Getting to Amboseli National Park By Car and Flights: Guide
The second most popular Kenyan national park, after the Masai Mara in Kajiado County on the border between Tanzania and Kenya, is Amboseli National Park, which is easily accessible from anywhere in the country. Masai Mara National Park, located 160 miles from Nairobi, is a breathtakingly gorgeous national park that is home to a diverse array of species, including a large population of elephants, and boasts a breathtaking backdrop of the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. Viewing wildlife, birds, and Masai villages are just a few of the thrilling activities offered by Amboseli National Park.
How to experience Africa’s Best Safari in Amboseli National Park, Kenya
How to Get to Amboseli National Park
The Loitoktok district in the Rift Valley of Kenya is home to Amboseli National Park, which is 365 kilometers southeast of Nairobi, the most populous town in the area. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), located 15 kilometers southwest of Nairobi, is the main airport for international visitors to Kenya. There are a number of convenient ways to visit Amboseli National Park, including taking a domestic flight or driving from a variety of nearby cities.
- From Nairobi city it is a distance of 365 kilometers a drive of 3-4 hours to the Amboseli national park
- From Mombasa city it is a distance of 451.4 kilometers a drive of 7-8 hours.
- From Bungoma it is a distance of 625 kilometers a drive of 11-12 hours
- From Malindi it is a distance of 530.1 kilometers a distance of 8-9 hours
- From Kisumu it is a distance of 559.5 kilometers a drive of 10-11 hours
- From Nakuru it is a distance of 394.1 kilometers a drive of 7-8 hours
- Form hell’s gate it is a distance of 350 kilometers a drive of 6-7 kilometers
- From Samburu national reserve it is a distance of 526 kilometers a drive of 9-10 hours
- From Maasai mara national reserve it is a distance of 517.5 kilometers a drive of 10-11 hours via Mombasa road
- From lake Nakuru national park it is a distance of 390 kilometers a drive of 7-8 hours
If you’re planning a safari that includes stops in Amboseli National Park and other locations, these distances will come in handy. Since it is easy to reach Amboseli National Park from Nairobi city by both air and road, depending on your preference and budget, most tourists who come for safaris utilize Nairobi as their primary entry.
By road
From Nairobi, you can reach Amboseli National Park via well-maintained roads. The park’s five entrances—the airstrip gate, kulunyiet gate, iremito gate, and meshananai gate—are all within easy driving distance of the capital. You may reach Mesananai Gate from Nairobi in 2.5 hours by taking the Nairobi road; or, alternatively, you can take a 228-kilometer detour via the small town of Emali and Mombasa to reach the park’s eastern portion via the Kimana gate.
You have the option of taking the 240-kilometer route from Magadi Road in Nairobi to Isinya, which connects to the Nairobi-Arusha highway via Namanga town, and then on to Amboseli National Park. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to travel from Namanga town to Mesananai gate, although you can spend more time than that owing to the severe traffic on this route.
Private and public transportation options abound for getting to Amboseli National Park via road. Countless bus companies make daily trips to Loitoktok town for those taking public transportation. You can take a matatu or a taxi from Loitoktok town to the park; the journey is 51.3 km and takes about an hour. If you prefer the comfort and privacy of a private vehicle, the drive from Nairobi to the park’s gates is about the same.
Note: A 4×4 vehicle is more dependable when traveling to Amboseli National Park.
By air
Amboseli National Park is easily accessible by air, with several airlines providing daily chartered flights between Amboseli Airport and Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Among the domestic chartered flight companies that serve Amboseli National Park are
- Kenya Airways departs from Nairobi
- Starting in Nairobi and heading west to Tsavo, Safarilink
- Flights departing from Mombasa, Masai Mar, Malindi, and Diani Beach are offered by Mombasa Air Safari.
Be sure to have all of your travel documents in order and book your flight to Amboseli well in advance of your safari date to avoid any last-minute hassles.
Make sure you have all the necessary travel documentation, such as a valid passport, visa, and yellow fever vaccination permit, as well as enough money to cover your safari activities, before you head to Amboseli National Park.
Discover The Giants of Amboseli
The enormous elephant herds stand tall and proud. Countless individuals.
Amboseli National Park is a haven for these majestic animals, where they are safe from poachers and where visitors may marvel at their enormous tusks as they congregate at regular watering spots.
The greatest spot in Africa to get up close and personal with wild elephants is Amboseli. Sightings are assured because to the abundance of the population.
For this and many other reasons, the park ranks second in popularity among Kenyan attractions, after only the Masai Mara.
Additionally, Amboseli is a photographer’s dream. You know those stunning photographs of elephants posed before a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro? They ended up here.
Standing tall and photogenic as a guardian over the park is Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and the biggest peak in Africa. At dawn or dark, when the clouds part, you can see its white peak.
To assume, however, that the park’s elephants are its sole wildlife attractions would be naïve. Wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, gazelles, and, of course, lions and cheetahs may all be seen on game drives across the expansive horizons of Amboseli.
Also, don’t miss the vervet monkeys, golden baboons, jackals, hyenas, and foxes.
The park’s marshes and lakes are home to an equally diverse array of birds. The Madagascar heron, pelicans, kingfishers, crakes, and egrets are all birds to keep an eye out for. Also seen are 47 species of raptors, including harrier eagles and falcons.
Here, the horizon and sky are expansive, encapsulating the five ecosystems of Amboseli that guarantee a high density and variety of wildlife: marshes, savannah, forests, thorn-bush, and the dry lakebed of Lake Amboseli.
“Amboseli” itself is derived from a Maasai word that means “salty dust.”.
As you meander through the park, you’ll come across Maasai communities. Traveling with them is a great way to immerse yourself in traditional African culture.
Travel to the park and see the animals on drive-in safaris in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser Jeep, the go-to safari vehicle because to its roomy interior and tough all-wheel drive. Always included on our tours, the Land Cruiser Jeep is just another example of the value we offer you at Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa.
3 Days in Amboseli National Park
Discover the top three-day trips that visit Amboseli National Park and other destinations, such as Nairobi. March is the busiest month for tours to Amboseli National Park, with 24 trips departing during that period.
Amboseli, Lake Naivasha & Masai Mara
The goal of designing this popular 6-day safari was to increase the likelihood of seeing the Big Three: Lion, Leopard, and Cheetah. In addition to the vast elephant herds that are famous of Amboseli, you get to witness a plethora of other animals along the route.