Planning a trip to Ambosel National Park

Visitor Information -- For up-to-date information on the park -- particularly regarding current rain and drought conditions and prevalence of wildlife -- contact the senior warden, P.O. Box 18, 00207, Namanga (tel. 045/62-2250 or -2251; amboselinp@kws.go.ke; www.kws.org).

Getting There -- Driving all the way from either Nairobi or the coast is not recommended. The main route from Nairobi is via Namanga (240km/149 miles), beyond which the remaining stretch of road is badly potholed. It's also possible to travel via Emali (228km/141miles) on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway; from Emali, the remaining 64km (40 miles) is on difficult-but-doable dirt road. The drive from the coast is a full-day affair and definitely to be avoided. Fly instead. Amboseli has a single airstrip for light aircraft in the center of the park. Safarilink (www.safarilink-kenya.com) flies between Amboseli and Nairobi early each morning (either at 7:30 or 8:15am), and the trip takes around 40 minutes. The return flight is at 9:05am. One-way fares are $122 to $131; round-trip $194 to $216. AirKenya (www.airkenya.com) also flies there daily at either 7:30am ($105 one-way) or 8:10am ($105 one-way). Mombasa Air Safari (www.mombasaairsafari.com) flies to Amboseli from Mombasa (via Ukanda; about 1 hr.)

Getting Around -- Amboseli's fairly extensive road network is in a shocking state of disrepair and certainly feasible only for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Many roads are unmanageable during the rains, while during the dry season, the loose volcanic soil makes roads incredibly dusty.

Park Fees -- Entry to Amboseli is by KWS Smartcard only. These cannot be bought or loaded at the park itself; your ground operator can arrange the purchase of your card and load it with sufficient credit to cover your stay. Adults are charged $60 per night; children ages 3 to 18 pay $30.