kenya
Amboseli National Park
Previously known as the Masai Amboseli Game Reserve, this park is located in the Kenyan province of Kajiado. The park covers 39,206 hectares (392 sq. km.) and is at the heart of an 8,000 square-kilometer ecosystem that stretches across the Kenya-Tanzania border. The locals are primarily Maasai, but people from other parts of the country have moved there, drawn by the successful tourist-driven economy and; the intensive agriculture along the system of swamps that makes this low-rainfall area one of the best wildlife viewing experiences in Africa. Amboseli National Park thrives with over 500 recorded species of birds, including water birds such as pelicans, cranes, kingfishers, hamerkop, and 47 raptor species.
The national park preserves two of the five major swamps, as well as a dried-up Pleistocene Lake and semiarid vegetation. After the Maasai Mara National Reserve, this is Kenya’s most visited national park. Amboseli National Park was established in 1906 as the Maasai southern reserve but was returned to local control as a game reserve in 1948. It was designated as a national park in 1974 to protect the unique ecosystem, and it was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991
Amboseli National Park is well-known for being the best place in the world to get up close and personal with free-roaming elephants. The park’s other attractions include the fantastic opportunity to meet the Maasai and visit the Maasai village. Moreover, Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest free-standing mountain, can also be seen from the park. This park was home to Echo, the world’s most researched elephant and the subject of numerous books and documentaries, which were tracked for nearly four decades by American conservationist Dr. Cynthia Moss. Because of the long dry season, the park provides some of the best opportunities for viewing African wildlife.
This protected area is home to African bush elephants, cape buffalo, impalas, lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, zebras, Maasai giraffes, and the blue wildebeest as well as many bird species.
Getting to Amboseli National Park
By Road: Amboseli National Park is easily accessible from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, via the Namanga road, which travels 240 kilometers and takes 4 hours to complete. Then, driving from Nairobi to the Emali tarmac via Mombasa Road takes 3 hours and 228 kilometers.
By Air: Domestic flights to Amboseli National Park are known as charter flights or scheduled flights that originate from Nairobi Wilson Airport and Moi Airport Mombasa and fly you to one of Amboseli airstrips that take only 30 minutes to land.
attractions in Amboseli National park
Wildlife
Amboseli National Park is a popular safari destination in Kenya that provides rewarding wildlife viewing opportunities. Though the park appears to be a stopping place to adventure, the high concentration of elephants roaming around in the park’s dusty plains which can be viewed around Ol Kenya Swamp and OI Tukai is located in the park’s heart. The OI Tukai features woodland yellow fever and doum palm tree, and the name OI Tukai means “a cool retreat for elephants” in Swahili.
Besides being a beautiful place to see large herds of elephants on an African safari, more so, Amboseli national park is home to a bio-diversity of wild animals such as wildebeests, Thomson gazelles, hippos, zebras, leopards, spotted hyenas, Masai giraffes, buffaloes, lions, cheetah, spotted hyenas, cape buffaloes, hippos, and impala among others.
Birds
With over 500 bird species reported, Amboseli National Park is a true sanctuary for birding safaris on the African continent. A large concentration of flamingos, pelicans, crowned cranes, egrets, and herons, among other birds, can be seen in the park’s savannah plains and forest inhabitants, as well as around swamps and lakes. These birds are best seen during the park’s wet seasons, which run from March to May and October to December.
Additional species to look for in grassland and forest regions include, among others: Yellow-necked spur bird, common redshank, Von der Dicken’s hornbill, Rufous chatterer, Long-toed lapwing, Rufous-bellied heron, Spike-heeled lark, and Taveta golden weaver. Amboseli also has a list of migrating birds that can be viewed between November and April. Learn more about birds in Amboseli National Park
Lakes
Amboseli National Park is surrounded by water bodies, including seasonal lakes in its western area that are located in the drained basin of an ancient Pleistocene lake and lakes that often fill up during the rainy season. Kioko Lake, Conch Lake, Amboseli Lake, and Simel Lake are a few of the lakes. Amboseli National Park is home to a variety of aquatic bird species due to the papyrus-covered marshes along the lakeshore. Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park, these lakes are fantastic places to view water birds and a big concentration of wildlife animal species as they come to drink water.
