Amboseli National Park

Located in southern Kenya, Amboseli National Park provides an unparalleled safari experience. It is famous for its remarkable elephant herds traversing freely against the stunning backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, situated just over the Tanzanian border. Climb Observation Hill for sweeping views of the magnificent summit and the park’s many terrains, ranging from extensive plains to essential wetlands. In addition to elephants, the park is abundant with varied wildlife, featuring elegant giraffes, agile zebras, secretive cheetahs, and a rich assortment of hundreds of bird species. In the dry season, the western region exposes the extensive, frequently arid expanse of Lake Amboseli.

Things to do in Amboseli National Park

A habitat for substantial populations of elephants

Amboseli National Park is renowned for its substantial number of elephants in Kenya, with enormous herds serving as the park’s distinguishing characteristic compared to other parks in the country.

Amboseli National Park hosts over 1,000 elephants, making it an ideal location for observing large herds. The elephants in Amboseli are noted for possessing the largest tusks relative to other elephants in Kenya and are organized into 58 distinct families within the park. Each elephant family has approximately 300 autonomous adult males, each of whom is assigned a name, number, and code for individual identification. Amboseli National Park is characterized by short savannah grassland flora, facilitating the observation of vast herds of elephants grazing freely within the park.

Accommodates tree-climbing lions

Amboseli National Park is one of the few national parks in Kenya and East Africa where tree-climbing lions can be observed. The ability of lions to ascend trees is not widely known, particularly among tourists, but this intriguing fact will be revealed during your visit to Amboseli National Park.

Amboseli National Park features a gallery of bushes and forest trees, where lions can be observed reclining on tree branches, creating a truly exhilarating spectacle.Amboseli National Park is home to an estimated population exceeding 100 lions. The optimal times for observing these animals are early morning and twilight. Occasionally, these creatures can be observed roaming freely in the savannah plains of Amboseli National Park.

A birding paradise

Amboseli National Park is renowned for its high avian diversity, serving as a premier destination for ornithological enthusiasts. The park is home to over 400 bird species, including the African Sacred Ibis, Amaurornis flavirostra, Amboseli Ostrich, Ardea melanocephala, Balearica regulorum, Bradornis microrhynchus, Buphagus africanus, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, female Struthio camelus massaicus, Glareola pratincola, Great White Pelican, Grey Crowned Crane, Haliaeetus vocifer, Kori Bustard, male Struthio camelus massaicus, Melierax poliopterus, Numida meleagris, Passer gongonensis, Platalea alba, Ploceus nigricollis melanoxanthus, Polihierax semitorquatus, Pseudonigrita arnaudi, Scopus umbretta, Struthio camelus massaicus, Superb Starling, Vanellus armatus, Vanellus coronatus, Vanellus crassirostris, Vidua macroura, Yellow-billed Stork, among numerous others. These birds are readily observable at the desiccated bed of Lake Amboseli, at watering holes, and throughout the savannah grasslands of the park.

Great game drive

Amboseli National Park is esteemed as one of the premier national parks in Kenya, providing exceptional game drives. The park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including zebras, wildebeests, buffalo, giraffes, gerenuks, Grant’s gazelles, Thomson’s gazelles, wild dogs, crocodiles, mongooses, and large herds of elephants. Amboseli National Park is distinguished by the imposing presence of Mount Kilimanjaro and characterized by short savannah grassland, facilitating animal observation. The park features numerous well-maintained pathways that enhance game drives. The park’s most renowned path is the Great Elephant Trail, offering vistas of elephant herds.

Why is Amboseli National Park famous?

Amboseli National Park in Kenya is renowned as the premier location globally for proximity to free-ranging elephants.

The park is renowned for its iconic depiction of a vast herd of elephants traversing in front of the snow-covered summits of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Although Mount Kilimanjaro is situated in Tanzania, the most spectacular vistas of the world’s tallest free-standing mountain and Africa’s highest peak are found in Kenya. This phenomenon is common in Africa; for instance, the most impressive views of Victoria Falls, which cascade along the Zambian border, are from Zimbabwe. Mount Kilimanjaro stands at an elevation of 5,895 meters (19,341 feet), resulting in its peak being perpetually shrouded in cloud.

The optimal opportunity to observe the peak occurs at daybreak, when conditions may have improved overnight; thus, do not forgo the early-morning game drives.

It is important to recognize that professional photographers invest extensive time in the field to capture the ideal shot; therefore, do not impose undue pressure on yourself or feel disheartened if you cannot achieve in a day or two what they accomplish over weeks or months.

Is it worth going to Amboseli?

Indeed, Amboseli National Park merits a visit. It is Kenya’s second most popular safari location following the Maasai Mara. The park offers all the essentials for an African wildlife safari experience.

The park is quite small, including a traditional savannah scenery, complemented by quality lodging in and around the area, alongside marshes and light forests, many acacia trees, and stunning vistas of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Amboseli boasts an exceptional quantity and diversity of wildlife within a confined area and is among the premier locations in Africa for observing elephants.

Adjacent to the park are many Maasai-owned conservancies that offer an alternative to the conventional safari experience.

Amboseli National Park is one of the nearest significant national parks to Nairobi, rendering it one of the most accessible destinations from Kenya’s capital.

What is the meaning of Amboseli?

Amboseli is an Anglicized version of the Maa term ‘Empusel’, which approximately means “salty, dusty place”. However, the subterranean streams originating from the melting ice cap on Kilimanjaro ensure that certain regions of the park remain adequately hydrated.

The outcome is that although Amboseli National Park is predominantly arid with low average rainfall, certain regions are characterized by species-rich wetlands, notably Enkongo Narok, Ol Tukai, Olokenya, and Longinye, which are the four largest.

The western section of the park encompasses a portion of a desiccated Pleistocene lake basin.

Lake Amboseli inside this basin is mostly arid, except during periods of substantial rainfall, when it accumulates shallow, alkaline water and attracts a pink influx of opportunistic flamingos. Outside the lakes and marshes, the park features little vegetation and arid volcanic soils.

What is the size of Amboseli National Park?

Amboseli National Park encompasses an area of 392 square kilometers. The park is an integral component of the huge Amboseli Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem.

This extensive region of around 8000 km² includes Amboseli, Chyulu Hills, Tsavo East and West, Mount Kilimanjaro National Parks, and the intervening areas.

Numerous private conservancies committed to conservation and tourism are located on the periphery of Amboseli National Park. These significantly expand the accessible protected land, providing the discerning traveler with a more unique safari experience.

The conservancies get support from the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust, designed to preserve the broader ecosystem and mitigate human-wildlife conflict as wildlife traverses traditional migratory routes among the formally protected parks.