Within sight of Mt Kilimanjaro. Famous for elephant and birds. This seasonal swamp, is one of the finest areas in the country for big game photography, attracting a vast population of wildlife. The landscape, with its parched alkaline pan and strange mirages, is everywhere dominated by the glistening majestic snowcap of Mount Kilimanjaro, a extinct volcano of 5,8944m. known as the " Roof of Africa". This is Maasai country, a proud nomadic people, who lived in harmony with nature for centuries, Game viewing is an adventure in this park, with lion, cheetah and buffalo almost an assured sight and hosts of antelopes, zebra and other small creatures of the wild. Birds life is abundant.

Amboseli lies immediately North West of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. Amboseli was established as a reserve in 1968 and gazetted as a National Park in 1974. The Park covers 392 km2, and forms part of the much larger 3,000 Km2 Amboseli ecosystem. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular tourist destination. It is surrounded by 6 communally owned group ranches. The National Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats (open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland) and covers part of a pleistocene lake basin, now dry. Within this basin is a temporary lake, Lake Amboseli, that floods during years of heavy rainfall. Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty - the landscape is dominated by MT Kilimanjaro.
Location
On the border with Tanzania, Kajiado District, South Kenya; Covers 392km2

Climate
The climate is mainly hot and dry. Amboseli is in the rain shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The maximum average temperature of the warmest month is 33°C during the day, while that of the coldest is 27-28°C. An annual rainfall of 300mm per annum is distributed in two seasons: April/May and November/December. Recurrent droughts and potential evaporation of 2200mm per annum typifies the region (KWS, 1991).

Roads
The main road into the Park is from Nairobi are via Namanga (240 km) on the Nairobi - Arusha Road, via Meshanani Gate. The road is tarmac up to Namanga The other road and via Emali (228 km) on the Nairobi - Mombasa Road. The road is tarmac up to Emali and murram from Emali to Remito Gate (64 km) Access from Mombasa is mainly through Tsavo West via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate.

Airstrips
The park has a single airstrip for light aircraft at Empusel gate. Other airstrips exist at Kilimanjaro Buffalo lodge and Namanga town.

Park Roads
Viewing roads network covers the park adequately. .

Park Gates
The park has five gates, Kelunyiet, lremito, Ilmeshanan; Kitirua and Airstrip.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Mt. Meru
Observation Hill which allows an overall view of the whole park especially the swamps and elephants,
Contemporary Maasai culture and indigenous lifestyle

Lodges
Oltukai Lodge; Amboseli Serena Lodge; Kimana Lodge; Tortilis Tented Lodge.

Campsites
Nairushari Special; Olgulului Public Campsite; Abercrombie & Kent Tented Camp; Ker & Downy Tented Camp; Chyulu Tented Camp; Kimbla Campsite; Cottar's Tented Camp; Leopard Tented Camp; Tortilis Tented Camp.

ACTIVITIES
Wildlife viewing

WILDLIFE
Reptiles
Python, Turtles, Tortoise, Black Mamba, Cobra.
Common vegetation
The national park embodies several types of semi-arid vegetation and swampland/marshland. In general there is a gradient of vegetation from the bare lake bed, through grassland to Acacia woodland following a North -North West to South - South East pattern sandwiching the permanent swamps.

Water flowing underground from Mt Kilimanjaro up wells in a series of lush swamps and marshland which support sedges of Cyprus spp., including Cyprus papyrus and that provide dry season water and forage for wildlife.

Amboseli Safaris
3 Days Amboseli National Park
4 Days Amboseli | Tsavo National Park
6 Day Amboseli | Lake Nakuru | Masai Mara