Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is located in the Rift Valley province, close to the Tanzanian border northwest of Kilimanjaro, approximately 220-240kms southeast of Nairobi, depending upon which entrance to the park you use.

Although one of the smaller parks in Kenya, at approx 395 sq km, safaris in Amboseli are one of Kenya's most popular attractions (second to the Masai Mara). The spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak (located in Tanzania), coupled with the variety and abundance of wildlife, draws in many visitors.

Amboseli is most famed for its large herds of elephants which are easy to see and photograph due to the flat and open terrain. Wildlife to be found in the park include wildebeest and Burchell's zebra, giraffe, lions, spotted hyenas, wild cats, jackals, caracals, Thomson's and Grant's gazelles, waterbuck, impala, black rhino, buffalo, warthog and dik-dik. There are also over 420 species of birds.

The huge Amboseli Lake takes up most the northwestern area of the park, most of the year it is a dry dusty lake bed. During the wet season, the rains flood the lake bed and the surrounding area. The rest of the park is mainly swampmarsh land and savannah grassland with few trees scattered around.

The landscape is stunning and a great view point is Observation Hill.

Huge Elephant

Zebra in Amboseli

View of Kilimanjaro Mountain from Amboseli

Running Giraffe

Pair Crested Cranes

Herd of Elephants

Scenery in Amboseli

Zebra and calf

Grants Gazelle

Buffalo with Oxpecker

 

The best time to visit is May through to December, with July and August being the busiest months. Temperature ranges from 20-30 c and rainfall from 200mm – 700 mm. The are 2 raining seasons: Long rains – March & April and the short rains – Nov & December.