Amboseli National Park: Elephants, Kilimanjaro Views and How to Visit

Amboseli National Park sits in southern Kenya at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, just across the border in Tanzania. The park is famous for photographs of elephants walking in front of the snowy summit, a view best seen early in the morning before cloud builds up.

Swamps fed by underground water from the mountain keep the park green when the surrounding land is dry, which draws elephants, buffalo, hippos and a wealth of birds. The plains are open and flat, so game viewing is easy. See Kilimanjaro climbing guide for the mountain itself.

This guide is part of our East Africa travel guides. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Wildlife

Elephants are the highlight, and researchers have studied their families here for decades. Lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest also live in the park, and the swamps support pelicans, flamingos and kingfishers. Rhinos are not seen in large numbers.

Maasai Culture

The park lies in Maasai country, and village visits and craft markets are often included. Visit with respect and ask before photographing people; see the Maasai guide.

Getting There and Best Time

Amboseli is a long drive or short flight from Nairobi. Dry months give clearer mountain views and concentrate animals near water. Combine it with the Mara and the coast on our Mara, Amboseli and Diani safari.

Adding Kenya to a Uganda safari? Tell us your dates and we will build one itinerary with flights, transfers and lodges arranged for both countries.

Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
• Uganda safari packages
• Uganda travel guide
• How to book a Uganda safari
• Plan your safari with our team