Amboseli National Park covers 390kmĀ² of Southern Kenya’s open plains and grassland, and is Located in Loitoktok District in Kajiado County. The region is historical Maasai country, and continues to be today. Amboseli is part of a larger ecosystem that crosses over into Tanzania, blessed with spectacular views of Mt Kilimanjaro across the border to the south.
The park is one of Kenya’s most popular protected areas for good reason; it’s one of the the finest locations for viewing elephant on the continent. The much studied population of elephant here number over a thousand, and are thought to be some of the largest, in addition to possessing huge tusks. Over 600 species of bird have been recorded here, amongst its tapestry of habitats which include lava flows, seasonal lakes, swamp, woodland and open grassland. Along with elephant, much of East Africa’s other iconic wildlife can be seen here, including: Giraffe, zebra, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, crocodile, dik-dik, lesser kudu, hyrax, mongoose and nocturnal porcupine.
The western section of the park is dominated by the vast Lake Amboseli, which is dry apart from after particularly wet rainy seasons. The rains typically come during a more concise window from November to December, and in a more prolonged and substantial season around March and April.