Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park, located in Kajiado County, Kenya, is a stunning natural gem that spans over 39,206 hectares. The park is at the heart of an impressive 8,000-kilometer ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border, with its people primarily being the Maasai community.Despite its relatively low rainfall of about 350 mm per annum, Amboseli is home to an incredible 400 bird species, including several water birds such as kingfishers, crakes, hamerkops, and pelicans, as well as 47 raptor species. These birds thrive in the system of swamps found within the park, which also serves as a haven for many wildlife species.The park’s landscape features two of the five main swamps, a dried-up Pleistocene lake, and semi-arid vegetation. Interestingly, the park’s history dates back to 1883 when a European man named Jeremy Thompson explored the area and was astonished by its unique wildlife and the stark contrast between the arid and swampy areas.Over the years, Amboseli has served different purposes, including being the Southern Reserve for the Maasai community in 1906 and a game reserve in 1948. In 1974, it was declared a national park to safeguard the unique ecosystem, and in 1991, it became a UNESCO site. In 2005, the park earned $3.5 million, a testament to its thriving tourism industry.One of the park’s primary attractions is its free-ranging elephants, making it the best place globally to view these majestic creatures up close. Besides the elephants, the park is home to several other wildlife species, including lions, Cape buffalos, impalas, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, Masai giraffes, Grant’s zebras, and blue wildebeests.Additionally, visitors to the park can meet and interact with the Maasai community and visit their village. The park also provides stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain globally.Finally, Amboseli National Park has several rules to protect the wildlife, such as not leaving the vehicle except at designated spots, not harassing animals in any way, always keeping to the tracks, no off-road driving, and giving the animals the right of way. The roads within the park can be dusty during the dry months and impassable during the wet season due to the loose volcanic soil.All in all, Amboseli National Park offers a breathtaking wildlife experience that is unmatched anywhere else globally.