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Amboseli
safari can be combined with both
Tsavo east and Tsavo west safaris,
this gives the visitor a very high
chance of seeing all the big five
and a whole lot of other plains and
bush animals and bird species.
Amboseli lies immediately North West
of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border
with Tanzania. Its wealth of
flora and fauna has resulted in the
recent designation as an
International Bio-sphere Reserve.
Amboseli, meaning "Salty Dust" in
the Masai language is an important
rangeland for the Masai culture
whilst the 's alty dust' itself is
volcanic ash from the eruptions of
the Mount Kilimanjaro a millennium
ago.
Over 53 species of herbivores and
carnivores can be viewed with ease,
the most conspicuous being the
troops of over one thousand elephant
who range the plains and wallow the
swamps. A number of other unique
animals also populate the area
including lion, cheetah, giraffes,
zebras, buffalo, rhino, wildebeest,
gerenuks, impalas, gazelles, hyenas,
baboons, bats and about 425
different species of birds. The
Amboseli ecosystem is typical of the
open savannah grassland habitats of
Eastern Africa, featuring open
wooded grasslands, rolling hills and
swamplands whilst the presence of
Mount Kilimanjaro creates a unique
selection of ecosystems found
nowhere else on earth. The Amboseli
basin is fed by springs that provide
a permanent source of water during
the dry season, while the river
systems north of the basin form a
seasonal flood plain that is used by
migratory animals during the rainy
seasons. Although the region has a
relatively low wildlife biomass it
supports a greater variety of
animals than neighboring Tsavo which
is fifty times bigger than the
compact but comprehensive Amboseli. |
