West Kilimanjaro sits between Kenya's Amboseli National Park and the north west base of Kilimanjaro mountain in Northern Tanzania. From Arusha or Moshi the road turns to dust as you drive deep into the lands of Maasai people.
Community lands are being combined as a Wildlife Management Area. This region extends from the south of Amboseli in Kenya and supports a good variety of wildlife including as well as the famous elephants, many plains species such as wildebeest, zebra, eland, gazelles, impala, haretebeest and baboons and the unsual long necked Gerenuk Antelope. Maasai herdsmen live alongside the wildlife and walking is a popular activity in this region, taking in the stunning vistas in the area.
Most of West Kilimanaro is flat lands which were part of the bed of Lake Amboseli which used to be twice the size of Lake Manyara before it dried up between 10000 - 15000 yers ago. Abandoned mine pits are still part of the ecosystem as they trap rain water to give the Maasai cattle and local wildlife drinking holes in the driest times of year.
The elephant population in West Kilimanjaro is now well protected and close up sightings of these animals, which include a large number of huge bulls with immense tusks, are common. The region is realy part of a migration coridor where elephants traverse between the forested slopes of Kilimanjaro and the plains of Amboseli. The elephants are here all year, but the best time of year to see lots them together is after the rains (around June - July) when they merge family groups to form large herds up to 100+ animals at a time.
West Kilimanjaro is a superb addition to any northern Tanzania safari holiday, offereing something different, away from the main tourist trail, particularly good for those discerning visitors who enjoy walking, photography, culture and scenery and are not so focused on mainstream 'big 5' safaris.
