Elephants abound in Amboseli, and to see these African icons against the backdrop of snow-topped Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the timeless images of the continent. Part of the Maasai steppe, Amboseli is an extremely unique eco-system in many ways. Apart from its stunning and diverse geography, a mosaic of dusty plains and swampy springs, this ecosystem is home to buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, impala, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah and a third of Kenya’s nearly 1,100 bird species. The wildlife also shares the area with the Kisongo clan of the local Maasai community.
On a clear day, the view of Mount Kilimanjaro from Amboseli is an enduring and inimitable impression of Africa. Venture out from camp each morning and afternoon to view the famously photographed and long-researched elephants of the park that dust themselves on the dry lake bed and migrate towards the marsh each day to drink waters fed by the mountain’s melting snow. With an adjacent private reserve, walks can be conducted with guides, sumptuous bush meals are delightful, and sundowner cocktails are often enjoyed at sunset.
Amboseli is chiefly known for its bountiful elephants, some of the largest in Kenya, that frequent its contrasting dry Pleistocene lakebed and magnificent emerald swamps. With a resident population of approximately 1,200 elephants, getting up close and personal with these sizeable creatures is a given. Due to Amboseli’s high elephant population it has become a centre for elephant conservation & research. Cynthia Moss has led elephant research here for over 40 years, specializing in the elephant behavior, and her research centre can be visited.
