Amboseli National Park
Located in the south of Kenya along the Tanzania border, just northwest of Mt. Kilimanjaro and 140 miles southeast of Nairobi City, Amboseli National Park is the second most popular national park in Kenya, coming second only to the iconic Masai Mara National Reserve.
Amboseli National Park is renowned for its large elephant herds and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro, offering an incredible African safari and is a great place to go on a Big Four Kenya safari. At dawn, as the cloud cover breaks and the first rays of sun illuminate the snowcapped 5,895-meter (19,340-foot) Kilimanjaro peak, the sky, colored by rosy pinks and soft reds, provides the perfect backdrop for the savannah plains below. At dusk, it gets better when the mountain stands out in stark relief against the fiery sun.
Amboseli National Park consists of five different habitats: open plain, acacia woodland, thorn scrub, swamps, and marshlands. To the west are the Ol Donyo Orok massif and Lake Amboseli, which is usually dry; however, when it rains, the surrounding area becomes lush again, attracting back migratory birds, including the pink flamingos. During the heavy rains, expect some impassable roads and when the lake is completely dry, expect the fine alkaline dust that blows up from the lakebed to be hell for tires.
The salty dust is what the Maasai people call Amboseli, and from which the park gets its name.
Wildlife in Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is renowned for its large herds of elephants; the park is home to about 80 different species, including four of the Big Five. In addition to large herds of elephants, other wildlife in Amboseli include African buffalo, lions, zebras, impalas, wildebeests, cheetahs, gazelles, spotted hyenas, bohor reedbuck and hartebeests, among others.
Birdlife in Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is a birder’s mecca, hosting a great number of bird species recorded to be around 420 bird species, including more than ten different kinds of eagles. In the swamp areas, fed by the melting snow of Kilimanjaro, seasonal flamingos, pelicans, and more than 12 species of heron are among the collection of water birds.
Birds in Amboseli National Park include African swamphen, common ostrich, common redshank, Dickinson’s kestrel, Goliath heron, greater flamingo, Hartlaub’s bustard, lesser flamingo, long-toed lapwing, Pangani longclaw, rufous chatterer, rufous-bellied heron, spike-heeled lark, steel-blue whydah, Taveta golden weaver, Von der Decken’s hornbill, water thick-knee, white-bellied bustard, white-bellied go-away-bird and yellow-necked spurfowl, among others.
The Maasai People
Amboseli National Park is surrounded by the Maasai people, one of the most authentic African cultures in Africa and one of the tribes that still have traditions and cultures not affected by technology and modernity.
The Masai people dominate the outskirts of Amboseli and a cultural visit to the Maasai village is an amazing experience, offering you a look into the true African culture. In the Maasai village, you can experience Maasai dances, traditional songs and their unique way of dressing. Also, you will explore their local homesteads known as Manyattas and see how they live and take part in their daily activities like livestock herding and milking of cattle and goats.
Safari Activities to Do in Amboseli National Park
Game Viewing
The best way to experience Amboseli National Park is on a game viewing experience, conducted in 4×4 vehicles with open roofs. Amboseli is a haven for wildlife, including large herds of elephants, thriving in broad plains, acacia forests, rocky thorn bushes and marsh terrain.
Game drives in Amboseli National Park are done all day; however, the best time is from 6:30 am to 11:30 am and from 3 pm to 6:30 pm (morning and afternoon game drives). As you drive through the savannah plains of Amboseli, keep an eye out for several animals, including buffaloes, baboons, jackals, lions, hippos, leopards, aardwolves, elephants, and gazelles, among others.
Morning game drives are a perfect time to see predators such as bush babies, serval cats, lions and leopards as they are returning to their hideouts.
Birding
Amboseli National Park is a birder’s haven with a rich birdlife of over 425 bird species. Amboseli’s birds thrive and can be seen in marsh areas, grasslands, and acacia forests. The park’s grasslands are home to colorful ground birds, including the Hartlaub’s bustard and the locally endemic Pangani longclaw. Some dry species can be found in the acacia woodland, such as the steel-blue whydah, white-bellied go-away bird, and Von der Decken’s hornbill.
Other bird species you will see in Amboseli National Park include African swamphen, common ostrich, common redshank, Dickinson’s kestrel, Goliath heron, greater flamingo, Hartlaub’s bustard, lesser flamingo, long-toed lapwing, Pangani longclaw, rufous chatterer, rufous-bellied heron, spike-heeled lark, steel-blue whydah and Taveta golden weaver, among others.
The best time for birding in Amboseli is from May to June and October to December. During the wet season (March to May and September to November), large flocks of flamingoes as well as migratory birds are present in Amboseli.
Hot Air Balloon Safaris
Soar above the savannah plains of Amboseli and enjoy an aerial view of the park and the snow-capped summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on a hot air balloon safari. This excursion is conducted early in the morning with the balloon lifting off as early as 6 am.
The hot air balloon drifts silently over the savannah grasslands below, where you will enjoy a bird’s-eye view of several animals, including elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and giraffes, among others.
At the end of this hour-long flight, you will enjoy a “Champagne Bush Breakfast) upon landing as you toast to this grand experience.
Guided Nature Walks
Amboseli National Park is endowed with a stunning landscape dotted with marshes and several mammal species, all of which can be seen on a guided nature walk. With an experienced ranger guide, you will visit the observation hill, which offers spectacular sightings across the sweeping savannah.
Guided nature walks are the best way to discover Amboseli’s hidden treasures, explore the park and get a close encounter with animals.
Cultural Tours
The surroundings of Amboseli National Park are home to the incredibly fascinating Maasai Tribe, who have lived in the area since the 12th century. On the cultural tours in Amboseli, you will gain an incredible insight into the life of the local Maasai people, meet them and learn more about their history, culture, and food and take part in livestock herding.
Also, you can take part in their exhilarating traditional dances as they jump up and down and visit their homesteads (manyattas) to explore as they live as a community.
Getting There and Around
Amboseli National Park is approximately 220 km (140 miles), about four hours’ drive from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and where most safaris to Amboseli start. You can get to the park either by road or air means of transportation.
By Air – There are scheduled flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Amboseli Airstrip; these flights are served by Airkenya and Mombasa Air. The flight is approximately 1 hour.
By Road—It is a drive of approximately 4 hours to get to Amboseli from Nairobi City. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation to get to the park. Thankfully, your tour operator provides private transportation included in your Amboseli safari quotation. Because the roads in the park are gravel, a 4×4 vehicle is a good idea.
When To Go
Amboseli National Park is a year-round destination; however, the best time to visit on a Kenyan safari is from January to February and June through September. During the rainy season (April and May), roads in the park become rough and sometimes impassable. However, this is the perfect time for photographers and birds to visit as everything is green. In November and December, there might also be slight rain.
Where to stay in Amboseli National Park
There are several accommodation options in Amboseli National Park open for visitors on a safari; these range from budget to midrange to luxury and they include
- Tortilis Camp
- Porini Amboseli Camp
- Satao Elerai Camp
- Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
- Ol Tukai Lodge
- Tulia Amboseli Lodge
- Amboseli Sopa Lodge, among others.
