Amboseli National Park Safari: Elephants, Mount Kilimanjaro & More

The Amboseli National Park situated at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro Africa’s highest mountain offers excellent views which makes safaris thrilling. The park is famous in terms of its large elephant herds and extensive open plains and is an excellent place to see wildlife as well as have a great cultural experience.

It offers breathtaking scenes of wildlife that gallop in dusty terrain to green wetlands and clear snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro.

What Makes Amboseli National Park Special

The beauty of the park lies in the fact that everything has a place. The wildlife is also very easy to view and photograph with an open landscape with large families of elephants frequently taking a stroll near the safari vehicles. The presence of dry plains and green swamps within the park provide a balanced environment throughout the year which is very attractive to animals.

Wildlife: Flora & Fauna

The park is famously known for its giant herds of elephants which are usually found roaming freely in open plains and green swamps, with a background of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Other animals found in the park include lions, cheetahs, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and various species of antelopes. 

The bird life is also abundant and more than 420 species have been seen. The combination of grasslands, swamps and woodlands scattered around favors the year-round abundance of life in plants and animals.

Mount Kilimanjaro Views

Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the greatest attractions in the Park. It has a snowy peak that is higher than the plains, making it an ideal habitat to the elephants and other animals. The dry season of the early mornings is the best time to have a clear view without the appearance of clouds.

The mountain is brilliant in the sunrise and sunset and the best places to view and capture a picture of the mountain are Observation Hill or the open plains close to the swamps.

Safari Activities in the Park

Exciting Game Drives: In the morning and evening game drives, one can visit the large open plain and marshes of the park and observe the elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes among others in the wild.

Wildlife Photography Safaris: Photographic -oriented safari whereby the visitor is taken through expert guides to enjoy an amazing wildlife on the backdrop of the Kilimanjaro.

Maasai Cultural Visits: Visit the Maasai villages and learn about the traditional life of the Maasai, bead working, song dance and interaction of people with wildlife.

Guided Nature Walks: In case you would like to walk the landscape and focus on the vegetation, small animals as much as possible, guided nature walks around the community conservancies at the park boundaries can help.

Best Time to Visit

The park is one of the places to visit all through the year, though the dry seasons which are the months of June to October and January to February are the best months to see the wildlife. 

Wet seasons will attract less visitors and green landscapes. Although the conditions on the road might be temporarily poor in the area due to short rains, the scenery becomes green and the birds prosper.

How to Get There

Amboseli Park is one of the jewels that are located about 4 hours (240km or 150miles) southeast of Nairobi. The park is accessible either by air or road; the air and road are the two main ways of accessing it. It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours through the Mombasa Road to Nairobi to the Park.

Flying to park only requires a flight lasting approximately 45 minutes between Amboseli air strips and Wilson Airport which is convenient.

Park Operating Hours

The park operates all day long with the opening time of 6:00 AM and closing time of 6:00 PM. 

Park Entry Fees

The cost of entry at Park varies depending on whether you are a Kenyan, East African citizen, or a foreigner and also the time of year.

The non-residents (foreign visitors) typically pay an approximate of $60 to $70 per adults, and $35 to children or students.

The citizens of East Africa pay lower charges: approximately Ksh 860 and Ksh 215 as adults and children or students respectively.

The residents (expatriates) are slightly higher than citizens and they pay approximately Ksh 1,000+ per adult.

The highest fees are also charged during the peak season (July to February) and lower during the off-season.

Amboseli Park Accommodations

The park has various great hotels to offer to any traveler regardless of their tastes, preferences, and financial means. 

Luxury

Tawi Lodge: Tawi Lodge is a five star safari lodge that is equipped with modern tents and wide decks looking into the plains. The lounge experience is a relaxed luxury safari, the modern design, customized services and panoramic view of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tortilis Camp Elewana Amboseli: Elewana Tortilis Camp is a luxury safari camp which is located in a quiet area of the park. The huge tents are furnished with their own verandahs, and these would be a good place to sleep, and the wild creatures pacing about.

Mid Range

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge: The lodge is situated in a small rise with vast plains within the park and the mountain Kilimanjaro and is known to offer warm services and quality rooms. The facilities will tend to include a swimming pool, restaurant and lounge, which is good to rest after day of game drives.

Ol Tukai Lodge: The Ol Tukai Lodge is another mid range hotel with good facilities including swimming pool and outer sitting areas. It is actually located on the border of the park and thus the wildlife encounters are common.

Budget Lodges

Kibo Safari Camp: An affordable tented camp which does not compromise the experience of a true safari. The tents are basic yet cozy and the setting enables the guests to experience the sound and view of the bush in the proximity.

Sentrim Amboseli: Sentrim offers simple and clean rooms and is well positioned to allow game drives into the park. It is a cheaper alternative than other existing ones but a reliable one among the low cost travelers who may want to concentrate on the park and not on the luxurious amenities.

Best Safari Packages

The Amboseli, Nakuru and Masai Mara Private Safari of Activentures Africa Safaris takes five days and offers a combination of the best of the Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara. You will view elephants, other wildlife and good panoramas of Mt Kilimanjaro. The package offers a great option of a total Kenyan safari experience since it covers games drive and accommodation and transport at a cost of 1110 dollars.

Practical Travel Tips

• Wear loose and light colored clothes.
• Carry sun protection i.e. hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
• Bring a light jacket due to mornings.
• Enhanced watching of wildlife through the use of a camera or a binocular.
• Keep the rules and ensure safety and protection of the animals in the park.
• Make reservations early in high seasons for books and flights.

Conclusion

Through this experience of memorable elephant sightseeing, stunning mountain Kilimanjaro, and cultural affiliations, the experience in the Amboseli National Park is a full-fledged safari adventure. It is a place that strikes the right balance between iconic views and natural experiences whereby the traveler can always have memories that will linger even after the dust settles.

In Activentures Africa Safaris, we tend to recommend Amboseli as the ideal beginning or the conclusion of a Kenyan safari. Most of our Kenya tours are a combination of it with other sites such as Tsavo, Masai Mara, or beach of Diani. The big cats, the capturing of the elephants, and the sunrise scenery of Mount Kilimanjaro all combine to give you moments you will never forget.

FAQs

Will Amboseli National Park be enjoyed by first time safari travelers?

Yes, its open fields, and wild life, render sightseeing very easy and rewarding.

What is the number of days that would be perfect in terms of a visit?

Two or three days give one sufficient time to have multiple game drives and cultural experiences.

Can children come to the safari?

The lodges are mostly family friendly although some of the activities may have an age limit.

Which is the most appropriate time to view Mount Kilimanjaro?

The most opportunities of clear view are in the early mornings when we know the dry seasons to be experienced, and these are the times in July to October, and in January to February.