Lake Amboseli
A seasonal salt lake in the western part of the park: after rains it fills with water and draws huge flocks of flamingos, while in the dry season it becomes a glaring white lakebed with mirages.
Lake Amboseli gives the park its name ("salt dust" in Maa), and its size swings dramatically with the rains. In most years it fills only after the rainy season, and the shallow water attracts flocks of greater and lesser flamingos and pelicans, with Kilimanjaro rising behind them. In the dry season the lakebed cracks and turns white, and the heat often produces mirages and dust devils, with wildebeest and zebra occasionally crossing the basin. Vehicles must stay on designated tracks and may not drive onto the lakebed.
Opening hours
Follows park hours, 06:00–18:30
Nearby sights
- Amboseli National Park
- Observation Hill
- Enkongo Narok Swamp
- Longinye Swamp
- Maasai Cultural Village
- Kimana Sanctuary
- Chyulu Hills National Park