Africa Classic Escapes

Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain Kilimanjaro lies some 240 km's south-east of Nairobi. The snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer of clouds, dominates every aspect of Amboseli, and forms a backdrop to an impressive display of wildlife with its population of lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah, buffalo and other savannah game.

Access
• Roads

The main road into the park is from Nairobi via Namanga (240 km) on the Nairobi - Arusha Road, through Meshanani Gate. The other road is from Nairobi via Emali (228 km) on the Nairobi - Mombasa Road. Access from Mombasa is mainly through Tsavo West National Park via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate.

•Air

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

Amboseli Ecosystem

The Amboseli ecosystem is unique. No other place in Africa combines the special hydrology, topography, geological and cultural history of Amboseli. Despite modest rainfall, a system of swamps fed by the Kilimanjaro mountain forest catchment supports a spectacular array of birds and mammals, dominated in terms of biomass and visibility by a population of some 1,400 African elephants.

Vegetation

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.

Major Attractions

•    Mt. Kilimanjaro

•    Herds of Elephants

•    Mt. Meru

•    Observation Hill which allows an overall view of the whole park especially the swamps and elephants,

•    Contemporary Maasai culture and indigenous lifestyle

•    Swamp below observation hill hosts many elephants, buffaloes, hippos and a variety of water fowl like pelican; Egyptian goose

Wildlife Amboseli has over 80 different mammals to be found ranging from the tiny (and rarely seen) spectacled elephant shrew to the huge bulk of the African elephant. Few visitors will go home without superb elephant pictures with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. There are over 400 bird species.

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.

Best time to visit

All year round

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