Observation Hill
This is the most beautiful place to view the park’s endless plains, located in the western region of Amboseli National Park. The Observation hill, also known as a pyramid-shaped hill is a resting area for tourists who climb the hill to get a good view of Mount Kilimanjaro, the scenic beauty of the park, and also to see wild animals up close, as well as view marshes, and plains.
However, this is the only location where visitors are permitted to disembark from their vehicle while on a game viewing safari to view the park’s treasures along the spectacular observation point, which serves as a stopping point.
Swamps and Marshes
Amboseli National Park has a chain of marshes and swamps that serve as a source of water for the park’s animals. Marshes in the park can be found in the central part of Amboseli and are bright green, standing out in the park’s arid and dusty plains. Marshes in the park include OI Tukai, Ologinya/OI Okenya, Enkongo or Ngong Narok Narok, Engone Naibor, and others.
All marshes in Amboseli are fed by spring water that comes from the melting snow of Mount Kilimanjaro. The water that springs penetrates the volcanic soils down into the valley, attracting a variety of animals as they come to quench their thirst, and they are a rewarding place to explore hippos, elephants, and water bird species such as kingfishers, cattle egrets, heron, and black-winged stilts, among others.
Mount Kilimanjaro
This is one of the tourist attractions in Amboseli National Park that can be seen clearly with beneficial sights while on a visit. Located in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest free-standing impressive mountain, rising 5,895 meters above sea level. However, it has a snowcapped summit surrounded by a scenic landscape, and the view of its summit from here is rewarding and magical for photography.
Elephant Research Camp
The elephant research camp in Amboseli National Park primarily offers research on elephants within the park and is the primary stopping point in the world for elephant research and study. This research camp is managed by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, but it is not open to casual visitors on safari. Researchers explain their work and other elephant conservation issues in this video.
activities to do in amboseli national park
Game Viewing
Amboseli National Park is a haven for wild animals, particularly elephants, who live in open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush, and marshland. Game drives are available all day, but the best time to see wild animals is early in the morning, from 6:30 am to 11:30 am, and in the evening, from 2 pm to 6:30 pm. During the day, you can see a high concentration of animals quenching their thirst on water banks; animals to see include:
spotted hyenas which can be seen early in the morning going back into their hideouts, bush babies and serval cats can be easily seen on night game drives, waterbucks, buffalos, baboons, aardwolf, leopards, jackals, lions, fringed eared, Thomson’s, Grants gazelles, hippos, zebras, elephants among other. Visit Amboseli national park on game drive viewing and have a classic view of an African elephant walking across the open plains beside solitary acacia trees.
Nature Walks
Amboseli National Park is naturally rewarded with stunning vegetation, swamps, and mammal species, all of which can be seen on a nature walk. A guided nature walk around the park and on the observation hills is available. The guided nature walk is the best way to discover the park’s hidden treasures because it is done on foot and allows you to get up close and personal with wild animals such as herds of elephants, zebras, giraffes, impalas, buffaloes among others while listening to the sweet melodies of birds singing and leaving with a wondrous experience once in a lifetime.
Birding Encounters
Amboseli National Park is ideal for birding because it is home to over 400 bird species, which can be seen in swamp areas, grasslands, and acacia woodland. Greater flamingo, Lesser flamingo, Long-toed lap claw, Rufous chatterer, Spike-heeled heron, Tavete golden weaver, vonder Dicken’s hornbills, Dickinson’s kestrel, Common redshank, African swamp hen, Pangani long claw, Hartlaub’s bustard and other bird species can be found here. Birding in Amboseli National Park is best from May to June and October to December. Binoculars are required for clear viewing of bird species over long distances.
Cultural Encounters
The park is surrounded by the local community “Maasai people,” and you can visit them in the afternoon during your visit to Amboseli National Park. And learn about their unique way of life, such as their thrilling traditional dances as they jump up and down; you can join them and leave with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and unique clothing; and you can also participate in re-afforestation by planting seeds with them.
The Hot air Balloon Safari
This is a rewarding activity that is done very early in the morning because you can fly over Amboseli National Park and have a great rewardable aerial viewing of herds of elephants, buffaloes, plains, birds of the air, and many more.
Amboseli National Park is open all year, but the best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from June to October and December to February when the roads are in good condition and the best time to go on a game drive. Birding is best done during the wet season when migratory birds arrive in the park, which runs from April to June and November to December.
where to stay
On your safari to Amboseli National Park, you can sleep in amazing comfortable accommodation lodges ranging between mid-range to Luxury such as;
