Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park covers an area of ​​392 sqkm along the border between Kenya and Tanzania. It is part of a much broader ecosystem that expands over 8,000 sq km. This area was initially explored by the Scottish geologist Joseph Thompson who, in 1883, ventured in this environment renowned for its formidable Maasai warriors. The name “Empusel“, under which the area was known, means “salty and dusty place” in the Maa language, and we find the explanation of this term when approaching Lake Amboseli, usually dry and whose very light sand sometimes flies across the Park.

However, it is the close proximity to Mount Kilimanjaro and its eternal snow (the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 m above sea level), which contributes today to the reputation of the Park. It serves as the backdrop for herds of elephants who leave its foothills in the morning to get into the park and eat the green grass of the marshes. The size and number of large African elephants present in this environment (over 1,000) are another factor contributing to the reputation of Amboseli, as it is rare to be able to approach them as close while enjoying such a majestic setting. The elephants should, however, not overshadow the presence of many other large mammals typical of the African savannah, as well as many birds attracted to the water of the marshes.