As the sun rises behind the Kilimanjaro Mountain in Tanzania, it unveils one of Kenya’s hidden gems, Amboseli National Park. Nearing the southern region of the country in the Loitoktok district, Amboseli spans 392 square kilometers of a vast desert-like paradise in Kajiado County. The park’s identity builds up in its capacity to harbor one of the largest elephant herds in the world. It spans close to the border with Tanzania, cast in the rain shadow of the Kilimanjaro Mountain.
It is not later than 120 years ago, in 1906, when Amboseli National Park was just a game reserve. This was still at the time of the British colonial government that gazetted this reserve as a protected area with several wildlife species. Fast forward to 1974, approximately 68 years later, this game reserve gained national park status. This is about 52 years ago that Amboseli qualified as a national park. This was long after the colonial government, shortly after the country had gained independence. By 1991, the beauty and uniqueness of the park had spread internationally, thus earning it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With a vast population of the Masai, Amboseli was first named the Masai Amboseli Game Reserve. At the time of its elevation to a national park, the Masai name and reserve were dropped to make Amboseli National Park. This park trades beauty for harshness as the reddish-brown dusty outlook forms an amazing scenic beauty, although it experiences an unimaginable drought.
Its appearance in the rain shadow is one of the reasons for the harsh dry season. It is this beauty that the Masai named the park, Amboseli, which means salty dusty. This salty dust forms after the seasonal lakes in the park dry up, revealing it. The harshness of the park scares even the giants of the savannah, the elephants stretching them to the edge of migrating in search of water. The park is manned by the Kenya Wildlife Service in collaboration with the Olkejuado County and the Maasai tribe.
What to see in Amboseli National Park?
It’s not just the beauty and uniqueness of Amboseli that sell it as a top destination, but also several other attractions. Below are some of the things to see in this park.
Wildlife
Amboseli National Park trades more than its beauty, as the wildlife species that roam its lands are the face of the park. The wildlife in this park is unique, given its resilience to the harsh climate of the park. The Big Five species are favourites for most visitors and can be spotted roaming freely across the park’s ecosystems.
In addition to the lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos, which are the Big Five, the park harbors other wildlife species. Topis, wildebeest, spotted hyenas, impala, cheetah, Grant’s zebras, and Masai giraffes, among others, are some of the other wildlife species to see in Amboseli.
Observational Hill
This is a huge pyramid-shaped hill that overlooks the entire Amboseli National Park. The observation hill gives spectacular views of the unique ecosystems of the splendid plains and the swamps to tourists. It also offers an opportunity to tourists to spot the large herds of elephants and cape buffaloes as well as other wild animals from a safe distance. While on the observation hill, you can also view Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Mountain, which is the tallest mountain in Africa.
Sinet delta
The Sinet delta is an area lying in the northern part of Amboseli, a few meters from the observation hill. Sinet Delta is an important area for birds because it is home to the largest number of birds in the park. This is because it has a lot of Acacia trees, which nest these birds. These trees are also a favorite snack for the giraffes, thus visiting the Sinet delta allows you to view these gentle giants. The delta also gives you spectacular scenes of Mountain Kilimanjaro.
What to do in Amboseli?
As a visitor to Amboseli, you can only see so much in your time in the park, as there are many things and up for exploration.
Game viewing
Amboseli hails game viewing safaris as one of the most famous and major activities in the park. This activity stands tall as the best option for closely spotting wildlife species. Game viewing takes place from the comfort of a safari vehicle, where a visitor gets an up-close view of the wildlife safely.
Bird watching
With various popular birding areas in Kenya, Amboseli slides in as part of the 60 recognized Important Birding Areas. With over 400 bird species, the park stands out as a birder’s paradise. The park hosts some rare species, like the 47 raptors and the endangered Malagasy pond heron, which attracts several birders. Bird watching qualifies as a top tourist activity in the park.
Cultural tours
The Maasai people had lived in the park premises for many years until their eviction. They now border the park and offer incredible and insightful cultural tours. During a visit to the park, visitors can have a cultural tour through the Maasai way of life. Interact with the Maasai people and learn their ancient way of life and herding practices.
Nature walks
Guided nature walks involve tourists exploring the park on foot, guided by a professional armed ranger. These walks offer an opportunity for tourists to explore the hidden treasures of the park. It is also a one-time opportunity for tourists to view different wild animals up close. Guided nature walks usually take place at the observation hill inside Amboseli National Park.
When is the best time to visit Amboseli National Park?
For a proper and insightful exploration of Amboseli, the dry season appears as the best option, although the park is open year-round for visiting. The little rain patterns cast a dry, bright shade on the park, offering beautiful scenic views best for photographic tours. The dry season also increases the chances of spotting most of the wildlife species. This is because these animals are very much predictable in movement along the lake sources in this season.
The wet season is also not far behind in adventure in Amboseli, as it presents perfect options for birding. The sky clears to create room for the rain, and the park bursts into life with comfortable blooming shades of vegetation that invite several bird species. The migratory and endemic birds prepare their nests for breeding as this is the season. Therefore, both the dry and wet seasons offer splendid times in the park.
Contact us at Monteero Safaris for an artistic appearance and some dose of exploration of Amboseli National Park as we bring you close to the wild. We match you across these Savannah plains with a cinematic view of the Kilimanjaro Mountains in the background.