Amboseli Attractions

Patience is therefore one virtue you will definitely need in Amboseli but at the end of your Amboseli Safari, you might like Joseph Thomson, a Scottish explorer did in 1885, exclaim, "how can such enormous numbers of large game live in this extraordinary desert?" But the park offers more than just colossal wildlife and your safari is bound to be dominated by the following sights and sounds.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro – which appropriately translates as "large rock" in Maa, the language spoken by the Maasai – proudly stands 5,895 meters (19,340 ft) tall and provides amazing views from the Amboseli plains. Its sheer size and snow-capped summit make it a sight to behold (on a clear day!).
   

   

   Mount Kilimanjaro was the inspiration and backdrop for Ernest Hemingway's classic short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro published in 1936 and also set the stage for Under Kilimanjaro, a non-fiction account of his 1950s safari experiences published posthumously in 2005. Therefore, if you are looking for motivation for your next project, I suggest that you head to Amboseli; its magical views might just do for you what they certainly did for Hemingway.
   

2. While on safari, you are guaranteed to see countless herds of elephants ambling by ...
   

   

   These claim the coveted distinction of being the most celebrated free-ranging and largest elephants in the entire world.

   Elephants are fascinating, not just because they are the largest living land mammals, they are extremely intelligent and have great memories. And, they might just impart some of these virtues to you when you visit the Amboseli National Park. The best place to gaze at elephants and other wildlife is Observation Hill, which as the name suggests, gives you a panoramic view over the park's landscape.



3. Mount Meru, which is 4,566 meters (14,980 feet) high, is an active volcano located 70 kilometers (44 miles) west of Mount Kilimanjaro. Though its beauty considerably pales in comparison to its more famous counterpart, it's still a worthwhile Amboseli attraction.







4. You should also be on the lookout for hippos, buffaloes, those adorable cheetahs ...

   

   ... giraffes, zebras and gazelles, vervet monkeys ...
   
   

   
   
   

   ... as well as wildebeest, gazelles and with some luck:-), some incredibly focused lionesses on the hunting trail ...
   
   




5. Amboseli is also a birdwatchers' haven as no less than 400 species of birds occur in the park. Waterbirds such as geese, pelicans and storks are particularly abundant.
   
   

   
   

   If you're a birdlover, look for birds in the swamps or wildlife backs (and see that hitherto complex biological term, symbiosis, in action).





6. Don't leave the park without experiencing its magnificent and picturesque sunrise over the acacia trees, an Amboseli attraction which will likely linger in your mind for years to come.






7. On your way out of the park, be sure to visit Maasai cultural bomas, where you can buy genuine Maasai crafts and, on payment of a nominal fee, be feted with traditional dancing and earn the right to take loads of pictures.

Return from Amboseli Attractions to Amboseli



---