Is Amboseli Worth Visiting?
Is Amboseli Worth Visiting? : While planning an African safari, one of the major and first questions asked is which game reserve to visit, if you are planning to go for a Kenya safari, one of the destinations which should be on top of your list is Amboseli national park. This gorgeous Kenya wildlife destination is located in the Southwest of Nairobi the capital of Kenya and offers great views of Mount Kilimanjaro the tallest free standing mountain on the African continent.
While choosing a safari destination to visit in Kenya, travelers ask if Amboseli national park is worth visiting and this article answers this burning travel question.
Amboseli national park is truly worth visiting, the park hosts several attractions which are similar to some of the most popular national park in Kenya but offers unique Kenya safari experiences which make it worth visiting.
If you love elephants and wish to see large herds of them, Amboseli national park is a perfect destination to visit as it hosts large herds of elephants with impressive tusks.
This article lists and details the pros and cons of visiting Amboseli national park and what makes it worth visiting.
Pros of visiting Amboseli national park
Amboseli is well maintained
Amboseli national park is very well maintained national park, the park is not a very large national park which enables rangers to keep a close watch on all animals and maintaining all the roads.
Great diversity
Amboseli national park hosts a great diversity of animals and birds which make it a wonderful place to visit if you want see large numbers of animals and diverse species of birds. Some of the animals you should expect to see in Amboseli national park include African bush elephant, African buffalo, Impala, Lion, Cheetah, Hyena, and Giraffe among others.
Beautiful Scenery
Amboseli national park boosts some of the really beautiful sceneries created by the landscape and the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro with its snow capped summit.
Concentrations of wildlife in the dry season
Amboseli national park hosts large concentrations of wildlife most especially in the dry season, the park offers a wonderful spectacle of large herds of animals that congregate near the water during the dry season. Animals in the park/herbivores gather near the few water bodies in this season and in turn carnivores also get drawn to the water in search of prey. When you visit Amboseli national park in the dry season, you get higher chances of seeing a hunt.
Lots of elephants
Amboseli national park hosts about 1200 elephants which is noted to be one of the largest elephant populations in the world, these elephants are also some of the most studied elephants in the world.
Due to the small size of Amboseli national park, long and large herds of the elephants are easily encountered during game drives. Views of large herds of elephants are some of the magical memories to go with home.
Magical views of Mount Kilimanjaro
Amboseli national park is located at the foot hills of Mount Kilimanjaro and on clear days you will catch a glimpse of the magnificent snowcapped summit. However, the view is not guaranteed since the mountain is usually covered by thick clouds all year round.
Cons of Visiting the Amboseli National Park
Distance from Nairobi
Amboseli national park is located about 4 hours drive from Nairobi the capital of Kenya and starting point for most safaris to Amboseli, the drive to Amboseli national park may be uncomfortable for some parts of the route. From the Namanga junction, the road is rough and dusty and this may also be a bit of a turn off for some tourists.
You will not see all the Big 5
If you are visiting Kenya with intention of seeing all the members of the big Five, Amboseli national park might not be the perfect destination for you on a Kenya safari.
Amboseli national park has no rhinos, it only hosts 4 of the big Five that is lions, elephants, leopards and cape buffaloes
A higher cost of entry
The entry fee to access Amboseli national park is higher than most of other national parks in Kenya apart from Masai Mara national reserve and Lake Nakuru national park which have the same rates.
| ry | Fees (Kshs/USD) | Fees (Kshs/USD) | |
| ADULT | CHILD/STUDENT | ||
| Citizens | 860 | 215 | |
| Residents | 1,030 | 515 | |
| Non residents | 60 (USD) | 35 (USD | |
These entry park fees make the cost of visiting Amboseli national park higher than other national parks near Nairobi city.
Not a very big park
Amboseli national park is a relatively small national park when compared to other national parks of Kenya, this means you have to spend less time in the park during your Kenya safari. The recommended maximum number of days to explore Amboseli national park is approximately 3 days.
So is the Amboseli Worth Visiting?
Amboseli national park is worth visiting while on a Kenya safari.
