DestinationKajiado, Kenya6 min read
Amboseli: Elephants Under Kilimanjaro
Big tuskers, swamps and Africa's most famous mountain view
Amboseli is small, dry and dusty, and it has the most photographed view in Africa. Why it belongs on a Kenya itinerary.
The elephants of Amboseli
Amboseli National Park sits on the Kenyan side of the border, directly beneath the northern face of Kilimanjaro. The park is only 392 square kilometres and much of it is a dry lake bed, but springs fed by meltwater from the mountain keep its swamps green all year, and that water draws elephants from far beyond the park.
These are some of the most studied elephants in the world. The Amboseli Trust for Elephants has followed individual families here since 1972, and the park is known for its big-tusked bulls. Because they have been watched so long, they are relaxed around vehicles, and you can sit with a family for an hour as they feed in the swamp.
The mountain is the bonus. It is most often clear at dawn and in the last hour of the day, when the clouds lift and the snow glows above the plains.
Make the most of it
- Spend two nights to give yourself two chances at a clear view.
- Drive to Observation Hill for the swamps from above.
- Visit the Enkongo Narok swamp in the afternoon for bathing elephants.
About this story
Wanjiru KamauAuthor
Wildside ExpeditionsPublisher
Comments
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- Hiroshi Tanaka
Great guide. One small update: the ferry now leaves twenty minutes earlier.
- Michael Thompson
The photos do not do it justice. Easily the best day of our holiday.
- Ingrid Nilsen
Would you still recommend this in the rainy season, or is it better to wait?
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