Amboseli National Park

 Amboseli Photorama

Frirst  day of the Safari....

Amboseli National Park located at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, mount Kilimanjaro (5895 mts) is one of the most popular of Kenya's national parks in south-east of Nairobi very close to the Tanzania border.  Amboseli was gazetted as a national park in 1974; it covers only 392 square kilometers 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 with over 400 species.

We left Nairobi Safari Club Hotel after breakfast and entered into the park via Iremito Gate on the Nairobi - Mombasa Road past Emali (228 km from Nairobi). Journey took nearly 4 hours with a brief refreshing stop at a Curio Shop.

First memeber of the "Big Five" Family we met at the Amboseli  was a large heard of   (assumed more  than 200) elephants in all sizes, a truly mesmeising experience. There are estimated to be around 650 elephants, the largest number in all of Kenyan parks and reserves per square kilometer. Amboseli's 1,600 elephants include 58 families and over 300 independent adult males. Over the last 40 years the elephants of Amboseli have been spared the widespread scourge of ivory poaching and protected from culling. The population, though relatively small, is important to Kenya and to the entire world.

The Amboseli Elephant Research Project is world’s longest study of elephants and forms an unparalleled body of knowledge on the life-history and behavior of African elephants.

Mount Kilimanjaro

You simply cannot ignore the awesome presence of Mt Kilimanjaro from Amboseli. Standing at at 5,895 metres (19,340 ft), it is also the tallest mountain in Africa and an inactive volcano. Mt. Kilimanjaro actually lies in Tanzania and not in Kenya. The snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above a saucer of clouds dominates every aspect of Amboseli.

Beneath its ice dome, snow extends down long gullies that have been eroded in the mountain sides. The ice cap, which formed 11,000 years ago, has retreated significantly in recent years, as much as 80% in the last century. Scientists expect it to be gone within the early half of the 21st Century.

On our afternoon game driver, I captured this

rear moment of snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro with elephants

 and a Crown Crane in the background

 Observation Hill

Located at the southern part of the park, this small hill offers an impressive 360° panoramic view over the park and the mountains surrounding the park. The only place where you are allowed to go out of your vehicle and have a short and pleasant walk. At the top of the hill, you will easily catch the contrast of vegetation, locate wildlife and swampy areas. Amboseli National Park best game drives are around the swamps and there is a fine lookout on Observation Hill, which offers views over the whole of the Amboseli National Park and beyond. The swamps and springs have encouraged the hippos to stay around.

Sunset in Amboseli

Sunsets in Africa are especially beautiful, when the sky turns orange with a tinge of blue over the horizon. It is no exception with Amboseli National Park. I took this picture while returning to Serina Safari Lodge after the game drive and was amazed at how the rays of light penetrated the clouds over the plains.

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge enjoys a uniquely privileged position at the heart of this world-famous national park.

Concept of Serena Safari Lodege has been influenced by the Maasai culture and architecture, the interior of the rooms is really basic, (there's no TV), but wonderfully decorated. The restaurant  has its own vibrant colours; walls pained with pictures of Giraffe and  lamp shades made out of lcoal materials.

Each room with an uninterrupted view over the ever-changing vistas of the African plains, are styled to a traditional Maasai concept featuring beadwork, gourds, hand-painted murals and the clever use of the traditional manyatta bent-brushwood effect so as to blend an authentic nomadic aura with all the comforts of unabashed five star luxuries.

Maasai in Amboseli

Amboseli National Park is home to the traditional Maasai people.You can see the Maasai people on the way to Amboseli who live largely unaffected by modern civilization. These strikingly tall and slender people adorn their bodies with 'Shukas', beads and metal jewellery.  It is a unique attraction at Serena Lodge some staff are dressed in typical Maasai attire; they will certainly pose a picture with you in return if you compansate them  with few dollars.

The Maasai people first came here about three hundred years ago, replacing other more primitive people. In those days the Maasai were nomadic pastoralists, relying entirely on their cattle sheep and goats for all their requirements. They moved between the best areas for grazing and there was plenty of land for everyone. They did not hunt the wildlife but learned to live with it quite peaceably with only the occasional fracas taking place, either in defence of their livestock, or to provide sport for the famed Maasai warriors, who would show off to their peers and girl friends by taking part in lion hunts with their six foot long spears and heavy buffalo-hide shields. But since the population has grown and cattle numbers have increased, pressures on the land have widened and there is less and less room for wildlife.

An accasia shadded swimming pool daily fed by the melt waters of Mount Kilimanjaro at Amboslie keep you cool returning from morning game drives.

Few Attractions Captured on

the Game Drive