Amboseli is found immediately North West of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. The Park covers 392km2, and forms part of the much larger 3,000km2  of the Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular tourist destination. The National Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland) and covers part of a Pleistocene lake basin. The vegetation is dominated with savannah which allows for viewing of the plains game, ranging from lions, leopards and giraffe. Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty. The landscape is dominated by Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The main road into the Park is from Nairobi via Namanga (240km) on the Nairobi - Arusha Road, via Meshanani Gate. The road is tarmac up to Namanga but is badly corrugated and eroded in places from Namanga to Meshanani Gate (75km). Access from Mombasa is mainly through Tsavo West via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate.

The park has a single airstrip for light aircraft at Empusel gate. Other airstrips exist at Kilimanjaro Buffalo lodge and Namanga town.

A visitor's note on Amboseli National Park

I had an exciting time at this wonderful Amboseli National Park. The park provided me a perfect opportunity to view the best of wildlife in natural environs. Everywhere in the park, nature was at its best in forms of both flora and fauna. There was adventure at every step and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here.

Fact file - Amboseli National Park

Location: Kenya
Major attraction: Bull elephant, giraffe and tiger

A word about Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Amboseli is a place of stark contrast meaning "salty dust" in Maasai language. Amboseli, despite its sometimes dry and dusty appearance, has an endless water supply filtered through thousands of feet of volcanic rock from Kilimanjaro ice cap. These underground streams converge into two clear water springs in the heart of the park. The endemic dust is volcanic ash, which spewed from Kilimanjaro a millennium ago.

My experience at Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Though I had visited various wildlife sanctuaries in the past but coming to Amboseli National Park was a special experience. It was the excitement of watching bull elephant that took me all the way to the park. The park was vast, exotic and its tranquility was interrupted only by the occasional trumpeting of the elephants. The moment I entered into the park I saw herds of bull elephants that made my day. I just kept gazing at them and was amazed to see their large tusks. My guide later told me that bull elephants have the largest tusks among all the elephants found in Kenya.

I was so excited that I didn't hesitate in going very close to the real herds of zebra and gnu (wildebeest). The various sections of the park were populated by giraffe, impala, and leopard, caracal and servo cats.

The chirping of various birds including pelicans, bee-eaters, kingfishers, African fish eagle, martial eagle and pygmy falcon added to the attraction of the park.

Accommodation

There is a variety of lodges in Amboseli National Park and these include; Amboseli Serena Lodge

• Kimana Safari Lodge,
• Cottar's Tented Camp,
• Tortilis Tented Lodge,
• Olgulului Public Campsite,
• Abercrombie & Kent Tented Camp,
• Ker & Downy Tented Camp,
• Chyulu Tented Camp,
• Kimbla Campsite,
• Leopard Tented Camp,
• Tortilis Tented Camp.

MAP OF AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK