The sight of elephants walking in front of Kilimanjaro is one of those iconic views that draw photographers to Amboseli, the second most visited park in Kenya. The elephants are extremely relaxed and used to people, having been studied for more than two decades by the researcher Cynthia Moss. They have also been the subjects of two BBC documentaries and, the population includes some staggeringly large tuskers. The park is also home to buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, Masai ostrich, crowned cranes, superb starlings and many other interesting Kenyan species. There is no off-road driving, and the roads are fairly limited, but the movement of elephants across the plains each morning and evening is fairly easy to predict. Like all mountains, Kilimanjaro, is often hidden behind cloud but will often show itself in the early morning and evening.

This 392-square kilometre park is part of a much larger 8000 square kilometre wildlife ecosystem that extends into Kenya and includes private concessions, which offer a far more exclusive experience than staying within the national park. The roads in Amboseli have a loose surface of volcanic soil that is dusty in the dry season and impassable in the wet season. Make sure that you take covers for your camera gear to protect from the dust. During the dry season, from June to November, elephant viewing is at its best.

East of Amboseli lies Tsavo, which is the largest national park in Kenya at 22 000 hectares. A railway line divides Tsavo into two separate parks. The park is well known for its red, dust-covered elephants which number some 12 000. Lion are also common.

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