Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park

Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park : Amboseli national park is a remarkable tourist destination and a worldly famous national park, as a beautiful and spectacular national park there is numerous attractions that allure a huge population of tourists annually. Amboseli national park is situated in the rift valley region in Loitoktok district, the park covers an area of 392 square kilometers which is crowned by the backdrop of the magnificent mountain Kilimanjaro. 

Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park

As a premier safari destination and a second most famous national park in Kenya, there is  a number of tourist attractions found in this park and they include 

  • Animals 

Amboseli national is among the recognized national parks in Kenya and Africa hosting a huge concentration of wildlife species, among the variety of animals Amboseli national park is famous for the big herds of elephants which live in the park. These elephants have impressive big tusk and are sighted as they roam in the dusty plains of the park most especially in the morning and evening, large herds of elephants in Amboseli national are fond of living in Ol Okenya swamp. 

Amboseli national park’s heart/centre is dominated by woodland yellow fever trees and doum palms which habit many elephants, the woodland yellow fever trees and doum palms are refered to as Ol Tukai by the Masai and Makindu people in Swahili. 

In additional to big herds of elephants, Amboseli national park is a home to many other species of animals. These animals live in swamps such as Enkongo swamps and many other permanent swamps dotted around the park, other animals in Amboseli national park include cape buffaloes, impalas, wildebeests, hippos, Masai giraffes, grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, lions, cheetah, leopards, gazelles, zebras, spotted hyenas and many more. One of the best places to spot animals in Amboseli national park is the Sinet Delta which dominated by thick vegetation. 

  • birdlife 

Birdlife is one of the Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park. Amboseli national park is a haven for birds and a paradise for bidders as it habits over 400 bird species which are recorded to be in the park, in various regions of Amboseli national park various types of birds are hosted and they include 

  • Water birds which are found in swamps which dominate the central region of the park, these birds include egrets, herons, pelicans, crowned cranes and flamingoes. Flamingoes are always in large numbers in the wet season experienced in the periods of March to May and October to December. 
  • Grassland birds found in the grassland areas of Amboseli national park, these birds include Hartlaub’s bustard, localized pangani Longclaw and many more.
  • Dry country special species in Amboseli national park are found in acacia woodlands and they include steel-blue whydah, white bellied go-away bird and Von der Decken’s hornbill.
Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park
Tourist Attractions in Amboseli National Park

Other birds in Amboseli national park include African jacanas, goliath herons, grey craned cranes, hartlaub’s bustards, Rufous chatterer, African swamp hens, common redshanks, yellow necked spur fowls, Taveta golden weavers, steel-blue whydahs, Rufous-bellied herons, Dickinson’s kestrels, pangani long claws, spike-heeled larks, Rufous chatterers, long-toed lapwings, common redshanks and many more. Birds in Amboseli national park are best spotted in the Sinet Delta, shores of Kioko Lake, Simek Lake, Conch Lake and Amboseli Lake which are dominated by papyrus. Resident and migratory bird species are also found in Amboseli national park. 

  • lakes 

Amboseli national park’s landscape features numerous seasonal lakes which are mainly located in the western region of the park, these lakes are usually dry beds in dry seasons and in rainy season they fill up. Lakes in Amboseli national park occupy part of the drain basin of an ancient lake of Pleistocene, lakes are many in the park and the main ones include Kioko Lake, Simek Lake, Conch Lake and Amboseli Lake (also called Emboseli or Empusel). Some of these lakes are more explained as 

Amboseli Lake 

Amboseli Lake in Amboseli national park is the largest lake in the park when compared to other lakes, the lake is found in western region of the park extending beyond the border of the park with Tanzania.

Counch Lake

Counch Lake in Amboseli national park derives its name from an English slag which means shells, this name is derived from numerous shells which are found on the bed of this lake. These shells were sighted in 50s when the lake completely dried in drought. 

Lakes in Amboseli national park feature a depth of not more than 50 centimeters and the shores of these lakes are covered with papyrus, because of the thick vegetation the shores of the lakes have become great for bird watching as they host both resident and Migratory aquatic birds. The most impressive bird species to be spotted on the shores of the lakes are the flamingoes present in the dry season. 

Lakes in Amboseli national park are fed by the rain waters and the Simek River which collects it water from Enkongo Narok swamp. 

