Amboseli

Straddling southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, Amboseli National park is about 392 km2, and is part of one of the richest ecosystems in Africa boasting a plethora of wildlife and flora both large and small. With an extraordinary variety of birds and the dramatic backdrop of Kilimanjaro, it is no wonder that Amboseli is one of Africa’s most iconic landscapes.

Elephant, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest and gazelle migrate with the rains in search of green flushes and draw back to permanent swamps in search of water and pasture each dry season. Densely packed herds attract an array of predators, including lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena. The dry bush country harbors giraffe, eland, gerenuk, lesser kudu and a host of smaller animals.

The elephants here can be viewed and photographed easily due to the flat terrain of the seasonal lake bed that they frequently have to cross to access the lush papyrus swamps for food and water. They are also considered to be amongst the largest in East Africa. The area is probably most famous for being the one place in Africa where you can photograph these giant pachyderms against the unique backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

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