Kimana Sanctuary

Kimana was the first community-owned wildlife sanctuary in Kenya, set up by Maasai landowners in the 1990s, and its importance is geographic: it sits on the corridor that elephants use to move between Amboseli, the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo, so keeping it as wildlife land keeps the whole system connected. Swamps fed by Kilimanjaro's meltwater run through it, drawing elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and predators including lion and cheetah, with the mountain filling the southern horizon on clear mornings. It is small enough to cover in a day and quiet compared with Amboseli next door. The sanctuary has been leased and managed by a conservation organisation in partnership with the community, and the arrangement is often cited in discussions about how conservation money can reach the people who own the land.

The landscape

• The elephant corridor - animals moving between Amboseli and the Chyulus.
• Kilimanjaro views - the mountain behind the swamps on clear mornings.
• Spring-fed swamps - green water and grazing in dry country.
• Community conservation - Maasai-owned land run for wildlife.

When to go

Dry seasons for game concentration and passable tracks. Early morning for Kilimanjaro, which cloud covers by mid-morning most days. The sanctuary is small so half a day covers the tracks.

Things to know

It is small and the game list is shorter than Amboseli's; this is a supplement to a bigger trip rather than a destination on its own. Facilities are one camp and a few tented options. Fees are separate from the national park. Roads outside are rough.

Nearby

Amboseli is west; the Chyulu Hills rise northeast.

Key facts