The savannah of the Amboseli National Park spreads across the Kenyan/Tanzanian border, about 240km south east of Nairobi. At just 392 square kilometres, it’s one of the smaller National Parks in Kenya. This can definitely be an advantage. It is famous for being one of the best places in Africa to see free-range herds of elephants up close in their natural habitat, and the Observation Hill at the south-east end of the Park gives spectacular views of the entire area. The swamp which lies at the base of the Observation Hill is also a great place to see elephants, as well as hippos and buffaloes, congregating to cool down in the mud and water.

Amboseli allows for myriad photo opportunities for the professional and amateur photographer alike. Imagine showing your friends and family a photo you took of Mount Kilimanjaro at dusk – that’s better than any postcard, surely? If you were planning on staying there, the Amboseli Serena Lodge offers uninterrupted views of the vast plains, with Kilimanjaro in the near distance.

One phenomenon of Amboseli you probably couldn’t capture on camera, however, is the mirages. They’re produced in the shimmering heat which rises from a vast, dried-up lake bed lying in the north-west of the park, and with a group of weary wildebeest sloping across the other side of the bed and the heat of the African sun beating down on your back, it really is an experience which can’t be reproduced.

Aside from the wildlife, Amboseli is one of the best places in Kenya to encounter the nomadic Masai people, who have occupied this land for centuries. Renowned for their fearlessness in battle and daring in fighting animals, these proud people rely on the grazing in these plains, and so must be attuned completely to their environment. Hastily throwing up huts made from poles and mud, the Masai abandon their temporary dwellings when the grazing is done and move to wherever the herds can feed. Amboseli is scattered with such dwellings, both occupied and abandoned.

The quality of your winter camping gear is very important and in some case critical. You need to be absolutely sure that it will withstand the temperature variations as well as the extreme conditions you may encounter during your camping excursions. The fact is, nobody goes on a camping trip expecting to be caught by extreme weather conditions or fall down an icy embankment and break an arm or a leg, but these things happens, so you need to be prepared for any potential situation if you want to survive.

On top of that if you would have to carry every piece of winter camping gear you might possibly need for every possible situation, you would need a truck, not a backpack. What you need to focus on is bringing the least amount of winter camping gear you need to survive any emergency situation. You won’t bring with you crutches or boards in case you break a leg, instead think about carrying heavy-duty tape that you could use combined with sticks that you can pick up on the ground. This simple trick will do the same as crutches without the excess of baggage.

We don’t usually fell thirsty during the winter but your winter camping gear must absolutely include an item to purify water. Some campers use iodine drops or tablet to that effect, you also need to filter the water. Then comes the eating part, most campers bring some dehydrated pouches which are very tasty, but they get old after a couple of days. Always try to have a couple of simple recipes for cooking over an open fire with food items to cook is always something you should consider having in your winter camping gear.

If you are going for a long camping trip you should always plan on a mean to relieve yourself. Also your winter camping gear should also contain hygiene items to make sure you remain healthy during your excursion. Inexperienced campers are often not aware of that, but maintaining your cleanliness is just as important as when you are at home. To that effect you should also plan on having some waterless sanitizing solution so you can wash your hands for time to time. Always make sure you remain healthy and comfortable during your camping trip.