Amboseli National Park
Famous for its big game and outstanding scenic beauty, the landscape of Amboseli National Park is dominated by the majestic snow-cap of Mount Kilimanjaro. Lying immediately North West of Mount Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania, Amboseli National Park covers 392 km2 and forms part of the much larger 3,000 km2 Amboseli ecosystem. The main wildlife habitats include open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland, plus a generally dry lake-bed, Lake Ambosei, from which the park takes its name. The climate is mainly hot and dry.
Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season. Large herds of elephant and solitary giraffes can be seen crossing the plains in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Plains game include zebra, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, wildebeest, waterbuck, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, all of which provide a plentiful food source for the dominant predators; lion, leopard and cheetah. Meanwhile small mammals include the black-faced vervet monkey, the yellow baboon, black-backed jackals, spotted hyena and bat-eared foxes.
Birdlife is equally abundant, especially in the vicinity of the lakes and swamps where a great variety of water birds may be seen. Elsewhere the extremely local Taveta Golden Weaver is commonly seen, a yellow weaver-bird with a patch of chestnut on the nape and considered a rare bird outside Amboseli. Birds of prey are also well-represented, with 47 different species having been recorded including the rare Taita Falcon and Southern Banded Harrier Eagle.
Amboseli National Park lies 240 km from Nairobi and can be reached either by road (approximately 5 hours) or 35 minutes by private charter plane.
Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season. Large herds of elephant and solitary giraffes can be seen crossing the plains in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Plains game include zebra, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, wildebeest, waterbuck, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, all of which provide a plentiful food source for the dominant predators; lion, leopard and cheetah. Meanwhile small mammals include the black-faced vervet monkey, the yellow baboon, black-backed jackals, spotted hyena and bat-eared foxes.
Birdlife is equally abundant, especially in the vicinity of the lakes and swamps where a great variety of water birds may be seen. Elsewhere the extremely local Taveta Golden Weaver is commonly seen, a yellow weaver-bird with a patch of chestnut on the nape and considered a rare bird outside Amboseli. Birds of prey are also well-represented, with 47 different species having been recorded including the rare Taita Falcon and Southern Banded Harrier Eagle.
Amboseli National Park lies 240 km from Nairobi and can be reached either by road (approximately 5 hours) or 35 minutes by private charter plane.
