Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park

The park is located in southern Kenya close to the border of Kenya and Tanzania, the park covers a size of 392 km2 which consists of vegetation of acacia woodlands, swamp marshlands, rocky thorny bushes and Lake Amboseli. The park gets its name “Amboseli” from the local word of the Maasai people who traditionally occupy these areas, the word “Amboseli” means “salty dust” as the park is made up of dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulphuric springs and savannah woodlands. The park has a backdrop of Mt Kilimanjaro which makes for a beautiful scenic view while on safari. The park is home to the African Elephants with big tusks where large herds can be seen out in the wild up close. Amboseli National Park has several entry gates with the main gates being the Meshanani Gate, Kimana Gate and Iremito Gate depending on which route you are using to access the park.

The park is home to a lot of wildlife with an estimated of about 80 different species found here including the African Elephant, African Buffalo, lions, zebras, impalas and wildebeest among others.

The park also hosts a great number of birds species here estimated to be around 420 birds species recorded which include the African swamp hen, Common redshank, Dickinson’s kestrel, Eurasian thick-knee, 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, Yellow-necked spurfowl and many more. The months of March to May and November to December, are the rainy months, and a lot of flamingos flock to the park. For bird lovers, Amboseli National Park would offer a great deal to check as many birds as possible off your list.

Key activities and attractions in Amboseli National Park.

• Mountain Kilimanjaro provides stunning views in the background of the park.
• Large herds of African elephants best known for their enormous
• Observation hills in the park for game viewing and provide great photography.
• Swamps and Marshes which are key for water birds and animals
• Birding provides for more than 420 bird species, this is almost half the country’s bird list.
• Big cats and other wildlife. Home to more than 80 mammals, game drives are a joy.
• Maasai cultural experience
• Lakes and waterholes are seasonal and attract many animals during the seasons.
• Game drives; with both morning and night game drives available in the park clients are in for a treat.

Our top safaris to Amboseli National Park

3-Day Amboseli game Safari

3-Day Amboseli National Park Fly-in Safari

4-Day Amboseli/Tsavo West/Tsavo East Safari

5-Day Kenya Wildlife Safari

6-Day Amboseli and Masai Mara

6-Day Amboseli and Masai Mara fly-in safari

7-Day Amboseli Safari, Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha

Are Amboseli tour activities for everyone.

Trips in Amboseli are for all ages and inclusive, be it a family or solo traveler, everyone can do this trip and there is no age limit for all. They cover a wide range of interests and fitness levels making them suitable for all age groups. If you are interested in a trip here contact us and we will arrange a trip for you tailoring it to your needs.

When is the best time to visit Amboseli National Park

There is generally no best time to visit the park as its wildlife is always readily available all year round, but the best time to visit Amboseli National Park for the wildlife lovers is during the dry season months of June to October and a shorter dry spell between late december to February which have very little to no rain, it’s easier to see animals as they flock towards the drying water sources, around the marshes and predictable  water sources that remain in the park. The park is dusty and the animals create a dusty train as they move which creates for great photography. Get in touch with us.

Obtaining a Visa for Kenya

Kenya has now moved to the new visa online application system which requires all visitors to fill in an online application form and pay the required fees where applicable. The process is simple and less time consuming compared to the old system. Click here for the online application portal to complete your visa.

How to get to Amboseli National Park.

By Road: The drive from Nairobi via Namanga to the park is 240 km through the Meshanani Gate. The other option is driving from Nairobi via Emali which is 228 km. The roads are good and provide for a scenic view on the drive good for photography. The roads are rough but we offer 4×4 vehicles that handle the journey well and are suited for the terrain.

By Air: Two main landing areas Amboseli Airstrip and Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge Airstrip.

Flight options are available and clients can either choose to do a charter or a scheduled option available. The flight time is approximately 45 minutes to the park and can either be got from Nairobi wilson Airport. We will book the flight for you and have our drivers and guide pick you up when you land to take you to the hotel or start the trip.

Our Transportations services.

 We have  Land cruisers each driven by professionally trained driver guides and fuel. They have pop-up roofs for proper game viewing and photography. They come with a small fridge for cooling your drinking water while on safari (which is always included while IN THE VEHICLE). They have inverters for charging small gadgets such as smartphones and cameras. They can seat five to a maximum of seven people and each client is guaranteed a window seat. 4×4 Vehicle: If traveling by road are highly recommended due to the rough terrain in some areas. Contact us for transportation services.

Accommodation to stay while visiting Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park offers a wide range of options for accommodation to choose from when out there for a trip ranging from luxury, mid-range, budget and campsites options for you. Being that the high season attracts a lot of tourists, you have to book your safari package in advance if you are to get decent accommodation.

Luxury Lodges and Camps

1. Tortilis Camp
2. Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
3. Ol Tukai Lodge
4. Satao Elerai Camp

Mid-Range Accommodations

1. Kibo Safari Camp
2. AA Lodge Amboseli
3. Amboseli Sopa Lodge

Budget Accommodations

1. Kimana Amboseli Tented Camp
2. Nyati Safari Camp
3. Amboseli Eco Camp

Campsites

1. Amboseli Campsite
2. Kimana Community Campground

Is it safe to visit Amboseli?

 Amboseli National Park is a very safe place to visit and Kenya as a country has prevailing peace and the people also are friendly. Finding crime towards travelers as uncommon as the reserve security does a lot of monitoring work to ensure that this prevails. But like anywhere around the world, you are encouraged to be cautious of your belongings as theft is common especially in the city and urban areas. Contact us.

Why use Encounter Africa Safaris as your trusted operator. 

Encounter Africa safaris is one of the leading tour operator for the East African region, we have been organizing amazing experiences to Amboseli National Park for the last 15 years and are in a position to give you the best advice in terms of getting the best out of any penny spent. We have a team of competent safari designers and guides who will make sure that planning and executing your safari is done with ease. Encounter Africa safaris is owned and run by locals and part of the money paid by you is channelled to benefiting projects that support community development as well as conserving the environment. Follow this easy guide to Amboseli National Park when choosing to book a safari and I assure you that the package will work out. Encounter Africa safaris is highly recommended on trip advisor as well as safari bookings. Feel free to visit these platforms and get to see what other clients say about our service.