A Guide To Meru National Park
Remote, rugged, and prominently unspoiled, Meru National Park sits on an 870 sq.km area. The park is largely set in the wilderness yet strikingly beautiful. Few places and spaces compare to this great destination. Also, the park borders Bisanadi National Reserve to the northeast and Kora National Park to the southeast.
The Park prides itself on the history of the coming together of Joy Adamson’s best-selling book “Born Free”. The script is based on the Adamsons’ lives and research on cheetahs and lions. George and his spouse Joy Adamson are best known through the movie Born Free. The movie is based on a true story of Elsa the lioness; an orphaned cub they had rescued, brought up, and thereafter released into the wild. This storyline serves as a great puller for safari lovers to the park.
Quick Facts About Meru National Park
Here is a List of Facts About Meru National Park
- Altitude – Meru: 366-914 meters above sea level.
- Area – Meru: 870 sq km
- Location – Meru: Meru District, Eastern Province
- Distance from Nairobi: 348 km north-east of Nairobi
- Gazetted – Meru: opened 1968
- Climate: The Parks are part of the semi-arid zone and have irregular rainfall. The wet seasons are April-June and November-December.
- Vegetation: Mainly thorny bushland in the north, wooded grasslands in the west and open grasslands elsewhere. The Parks also feature dense riverine forests of doum and raffia palm.
- Wildlife Includes: buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, zebra, rhino, giraffe, hippo, lesser kudu, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, and gazelle.
- Reptiles: python, puff adder and cobra.
- Birds: More than 300 recorded species including Red-necked falcon, Heuglins courser, brown-backed woodpecker, sunbirds Peter’s Finfoot, inhabiting the Murera and Ura Rivers; Pel’s Fishing Owl, kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and weavers
- Roads: 4WD is essential during the rainy seasons and recommended at other times to best enjoy the Parks.
About Meru National Park
Meru National Park is a Kenyan national park located east of Meru, 350 km (220 mi) from Nairobi. It is one of the best-known national parks in Kenya Covering an area of 870 km2 (340 sq mi). Rainfall in this area is abundant with 305–356 mm (12.0–14.0 in) in the east, AND 635–762 mm (25.0–30.0 in) in the west of the park. The rainfall results in tall grass and lush swamps.
The park also has a wide range of wild animals including lion, African leopard, cheetah, eastern black rhinoceros, southern white rhinoceros, the African bush elephant, Grévy’s zebra, and hippopotamus.
Meru was one of the two areas in which conservationists Joy Adamson and George Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made prominent in the best-selling book and award-winning movie Born Free. Elsa the Lioness is buried in this park and part of Joy’s ashes were spread on her gravesite.
History of Meru National Park
Meru National Park (MNP) in Kenya was founded in 1966 to protect its landscapes and biodiversity. It was a famous safari destination until the 1980s when poaching and unrest threatened the park’s wildlife.
The Kenya Wildlife Service helped by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), AND Agence Française de Développement (AFD), restored Meru National Park between the years 2000 and 2005 from near ruin to one of the most promising tourist destinations in Eastern Africa, solving the parks poaching problem.
IFAW donated $1.25 million to this major restoration project, and this money helped to improve the basic infrastructure and provide necessary equipment and vehicles for law enforcement activities. Since 2005, the protected area has been considered part of a Lion Conservation Unit.
Meru National Park Kenya Animals
The park teems with a variety of wildlife species including leopard, hartebeest, hippo, buffalo, elephant, Grevy’s zebra, lion, cheetah, and the reticulated giraffe among others. Meru also hosts a rhino sanctuary that is home to the endangered black and white rhino species.
Meru National Park Kenya Activities
Here are the best activities to enjoy:
Birdwatching
- The park has over 300 bird species including Red-necked falcons, bee-eaters, kingfishers, starlings, rollers, Pel’s Fishing Owl, sunbirds, weavers, Heuglins courses, and the Brown-backed woodpecker.
Game Drives
- The park offers a range of game drive options, including morning, evening, and full-day drives. During your game drive safaris, you have the great opportunity to spot a variety of animals such as cheetahs, rhinos, elephants, leopards, and hartebeest, among others.
Visit the Rhino Sanctuary
- The sanctuary is a biodiversity hotspot, home to jeopardized rhinos and a plethora of other wildlife, making it a key conservation area. It spans an area especially fenced to provide a safe environment for these majestic creatures.
- Also, it plays a crucial role in rhino conservation efforts, presenting visitors the unique chance to witness these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, alongside other wildlife that flourish in the park’s diverse ecosystems.
Nature Walks
- Nature walks in the park completely complement your game drives, and allow you to admire the park’s scenic views on foot and biodiversity. Led by knowledgeable park rangers, these walks are strictly controlled for safety, requiring all guests to be chaperoned by rangers when venturing close to wildlife.
Fishing in the Rivers
- Enjoy some canapes and a good book while relaxing on the riverbank. It is also easy to catch catfish, tilapia, and barbells.
Cultural Visits
Visitors can also learn more about the local culture (Meru) through cultural visits. These visits include dance and music performances as well as traditional pottery-making rallies.
What To See At Meru National Park
A classic savannah landscape
A fine example of the classic savannah landscape, Meru National Park’s character is defined by the rivers that form its perimeters: the mighty Tana to the south, the Ura to the southwest, and the Rojeweru to the east. Meru National Park is also scored by T4 permanent streams which drain off the nearby Nyambeni Hills.