  • marshes and swamps 

Amboseli national park is dominated by several swamps and marches mainly found in the central region of the park, these swamps and marshes are significant sources of water feeding animals and plant life in the park. Marshes in Amboseli national park are salt marshes featuring intense and bright green thus standing out in contrast of the arid and dusty plains of the park, there are numerous swamps and marshes in the park and the most extensive ones are  Enkongo/ Ngong Narok Narok, Ol Tukai, Engone Naibor, Longinye and Ologinya/ Ol Okenya. These marshes and swamps are fed by water from springs from the melting snows of Mountain Kilimanjaro, the waters from the melting snow penetrate into the volcanic soils down into the valley and then resurface into the swamps and marshes of Amboseli national park.

Swamps and Marshes act as the permanent water sources feeding the park and its ecosystem, marshes and swamps are perfect habitat for hippos, elephants and numerous aquatic bird species such as herons, egrets, white pelicans, black-winged stilts, kingfishers and many more.

  • The Observation hill 

The Observation hill in Amboseli national park is an ideal spot for sighting numerous animals, sunrise and the magnificent landscape of the park, the observational hill is a pyramid-shaped hill located in the western region of the park.  For many years ago the hill was inhabited by the Ndorobo people who are hunters and gatherers, the observation hill is also refered to as the nomatior as a Maasai slag meaning the place of pottery and owes its name from signs and traces of pottery properties and implements found on the hill.

The Observation hill  in Amboseli National Park

In most regions of Amboseli national park, getting out your vehicle is forbidden and the observation hill is the only site in the park where you can get of your vehicle and take a walk, The observation hill features staircase carved from volcanic rocks providing access to the summit of the hill, the summit of the hill provides a lookout ideal for enjoying sights of Amboseli plains, swamps, roads below and plenty of elephants.  The observation hill offers 360 degrees views of Amboseli national park and from various directions various views are offered, in the south you get views of the snow capped mountain Kilimanjaro, in the east you get sights of across the swamps and in all directions be sure to spot animals. 

The observation hill owes its formation to volcanic activities which are responsible for the formation of mountain Kilimanjaro, the foot hills of the observation hill there is Enkongo Narok marshes which habits elephants and hippos in the East and in the North-west there lies Kioko Lake which is populated by hippos. 

  • Elephant research camp

Elephant research camp in Amboseli national park is an ideal site for learning more about elephants and their conservation, it is a known fact that Amboseli national park is a habitat to a huge concentration of elephants and these elephants are among the most studied and researched elephants in the world thanks to the efforts of Dr Cynthia Moss. The research and studies done on Amboseli elephants by Dr. Cynthia Moss are depicted her numerous books such as elephants and elephant memories, Dr. Cynthia Moss was also the brains behind “Echo of the Elephants” a famous documentary.

Elephant research camp in Amboseli National Park

Elephant research camp was established in 1972 following the decision made by Cynthia Moss to move to Africa in 1968 to study elephants in Northern Tanzania together with Iain Douglas-Hamilton, 4 years after moving to Africa she teamed up with Harvey Croze and found ideal conditions for studying elephants in Amboseli national park. Amboseli elephant research camp (AERC) is currently a hub for research collaboration and training and it has monitored and identified all elephants in Amboseli, also collects data on births, deaths and behavior of the elephants.

Elephant research camp in Amboseli national park carries out its operations in the centre of the park, the research camp is not open to casual visit. For those who wish to visit the camp a prior arrangement is needed to enable the camp’s authority to arrange a 1 hours’ lecture, the lecture involves researchers explaining elephant conservation related issues  and operations to the people visiting the camp. 

the local Masai people and their culture 

 The local Masai and their culture is a fascinating aspect you get to encounter while visiting Amboseli national park, the Masai community is an ideal place for encountering and learning more about the unique culture, traditions and norms of the Masai people. The Masai people are tall nomadic people depending on livestock rearing as their way of life, these posses beautiful cultural aspects such as unique dressing code consisting of colorful shukas adorned by beautiful jewellery pieces, grazing large herds of livestock including cows, goats and sheep. The Masai people depend on milk and blood as their food, they also have impressive architectural setting of their local Manyattas which are built in a circular shape using local materials that are mud, wood and thatched using grass.    

 All mentioned tourists attractions can be sighted and visited while on your safari in Amboseli national park, book your safari with info@wildlifekenyasafari.com and enjoy a splendid time in the park.

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