Kenya Amboseli Safari Park: Kenya Elephant Animal Amboseli Park

Amboseli National Park is the most popular park after Masai Mara, mainly because of the spectacular backdrop of Africa?s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, which broods over the southern boundary of the park. Cloud cover can render the mountain?s massive bulk invisible for much of the day, but the two lodges in the centre of the par are perfectly placed for those classic early morning views.

As well as being a prominent part of the country? tourist portfolio, the park has been at the centre of some controversy since president Kibaki?s 2005 decision to downgrade it from a national park to a national reserve, transferring its administration from the KWS to local authorities. Supporters claim that the move rightfully returns control of the land to the Masai community, but many conservation bodies have argued that it?s simply a political move aimed at securing the Maasai vote, and that degazetting parks is an illegal move that could undermine Kenya?s whole wildlife preservation system. In the wake of the crushing defeat on the constitution referendum, Kibaki?s next move on this issue will doubtlessly come under heavy scrutiny.

At 392sqkm, Amboseli is a small park and lacks the profusion of animal species found in the Masai Mara, but as the landscape provides limited cover for wildlife you have a good chance of seeing some of the larger predators. The vegetation here used to be much denser, but rising salinity, damage by elephants and irresponsible behaviour by safari vehicles has caused terrible erosion. Amboseli can turn into a real dustbowl in the dry season.

Buffaloes, lions, gazelles, cheetahs, wildebeest, hyena, jackals, warthogs, zebras, Masai giraffes and baboons are all present, but the last few black rhinos were moved to Tsavo West in 1995 after a sustained period of poaching. In the permanent swamps of Enkongo Narok and Olokenya, large elephant herds can be seen grazing with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background, probably the definitive Kenyan wildlife shot (and available on innumerable postcards if you can?t snap it yourself)

Erosion and grass die-off is having a dramatic effect at Amboseli; the rains seem to provide less relief every season, and it?s only a matter of years before the lack of food makes the animals move on. It?s important for vehicles to stick to the defined tracks to avoid making things any worse. Hopefully others will follow suit and the grasslands that drew all these animals here in the first place can be preserved.

Amboseli: Distance, Hours, Roads and Means of transport

Amboseli Air safari

Air Kenya has daily flights between Wilson Airport in Nairobi and Amboseli (US$88, one hour), departing from Nairobi at 7.30am. Return flight leaves Amboseli at 8.30am. Mombasa Air Safari flies here from Mombasa and Diani (US$220) on the coast.

You?ll need to arrange with one of the lodges or a tour company in Kenya for a ticket and a vehicle to meet you at the airstrip.

Amboseli by car & 4X4

The usual approach to Amboseli is via Namanga. The road is sealed and in surprisingly good condition from Nairobi to Namanga; the 75km dirt road to the Meshanani Gate is pretty rough but passable (allow around four hours from Nairobi). In the dry season it?s also possible to enter through Kitirua Gate, but this is a bumpy old road and it?s hard to follow. The track branches right off the main Amboseli road after about 15km.

Some people also enter from the east via Amboseli-Tsavo West road, although this track is in a bad way and shouldn?t be considered in a conventional vehicle. During the 1990?s there were bandit attacks in this area, so vehicles have to travel together, accompanied by armed guards. Convoys leave from the Tsavo turn off, near the Sopa Lodge, at around 7am, 9am and 1pm. Allow 2 ? hrs to cover the 94 km from Amboseli to the Chyulu Gate at Tsavo West.

Self-drivers will need a 4WD to make the most of the park. Petrol is available at the Serena and Sopa lodges.

Robert is an East Africa Kenya travel expert. He is director of landmarksafaris.com, a Kenya safari tour company. More on the all-named Elephants of Amboseli safari park here: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php/?refferer=ezinearticles