A rich diversity of habitats
Thanks to the diversity of its habitats, Meru National Park offers unique wildlife-watching opportunities.
- The northern plains
One of the most rewarding areas for wildlife viewing, the northern plains boasts of Elephant, Lion and Cheetah. Both species of Zebra, Grant gazelle and Thomsons gazelle, Impala, Beisa Oryx, hartebeest and Reticulated Giraffe are also easily seen.
- The southern plain
The dense woodlands shelter Gerenuk, Common Eland, Kirk‘s Dik-Dik, and Warthog. They also make an ideal habitat for one of the Meru National Park highlights, the Lesser kudu.
The kopjes: Meru National Park is renowned for its rocky outcrops (known as inselbergs or kopjes), where baboons cavort and leopards lurk among the boulders.
- The swampy grasslands
Are grazed by Defassa Waterbuck and shifting herds of Buffalo. The rivers: Hippo and Nile crocodiles are common in the slower streams of the Tana River.
The brilliance of birds
Meru National Park birds are abundant and colorful; common river birds include Ibis, Heron, and African Fish Eagle while the riverine acacia woodland shelters the smallest of the Long-tailed birds, the Black-bellied Sunbird. Flocks of glorious golden-breasted starlings are also often encountered as well as loudly honking groups of hornbills.
The setting for ‘Born Free‘
Meru National Park is where Joy and George Adamson released their most famous lioness, Elsa, back into the wild. Her tale is told in the book and the film ‘Born Free‘. The Park was also the site of their alter experiments with orphaned cheetahs.
Attractions And What To Do At Meru National Park
- Former home of Joy and George Adamson and Elsa the Lioness
- Views of Mt Kenya
- Rivers and riverine habitats
- Tana river
- Adamson’s falls
Accommodation And Hotels At Meru National Park
Where to stay when at Kora National Park
There are no lodges, tented camps, or self-catering accommodation options in Kora National Park. For information on campsites in Kora National Park please contact the warden or KWS HQ, Nairobi.
Elsa’s Kopje Tented Camp
- It is a luxury safari lodging located within Meru National Park about 53.2 km from the centre of the Park. Elsas Kopje Boutique Safari Lodge is 390 km from Nairobi and about 5 hours of driving from Nairobi. Scheduled flight from Nairobi takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The lodge is located in Meru National Park, on a small rocky Mughwango hill that affords 360-degree views that extend from the 17,000-foot peak of Mt Kenya to the east, to nearly infinity to the east.
- The lodge includes 6 en-suite Cottage Suites, 2 Bedroom Family Cottage, 3 Honeymoon Suites, and a Private House with a garden and infinity swimming pool.
- Activities done at the lodge are; Day Game Drives, Night game drives, Day excursions to the Tana River, Swimming Pool, Bush Breakfast and Sundowners, Massage, Manicure and Pedicure, Rhino Sanctuary, Guided Walks, River Fishing, and Cultural Visits.
Alba Hotel – Meru Town
- This is a luxurious four-star boutique hotel located in the quiet up-market Milimani suburb with a view of Nyambene Hills. There are plenty of leisure activities to engage in like rallies, rhino charge, fishing, birding, the Lewa marathon, and safari drives in the nearby game parks and reserves like Meru National Park and Samburu National Park. It is a kilometer from the Meru Museum.
- There are also 51 guestrooms comprising deluxe rooms, junior suites, presidential suites, and 1 and 2-bedroom suites. The guestrooms are en-suite and tastefully furnished with satellite TV, a work desk, an electronic safe, and a minibar. There is a chic modern restaurant and a well-stocked bar that offers a variety of cocktails, whiskies, beers, and the finest wines from the wine cellar.
- The conference facilities include meeting and board rooms that can accommodate up to 120 guests. Alba Hotel also has a fitness center, a beauty spa, and an outdoor pool with sun loungers.
Leopard Rock Lodge
- Overlooking the Murera River, this authentic lodge offers African and international cuisine, a swimming pool, and game viewing.
Murera Bandas
- Four simple two-bedroom stone chalets located by Murera
Bwatherongi Bandas
- Four simple one and two-bedroom wooden chalets, 22km from Murera Gate and next to the Bwatherongi River.
When to Visit Meru and Kora National Park
The Parks are accessible all year round.
Meru National Park Kenya What to take with you
Drinking water and picnic items (and camping equipment if you intend to camp overnight). Also useful are: a camera, binoculars, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent, and Guidebooks.
How to get to Meru National Park Kenya
Roads:
Access from Nairobi (348 km) is via Nyeri-Nanyuki-Meru or via Embu all-weather roads. Access into the park from Maua to Murera Gate (35 km) and 348 km from Nairobi.
The other access is via Embu to Ura Gate (120 km), 290 km from Nairobi
Airstrip:
The main airstrip at Kina, Mulika next to Meru Mulika Lodge and Elsa’s Kopje airstrip
Campsites in Meru National Park Kenya
- Mugunga
- Rojawero
- Kenmare
- Golo 1
- Golo 2
- Fisi
- Kampi Baridi
- Chuma
- Bwatherongi
- Ekime (Kora N. Park)
Meru National Park Entrance fees
Citizen
- Adults KSH: 350
- Child KSH: 250
Resident
- Adults KSH: 1200
- Child KSH: 600
Non – Resident
- Adults USD:75
- Child USD: 40
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