Amboseli National Park

Being a smaller park it does not have much of a bush vibe but offers plenty in term of wildlie, birds and scenic beauty. Kilimanjaro stands tall on clear mornings. Good place for birding enthusiasts, the marsh offers opportunity to spot storks and water birds.

The best place in the world to see and observe the behavior of the massive elephants.

We a group of friends, wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts decided to explore wildlife outside India and Kenya was first on the list. We planned a 11 day trip to explore the African Savannah. Amboseli was first on the plan. We landed at Nairobi and took the road to reach Amboseli, Whist we got traffic, we were lucky enough to witness vastness that africa had to offer whilst being on road itself. Wildlife in the form of gazelle's, zebra, giraffe, and birds were just the beginning. As we aprached amboseli, the view of kilimanjaro blew us and we could not wait to enter the park the next morning. We stayed in a basic tented accompdation, whist the tents were very basic, we felt the service levels could have been better and that with little effort, this could have been one of the best places to stay. We spend the next 2 days in Amboseli National park and were greeted to big heards of elephants, wild buffalo's, secretary birds, crowned crane, lilac breasted roller, Bustards, and a host of other birds. We would have easily spotted 50 species of birds and the park was just unbelievable. We did not manage to get elephants with the backdrop of Kilimanjaro, but the experience of the park is to be felt. We surely are going to be back there soon.

An amazing experience with elephants up close

I came to Amboseli for two reasons, the first was that it was known for its elephants and the second, the view of Kilimanjaro. I was not disappointed in either. The sight of elephants frolicking in the knee-deep (elephant knees that is) swampy water was amazing. Groups of females with calves from one month up playing were a joy. And at sunset, as they headed back out into the dusty bush was beautiful. Other game was also abundant (zebras, wildebeasts, warthogs, hyenas, gazelle, impalla, etc.). There were giraffes in the distance, but never up close. Also at dusk, we saw a group of female lions at in the morning, a male finishing a zebra meal.

The view of Kilimanjaro was spectacular. Seeing herds of zebra and wildebeasts (and a large flock of ostrich) on the plain with Kilimanjaro was an iconic sight.

Amboseli reminds one of the stark dusty plains from 'Mad Max: Fury Road'. The park is incredibly dusty and you can see huge dust storms in the distance when driving around. But the wildlife on offer is spectacular and we saw all of the big five except for leopards.

There is something primal and timeless about the place, the way the huge herbivores amble around in the shadows of mighty Mt Kilimanjaro. One can't help shake the feeling that this scene has been playing out for millions of years.

Lots of elephants and views of Mt. Kilimanjaro at Amboseli National Park

Amboseli had a very large number of elephant herds in addition to the scenic backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Fortunately, the mountain was clearly visible each afternoon we were there, providing some great photo-ops with the wildlife in the foreground. While not the largest park we encountered in Kenya, it was still very big and provided a fairly diverse range of wildlife (from elephants, hippos, zebra, hyenas and lions) as well as topography. We hiked up Observation Hill for a very nice view of Kilimanjaro. Our accommodations were at Amboseli Sentrim Camp which was very nice for both our room and food. Our Kenyan driver was fantastic (provided by Vintage Africa Tours), and his knowledge of the area was extensive.

You will see the biggest elephants! Their horns are huge and the landscape is really interesting.

Elephants, elephants, elephants...

Amboseli National Park was amazing for wildlife, and my accommodations were perfect.

My group was able to see a lot of wildlife, including elephants and cheetahs. We stayed at Tortilis Camp. The accommodations were really nice, with great service and really good food. I highly recommend a visit to Amboseli and a stay at Tortilis.

At Amboseli National Park (Kenya) you are guaranteed to meet the African plains elephant

Between the dates of June 21st - 26th 2015, I was at Amboseli National Park in Kenya, a park that is four hours drive away from the capital city in Nairobi. Alternatively you have flights from Wilson airport in Nairobi. At the entrance of the park we were greeted with a heavy presence of a stern but friendly security agents.
The park, located on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro the highest mountain in Africa (the highest free standing mountain on earth); boasts a high concentration of African plains elephants and a healthy population of spotted hyenas. I didn't get to see lions but felt their presence every night as they declared their dominance of the animal kingdom with roars that silenced all night sounds including the sounds of night insects.
The temperatures at the park varied from hot during the day to relatively cold at night. But I enjoyed my stay at Amboseli Serena lodge where they had extra beddings for those averse to cold nights like me. The food at my hotel was satisfactory and the breakfast superb.
The community surrounding the park are a friendly lot and add to the relaxed atmosphere. A downside to my stay at the park was that the game drives are a dusty affair and I should have carried a dust mask with me. Overall I give Amboseli a thumbs up for the elephant population.

Kilimanjaro as backdrop, elephants, and that you can stay at lodges within the park boundary.