Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro,Africa’s highest peak,the Amboseli National Reserve is one of the most popular parks in Kenya.The name amboseli means “salty dust” an apt description of the parks parched conditions.Amboseli’s dusty conditions came about as a result of the ancient volcanic eruptions on Mount Kilimanjaro which later turned into ash.
The park covers a mere 392 kilometres(244miles) despite its small size and the fragility of it’s ecosystem,it still manages to house more than 650 elephants,400 species of prolific birds,hundreds of wildebeest,zebras ,Impala and if lucky you will also see the endangered black Rhino aswell as the elusive Cheetah.
Amboseli is easily accessible since Jomo Kenyatta is 240kilometres south east of Nairobi close to the border of Tanzania.This is the only place a tourist can explore five different habitats ranging from the dried up bed of lake Amboseli,wetlands with sulphur springs,the savannah and woodlands.One can also visit the maasai community who share the park with the wildlife and get to learn their authentic culture.
With its rugged landscape and the romantic, mystical atmosphere of the great mountain looming above, it is no wonder that Amboseli inspired the big-game-hunting tales of Ernest Hemingway and Robert Ruark.The presence of Mount Kilimanjaro creates a unique selection of ecosystem found nowhere else on earth.
The best time to visit the park is during summer,atleast during the dry season you will be able to tour the park and see the beautiful wildlife and nature found in the park without worrying bout the heavy rainfall that is mostly experienced in that part of the country.The climatic pendulum can swing from draught to flood,in the 1990’s ceaseless rain changed Amboseli into a swamp.Afew years later the rains failed and the grass-covered plains turned into dust.The park is sorrounded by Maasai community who live there and always put up a fence around their homes which are also called “manyattas”in their native language,to protect themselves from the wildlife.Various sprigs,swamps and marshes in the park provide havens for the wildlife.
One of the many things i really liked about travelling was that this is the best way to test yourself in terms of confidence and self esteem.It’s not always easy to travel and stay in an unfamiliar place where nobody knows you,you are likely to face so many challenges which come with a greater reward on the long run.Imagine if you travelled to a place where they speak a different language from the one you know or used to,you will still have to find your way around by trying to talk to people and getting to learn their language and once this is achieved you feel amazing and proud of yourself.
Life is a journey nobody can live alone therefore it’s necessary to build good relationships between people and strengthen friendships.The best way to do this is by travelling either with friends or family,this helps you to learn and love each other even more since you are both in a foreign place and you need each other more than before.Socializing is also very healthy to a human being,by travelling you are also able to socialize with different people and make new friends.
From a far one can also notice a large temple overhanging buttress overlooking lake Michaelson,close to hall tarns.The best time to climb Mount Kenya is between January and February since there is no rainfall and it’s also the best time to see as the sun sets in the East.There are people who become sick as they climb the mountain which is also a common thing to most climbers and that is why tourists are given tour guides to take care of them.Climbing the mountain helps someone to grow mentally since they are able to experience difficult situations which makes them look at life in a different and positive perspective.It also helps you enjoy nature and appreciate it,i got a chance to climb the mountain a few years ago and i must admit it was the best thing i ever did since it changed my whole life because am able to appreciate nature.
April to July,it is during this time that the wildebeest continue with their journey moving north towards Maasai Mara with the hope of finding greener pastures in that particular area.In their journey they attract the most notorious predators such as the lions,hyenas and cheetahs which follow them closely.
The best place to view this exercusion is the Serengeti Serena lodge which is the central point of this interesting and captivating migration.
Depending on the amount of rainfall,the point of crossing choosen by the animals is usually shallow enough for the head to cross.The Mara River is usually very deep in some parts of it and has sloppy river banks,hundreds of the wildebeest loose their life when crossing the Mara River especially the young ones.This mostly happens due to attacks from the crocodiles which are on a mission to kill as many wildebeest as possible while some of them die by being swept away by strong river currents or are trampled by the stampede of the other wildebeest as they swim.More than 200,000 wildebeest are seen lying dead on the Mara River each year,which clearly proves that no other predator can outmatch the aggressiveness of crocodiles.
After crossing over the Mara River the survivors are able to get to the other side of the country which is Maasai Mara in Kenya where the heard is able to get enough pasture and water.After the wildebeest feel like they have had enough of the pasture and water they can now heard back to the Serengeti and this ussually happens in the month of November.more than 250,000 wildebeest die in this 1,800 mile journey trek,the lost wildebeest are usually recovered in the carving season whereby more than 500,000 culves are produced to continue Kenya’s great “seventh wonder of the world”
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