Amboseli

Amboseli National Park delivers one of the most iconic views in all of Africa. Herds of elephants moving across the dusty plains with the snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rising behind them. It is the image that sells Kenya to the world, and in person it is even more powerful. The park is relatively small and flat, which makes wildlife spotting easy and almost guaranteed.

Amboseli is known above all for its elephants. The park has some of the best studied and most approachable elephant herds in Africa, with matriarchs that researchers have tracked for decades. Getting close to these gentle giants in a vehicle with Kilimanjaro in the background is a wildlife photography dream. Beyond elephants, the park supports lions, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, and over 400 bird species.

A two night stay is enough to experience Amboseli's highlights. The park is about four hours from Nairobi by road, making it an excellent first or last safari stop. Accommodation ranges from lodges inside the park to community owned conservancies on the borders where walking safaris and night drives are possible.