Antelopes grazing in the Amboseli National Park

The Masai Amboseli game reserve currently know as Amboseli national park covers 392 square kilometres (151 square miles) and is commonly known for being the best game park in Africa that offer great views of spotting the biggest mammals on land that is the elephants.

Amboseli national park lies on a 39,206 hectares of land in the rift valley province of Kenya in Loitoktok District and the same time the second most popular park to Masai Mara national park in Kenya.

Amboseli National Park has a mixed topography of plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush, swamps and marshes. This diversity, along with a long dry season, ensures excellent viewing of the large concentrations of African animals living in this natural habitat.

Amboseli was set aside as the “Southern Reserve” for Maasai in 1906 but returned to local community members as a Game Reserve in 1948 because of the successful tourist economy based on the wildlife viewing experiences in the world with over 400 species of birds like kingfishers, etc and different animal species and the intensive agriculture along the swamps.

Animals in Amboseli national park
Amboseli national park is a home to a variety of wildlife species and gives you an opportunity to spot the buffaloes, lions, African elephants, giraffes, impalas, cheetahs, wildebeests, spotted hyenas, zebras, antelopes and many more.

Other tourist activities in the park include bird watching, visiting the Maasai people and spotting of Mount Kilimanjaro the highest free-standing mountain in the world at clear views.

Note: This park is commonly known for its herds of elephants, different bird species and the great views of Mountain Kilimanjaro.

How to get to Amboseli national park

By Road: You can use your own vehicle, take public transportation, or book an open-topped minibus or safari van tour with a tour guide or from an operator company.

The road from Nairobi to Namanga (240km/149 miles) is tarmac, but becomes rough with potholes from Namanga to the Meshanani Gate. Access from Mombasa is generally best through Tsavo West National Park via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate. Amboseli National Park has gates at Kelunyiet, Iremito, Ilmeshanan, Kitrua and Airstrips.

By Air: A chartered light aircraft may land at the airstrip at Empusel Gate. Other airstrips exist at Namanga and Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge. You can also book a scheduled flight departing from Nairobi to Amboseli national park.