Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, 5895m Kilimanjaro, is one of Kenya's most popular parks. It lies some 240kms. south-east of Nairobi very close to the Tanzania border. The snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer of clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli. Gazetted as a national park in 1974 it covers only 392 sq kms but despite its small size and its fragile ecosystem it supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species).

Amboseli National Park, at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, 5895m Kilimanjaro in Kenya side, is one of Kenya's most popular parks. It lies some 240kms. south-east of Nairobi very close to the Tanzania border. The snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer of clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli. Gazetted as a national park in 1974 it covers only 392 sq kms but despite its small size and its fragile ecosystem it supports a wide range of mammals (well over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species).

A part of Amboseli National Park is composed of a dried-up lake bed which in the shimmering heat produces mirages. Swamps and springs, fed by underground rivers from Kilimanjaro's melting snows, form permanent watering places for wildlife throughout times of drought. The lake bed is subject to sporadic floods and noxious salts in the gravel bed are dissolved to serve as a deadly poison for what is left of the local woods; very few of the fine acacias, once a feature of this region, remain.

Mammals of Amboseli National park:
The Park has a large mammal population. Among the species to be found here are elephants, zebra, gnu, hippopotamus, buffalo, spotted hyena, waterbuck, Maasai giraffe, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, impala, lion and cheetah. gerenuk, fringed-eared, duikers, aardwolf, spotted hyena, lions, buffaloes, baboons, bush baby, serval cat, caracal, leopard, jackals.

Part of the Amboseli attractions are the nomadic Maasai herdsmen with their domestic stock in close vicinity of predators.

Profusion of bird life 420 species of birds recorded.

Vegetation: One of the main challenge to continued existence of Amboseli National Park is poor vegetation regeneration. This is attributed to its dryness being on the leeward side of Mt. Kilimanjaro and saline soils which are not ideal for vegetation growth. Coupled with this Amboseli National Reserve boosts of the largest herd of elephant population in Kenya which have cleared all the trees leaving glass and bare ground.

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