restaurant, Hemingway's Bar and many parts of the grounds. Views from individual cottages vary.
Which packages include Amboseli Sopa Lodge?
Amboseli Sopa Lodge features in the 2 and 3 Day safaris, the Luxury, Honeymoon, Photography, Fly-In and Family safaris and the combination trips. Message us your dates.
Ready to plan your Amboseli safari?
Send us a WhatsApp message or an email with your dates and group size. We reply with a clear plan and price.