Amboseli National Park
Amboseli is a national park in Kenya's Rift Valley province. The park covers 392 km2 and is located in the middle of a huge ecosystem with an area of 3,000 km2, located in 2 countries - Kenya and Tanzania. The National Park lies 240 km from the capital Nairobi and is one of the three most visited places in the country, along with the Masai Mara Nature Reserve and Lake Nakuru. All this is due to the wonderful scenery of the park, which is complemented by the view of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Joseph Thomson was the first European to visit these places in 1883, arriving in the Empusel region (translated from the Maasai language as "salt dust"). He was struck by the variety of animals and birds, the contrast created by dried lakes and oases with swamps. Ash from the eruptions of Mount Kilimanjaro settled in the central part of Amboseli Park, making the soil almost dry and unsuitable for plant life. But there is more than harm from the volcano, because melting snow from the mountain flows down to the plain, which is why many areas of Amboseli have lush vegetation, and in some even swamps have formed.
Amboseli National Park is the territory of the Masai tribe, who greatly appreciate nature. In 1974, when the land became a protected area, the Kenyan authorities tried to expel the tribe, but they did not try very hard, so the village of the Masai tribe can be found in our time. A visit to this village is included in the programs of many excursions in the park.
Among hunters, there is the concept of the "Big Five of Africa" - the 5 most honorable animals, from which many hunters who come to Africa try to get trophies. If the hunter has collected all 5 trophies, then they say that he has received a "grand slam". Amboseli is home to all the animals of the five: leopard, elephant, buffalo, lion, rhinoceros. Besides them, you can easily meet herds of zebras, impalas, antelopes, gazelles, giraffes. Up to 300 species of birds can be found in the treetops, and a marabou vulture scours the sky in search of carrion. The abundance of birds attracts bird lovers from all over the world. Amboseli is famous for its large herds of elephants, sometimes numbering up to 600 individuals.
You can spend the night in the park in hotels, lodges, or in a camping tent. The city closest to Amboseli Park is Namanga, near the border of Tanzania and Kenya. You can get from Nairobi to this city by bus and Namanga by taxi to the park. In addition, the park itself has an airfield for light aircraft.
