Amboseli National Reserve

Amboseli is a land of giants. This is a place of wide dry plains, where the horizons stretch into the furthest distance and become one with the sky. Amboseli is renowned for its elephant populations and large herds, including some impressively tusked bulls are drawn to a series of large, lush swamplands.

How to get to Amboseli

Amboseli is a 4 hour drive from Nairobi. The nearest town is Namanga, on the Kenya/ Tanzania border. There are regular buses and matatus to Namanga from Nairobi and other destinations. There are also regular private shuttles from Nairobi to Arusha in Tanzania, which pass by Namanga. There are daily scheduled flights from both Nairobi and the coast. Amboseli has a central airstrip. Private Charters also use this strip.

Accessing Amboseli National Park is difficult without private transport. Most visitors come here as part of a Safari package from Nairobi. Those bringing their own vehicles should be prepared for dusty driving conditions from Namanga to the Park, although the park has well established internal roads and tracks.

Where to stay in Amboseli

Amboseli has a range of accommodation to suit all budgets, tastes and interests. There are very basic campsites where you can pitch a tent and sleep under canvas in the wild, well appointed safari lodges, luxury tented camps with large, fully furnished tents, small private camps for your exclusive use and much, much, more.

What to do in Amboseli

Wildlife Safari

A wildife safari into Amboseli lets the visitor enter the majestic realm of the Elephant. This beautiful park consists of wide open plains crowned by the snow capped peak of Kilimanjaro.

Amboseli is easily accessible from Nairobi, and its relatively small size and open plains make game viewing very easy.

The most obvious resident are the large elephant herds, and they are impossible to miss. Elephants are a continual presence throughout the park, and this provides plenty of opportunities to observe and learn from a wide variety of their social behaviour. With a well trained guide, it is easy to understand and follow the social heirachy of each herd, and their constant social interaction.

Whether it is the deep affection between a cow and her calf or a spectacular battle for dominance between two full tusked bulls, elephant behaviour is always fascinating.

Spending time among Amboseli's Elephants is the perfect way to learn more about the role that they play in the local ecosystem. There is a lot more to see in Amboseli other than Elephants. The forests and swamplands are well worth exploring, and the wetland areas and stands of acacia are rich birding country.

The open plains attract plenty of grazing game. including zebra, wildebeest, and impala. Cheetah are often seen here, either hunting on the plains or at rest in the undergrowth.

Features in summary

Dry plains & scrub forest, elephants, buffaloes, lions, antelopes

Activities

Wildlife drives

Best time to visit

June-October

Parks

Gallery