GUIDE TO VISITING AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK “THE LAND OF GIANTS”
Guide to Visiting Amboseli National park : Amboseli national park is an excellent wildlife destination in Kenya famously known as “The Land of Gaints” for its large herds of elephants with impressive big tusks, the park is a classic safari destination in Kenya with a magnificent backdrop of the snowcapped summit of mountain Kilimanjaro the tallest mountain on the African continent.
Here is the guide to help you explore Amboseli national park.
Where is Amboseli national park?
Amboseli national park is located in Southern region of Kenya, northwest of Mountain Kilimanjaro the tallest mountain in Africa and close to the border of Tanzania and Kenya. From Nairobi city the capital of Nairobi, the park is in a distance of 365 kilometers.
Distances between Amboseli national park and other Kenya safari destinations
Amboseli national park is strategically situated that it easy to link it with other Kenya safari destination, below are the distance between Amboseli national park and other safari destinations.
- Tsavo East national park is in a drive of 4 hours
- Tsavo West national park is in a drive of 2 hours
- Maasai Mara national reserve is a drive of 4 hours
How to get to Amboseli national park
Amboseli National Park is an accessible safari destination in Kenya located about 216 kilometers from Nairobi City, to travel to Amboseli national park as an international traveler you have to fly to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) the main hub for Kenya and is situated in Nairobi city. From Nairobi you can use road or air transport to get to Amboseli national park.
By road: it is a drive of approximately 3-4 hours from Nairobi to Amboseli national park.
By air: domestic chartered flights are available offered from Wilson airstrip to Amboseli Airport which serves Amboseli national park, these flights are offered by various flight companies such as Mombasa Air Safari, AirKenya Express and Safari link Aviation among others.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK FEES
As a traveler, a drafted fee is paid to access the park and these fees are as follows
| Category | Citizens/residents | Non-residents |
| Adult | 800 Kshs | 70 US$ |
| Child | 200 Kshs | 40 US$ |
Best time to visit Amboseli national park
Amboseli national park is a year round safari destination, however it is a travelers’ nature to look for the best time to visit the park. The best time to travel to Amboseli national park for a Kenya safari is during the dry season from June to October, the dry season is characterized with thin grass cover offering easy sighting of the wildlife. The animals are also easily seen congregating at waterholes drinking water.
History of Amboseli national park
Amboseli national park as a beautiful area filled with animals was discovered in 1883 as a result of Joseph Thomson exploring the Maasai region during his trip to the shores of Lake Victoria, Joseph Thomson was a Scottish geologist and the first explorer to visit the Maasai region. During his visit to the area and on his way to the shores of Lake Victoria, he was mesmerized by the abundance of wildlife and the scenic landscape in the area.
During the colonial era in Kenya, the then ruling colonial masters, the British decided to gazette the area as a protected area as a way of protecting animals from being hunted. The area was first gazetted and established as the South Maasai Game reserve, it was later upgraded to a natural reserve in 1948. Regardless the area being gazetted as a protected area, the local Maasai People still had access to the reserve and continued living there.
In 1974, the reserve was upgraded to a national park.
Wildlife in Amboseli national park
Amboseli National Park is famed for hosting huge population of wildlife including large herds of elephants with impressive tusks that is why it is referred to as the land of giants, large herds of elephants are seen roaming freely in the dusty plains of Amboseli national park most especially in the morning and afternoon. The best place to see large herds of elephants in Amboseli national park is in Ol Okenya Swamp.
Amboseli national park is a home to 56 species of wildlife.
Other animals found in Amboseli national park include lions, cape buffaloes, leopards, elephants, wild dogs, hyenas, white-bearded wildebeests, cheetahs, Hyrax, Lesser Kudu, mongoose, nocturnal porcupine, zebras, hippos, giraffes, impalas and many more.
Birdlife in Amboseli national park
Amboseli national park is one of the important birding Areas in Kenya and a paradise for birders, the park is a home to more than 400 recorded bird species. Birds in Amboseli national park include African swamphen, 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.
What to do in Amboseli national park
Amboseli national park is a breathtaking safari destination with various exciting safari activities to engage in during your Kenya safari, Amboseli national park safari activities include
- Game viewing
- Bird watching
- Cultural visit
- Hot air balloon safari
Visa Polices to enter Kenya on a safari to Amboseli national park
When travelling to Kenya for a safari in Amboseli national park, travelers (international/foreigner travelers) require a visa to enter Kenya. While applying for a visa, here are the requirements needed to get a Kenyan Tourist Visa
- A valid passport valid for a minimum of 6 months from the dates of your intended arrival and departure
- A Yellow Fever Vaccination Card
- A few blank pages on your passport
With the new developments in Technology, you can apply for a Kenya visa online and receive it on arrival at the airport.
Accommodations in Amboseli national park
In Amboseli national park, there are various accommodation facilities found inside and outside the park. These accommodations are categorized as luxury, midrange and budget. Accommodations in Amboseli national park include safari lodges, tented camps, cottages and campsites.
Luxury lodges
- Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
- Ol Donyo Lodge
- Satao Elerai Camp
- Campi ya Kanzi
- Tawi Lodge.
Midrange lodges
- Amboseli Sopa Lodge
- Ol Tukai Lodge
- Kilima Safari Camp and
- AA Amboseli Lodge
Budget safari lodges
- Kibo safari camp
What to pack for a safari to Amboseli national park
As a safari to Amboseli national park is always a thrilling experience, however to have a memorable experience you need to have the right items in your bags. Here are the items which should not miss in your packing list.
- Binoculars
- Cameras and lenses
- Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
- Mosquito repellents
- Long sleeved blouses, jackets and long trousers
- Over the counter medication such as ibuprofen, anti-diarrhea pills and anti – histamines.
- Quick-dry, loose fit-clothing in natural colors
- Water bottle
- Water proof day pack
