One of the most exciting safari openings in Kenya this year has arrived in Amboseli. A&K Kitirua Plains Lodge, the newest property from Abercrombie & Kent's Sanctuary collection, opened in June 2026, and it brings a bold new style of luxury to the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Set in a private concession in the Kitirua Conservancy, bordering Amboseli National Park, it offers something rare in this corner of Kenya: front row access to the elephants and the mountain, with a fraction of the crowds. Here is what makes it special, who it suits best, what it costs, and the journeys we would build around it.
A new kind of lodge in Amboseli
Kitirua Plains Lodge is a deliberate departure from the classic safari tent. Designed by Luxury Frontiers, its thirteen suites curve into the landscape with organic walls and natural materials, and floor to ceiling glass frames Mount Kilimanjaro from your bed.
There are eleven suites and two larger two bedroom suites, an Explorer's Lounge for dining and drinks above the plains, and an infinity pool set into a wetland where elephants pass below. Rates are fully inclusive, with all meals, premium drinks, daily safari activities and airstrip transfers. It is intimate, design led, and quietly spectacular.
Kitirua Plains Lodge rates 2026
Here are the current Kitirua Plains Lodge prices for 2026. Rates are per person per night in US dollars and fully inclusive, covering all meals, premium drinks, daily safari activities and shared airstrip transfers. The longer you stay, the lower your nightly rate.
| Length of stay | Per person sharing | Single | Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 nights | $1,950 | $2,925 | $975 |
| 4 to 6 nights | $1,755 | $2,633 | $878 |
| 7 nights or more | $1,658 | $2,486 | $829 |
| Length of stay | Per person sharing | Single | Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 nights | $1,050 | $1,050 | $525 |
| 4 to 6 nights | $840 | $840 | $420 |
| 7 nights or more | $788 | $788 | $394 |
Rates are per person per night, fully inclusive. Children's rates apply to under 12s sharing with two adults. Prices exclude international flights, park and conservancy fees, and light aircraft transfers, all of which we set out clearly in your final quote. For live availability and the current stay three, pay two offer, ask your Safari Advisor.
Kitirua Plains Lodge rates for 2027
Planning further ahead? Kitirua Plains Lodge is already taking bookings for 2027 safaris, and the festive window from 21 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 sits within the peak season rates above. Full 2027 season rates are released in stages, so for confirmed 2027 pricing and the best suites over your chosen dates, ask your Safari Advisor and we will hold your nights beneath Kilimanjaro.
Stay three, pay two this year
There is a reason to plan early. To mark its opening, Kitirua Plains Lodge is offering a stay three nights and pay for two deal for guests this year, a rare chance to add an extra night beneath Kilimanjaro. Dates and conditions apply, so ask us for the latest availability.
A private concession in the Kitirua Conservancy
The real advantage is the address. The lodge sits on a private concession of 128 acres in the Kitirua Conservancy, bordering Amboseli National Park and only minutes from the gate. A private concession means exclusivity, far fewer vehicles at every sighting, and freedom the national park does not allow.
Here you can explore on foot and after dark. Walking safaris with Maasai guides let you read the smaller details of the bush, and night drives reveal the lions, leopards and hyenas that the park never shows. It is Amboseli, but more private, and far more immersive.
Elephants, big cats and Kilimanjaro
Amboseli is elephant country at its finest, home to some of the largest tuskers left in Africa. Game drives cross open plains and seasonal wetlands in search of herds a hundred strong, set against the snows of Kilimanjaro. Alongside the elephants you will find lion, cheetah, buffalo and giraffe, and more than four hundred species of bird, with flamingos gathering in pink ribbons when the lake floods. Add a dawn hot air balloon flight and a visit with the Maasai community, and few new lodges offer such range from the very first day.
When to go
Amboseli rewards a visit all year. The dry months, from June to October and again in January and February, bring the clearest views of Kilimanjaro and the easiest game viewing. The green season turns the plains lush and the birdlife spectacular, with fewer guests and the chance of flamingos on the lake. For the mountain at its most dramatic, plan your drives for first light.
How to get to Kitirua Plains Lodge
Reaching the lodge is quick and scenic, a short light aircraft flight to the Amboseli airstrip, then a transfer to camp:
- From Nairobi, fly from Wilson Airport to Amboseli in about 45 minutes.
- From the coast, fly from Ukunda near Diani to Amboseli in around 55 minutes.
- From the Masai Mara, flights connect to Amboseli in a little under two hours, depending on your airstrip and the day's routing.
Who Kitirua Plains Lodge is best for
This is a lodge with a clear character, and it suits some travellers beautifully:
- Couples and honeymooners who want privacy, romance and Kilimanjaro from the bath.
- Photographers chasing the elephant and Kilimanjaro shot, away from the crowds.
- Families and groups, thanks to the spacious two bedroom suites.
- Travellers who want walking safaris and night drives, not only game drives.
- Design lovers looking for something beyond the traditional tented camp.
- Anyone building a wider Kenya safari who wants Amboseli done properly.
If you are also heading to the Mara, pair it with a stay at one of the finest luxury camps in the Masai Mara for a classic two part Kenya journey.
Kitirua Plains Lodge frequently asked questions
How much does Kitirua Plains Lodge cost?
Kitirua Plains Lodge rates start from USD 788 per person per night in green season and USD 1,658 per person per night in peak season, both fully inclusive of meals, premium drinks, daily safari activities and shared airstrip transfers. Single and child prices for each season are set out in the rate tables above.
Where is Kitirua Plains Lodge?
The lodge sits in a private concession in the Kitirua Conservancy, bordering Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is a short light aircraft flight from Nairobi to the Amboseli airstrip, then a transfer to camp.
What is included in the rates?
Rates are fully inclusive and cover all meals, premium drinks, daily safari activities such as game drives, walking safaris and night drives, and shared airstrip transfers. International flights, park and conservancy fees, and light aircraft transfers are quoted separately.
When did Kitirua Plains Lodge open?
Kitirua Plains Lodge opened in June 2026 as the newest property in the Abercrombie & Kent Sanctuary collection.
When is the best time to visit?
Amboseli rewards a visit all year. The dry months of June to October and January to February bring the clearest Kilimanjaro views and the easiest game viewing, while the green season brings lush plains, superb birdlife and fewer guests.
How do you get to Kitirua Plains Lodge?
Guests fly by light aircraft to the Amboseli airstrip, then transfer to camp. Flights run from Wilson Airport in Nairobi in about 45 minutes, from Ukunda near Diani in around 55 minutes, and from the Masai Mara in a little under two hours.
Is Kitirua Plains Lodge good for families?
Yes. The two bedroom suites suit families and small groups, child rates apply for under 12s sharing with two adults, and activities such as walking safaris and Maasai community visits appeal to older children and teenagers.
Below are the journeys we would build around it, each a private, tailormade safari we can base at Kitirua Plains Lodge for your nights beneath the mountain.
