AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK OVERVIEW
Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya’s most popular tourist parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” an apt description for the park’s parched conditions.
The reserve is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Other wildlife commonly spotted in the park includes big cats, such as lion and cheetah, as well as giraffe, impala, eland, waterbuck, gazelle, and more than 600 species of birds.
Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here, ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulfur springs, savannah, and woodlands. Look for the local Maasai people who live in the area around the park.
WHY VISIT AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK ?
Amboseli National Park is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Kenya. The park is renowned for its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. The sight of the majestic mountain towering over the savannah grasslands and wildlife is truly breathtaking.
Amboseli is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including large herds of elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and many more. The park is a paradise for birdwatchers, with over 400 species of birds recorded. The opportunity to view these magnificent animals in their natural habitat is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is not to be missed.
In addition to the wildlife, a visit to Amboseli provides an opportunity to learn about the Maasai culture and their traditional way of life. The park is located in the heart of Maasai land, and the local Maasai people have lived in harmony with the wildlife for centuries. Visitors can engage in cultural visits and witness the traditional practices and customs of the Maasai people.
Things to do and See in Amboseli National Park
A home to large herds of elephants
Amboseli national park is famous for being a habitant to a huge population of elephants in Kenya, large herds of elephants have become the trademark animals of the park which differentiate it from other parks in Kenya.
Amboseli national park is a home to over 1000 elephant individuals making the park a perfect spot for watching elephants in huge numbers, elephants in Amboseli are noticed to have the largest tusks when compared to other elephants in Kenya and they are recognized to amount to 58 families in the park. Each elephant family consists of about 300 independent adult males and each individual is named, numbered and coded and they can easily be identified individually. Amboseli national park is dominated by short savannah grassland vegetation which makes it easy for a tourists to spot elephants in large in numbers free grazing in the park.
Hosts tree climbing lions
Amboseli national park is one of the few national parks in Kenya and east Africa where you get to spot tree climbing lions, the fact lions are capable of climbing of trees is less known to most of the people especially tourists but upon your visit to Amboseli national park this fascinating fact will be unveiled to you.
Amboseli national park is partly dominated by a gallery of shrubs and forest trees where the lions are spotted resting on the tree branches which is a real thrilling moment to watch.Lions in Amboseli national park are estimated to be more than 100 individuals and if you are in the park purposely to spot these animals early morning and evening are the best time to spot these animals. At some occasion you can also spot these animals freely wandering in the savannah plains of Amboseli national park.
A birding paradise
Amboseli national park is a home to a high concentration of birds thus making it a birding haven for bird enthusiastic tourists, Amboseli national park is a home to over 400 bird species and these birds include African Sacred Ibises, amaurornis flavirostra chick, Amboseli ostrich , ardea melanocephala, balearica regulorum, bradornis microrhynchus , buphagus africanus1 , eastern chanting goshawk , female struthio camelus massaicus , glareola pratincola , great white pelican , grey crowned cranes, haliaeetus vocifer , kajiado, 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, struthio camelus massaicus, struthio camelus massaicus, superb starling, Vanellus armatus, Vanellus coronatus, Vanellus crassirostris, Vidua macroura, yellow-billed stork and many more. These birds are easily sighted at the dried bed of Lake Amboseli, watering holes and the savannah grasslands of the park.
Excellent game drive
Amboseli national park is ranked as one of the top national parks in Kenya offering incredible game drives in Kenya, the park is a habitant to many animals such as zebras, wildebeests, buffalos, giraffes, gerenuks, grant’s gazelles, Thomason’s gazelles, wild dogs, crocodile, mongoose and big herds of elephants. Amboseli national park is also crowned by the backdrop of mountain Kilimanjaro and dominated by short savannah grassland which makes viewing of animals easy, the park has many well maintained trails which facilitate game drives in the park. The most famous trail in the park is the great elephant’s trail from which you can view herds of elephants.