Amboseli National Park/Amboseli
National Reserve
Location: Kajiando district 238 Km from Nairobi. Amboseli National
Reserve/Park borders Tanzania to
the south. The name Amboseli comes from the Maasai place name, Empusel, meaning open plain.
The park is managed by Kws (Kenya
wildlife service).
Area:
392 Kmē
Gazetted:
Amboseli National Park/Reserve was gazetted in 1974 but in 2005 the park
management reverted to Okejiando County council, thus the name
changed to once more to Amboseli National Reserve. It had been a reserve since 1948. It
is the best place to photograph the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro
(5985M).
Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty -
the landscape is dominated by MT Kilimanjaro.
Elephant project in Amboseli National Park:
Amboseli National Park/Reserve is the home of the most celebrated
and longest studied
elephants population in the World. Due to absence of poaching and
culling, Amboseli elephants are the only ones with animals spanning
the whole age range- newborn calves, old matriarchs in their 60s,
and unusually many large adult bulls in their 40s, 50s and even 60s.
Currently, the Amboseli population comprises of approximately 2000
individuals in 54 families and over
211 independent adult bulls. Just like Gorilla
Safaris, the above is a good reason why a safari to Amboseli is
a must do for any visitor to East Africa.
Access:
Amboseli National Park/ Reserve can be accessed by use of roads or by air.
Roads:
-
Nairobi are_Namanga (240 km tarmac) on the Nairobi - Arusha Road,
via Meshanani Gate (75km).
-
Nairobi_Emali
(228 km tarmc) on the Nairobi - Mombasa Road, via Remito Gate (64
km)
-
Mombasa through
Tsavo West via Kimana (Olkelunyiet) Gate.
Airstrips:
Amboseli National Reserve has an airstrip at Empusel gate. Others
are Kilimanjaro Buffalo lodge and Namanga town.
The Habitats in Amboseli
National Park/ Reserve
:
Amboseli National
Reserve has 5 main habitats. These are
Physical
features and attractions in Amboseli National Park:
The main physical features
in Amboseli Reserve are
-
Splendid
views of the Mt.Kilimanjaro & Mt. Meru.
-
swamps-
OloKenya, EnKongo Narok, Oltukai, which serve as livelihood of
this otherwise dissolute park. They are also inhabited by
hippos and attract large numbers of birds.
-
Lake
Amboseli-dry filling only during the rainy season
-
Observation
hill
Mammals of Amboseli
National park:
Amboseli Reserve has a large mammal population. Among
the species to be found here are
elephants, zebra, gnu, hippopotamus, buffalo, spotted hyena,
waterbuck, Maasai giraffe, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, impala,
lion and cheetah. gerenuk, fringed-eared, duikers, aardwolf, spotted hyena,
lions, buffaloes, baboons, bush baby, serval cat, caracal, leopard,
jackals.
Besides wildlife, part of the
Amboseli's attractions are the nomadic Maasai herdsmen with their
domestic stock in close vicinity of predators.
Profusion
of bird- life - 420 species of birds recorded.
Vegetation:
One of the main challenge to continued existence of Amboseli
National Park is poor vegetation
regeneration. This is attributed to its dryness being on the
leeward side of Mt. Kilimanjaro and saline soils which are not ideal
for vegetation growth. Coupled with this Amboseli National
Reserve boosts of the largest herd of elephant
population in Kenya which have cleared all the trees leaving glass and bare
ground.
Accommodation in
Amboseli National Park:
Lodges:
Amboseli Lodge, Amboseli Serena, Amboseli Oltukai Lodge, Tortillis Camp,
Amboseli Sopa Lodge
Camping
Safaris
Campsites:
Olgulului Public Campsite and Nairushari
Campsite |
