Meru National Park

MERU NATIONAL PARK

This 870km²   park lies in the Central Highlands of Kenya and was at one time considered to be one of Kenya’s busiest and highly popular National Parks. Its fame is derived from the famous game warden, George Adamson and his wife Joy and their hand reared lioness, Elsa, the star of the hit film ‘Born Free’.

However, the ravages of poaching have not been kind to the park. In the 1980’s, at the height of the poaching activities, George Adamson, was shot by poachers just outside the park boundary. Thereafter the park saw a steady decline in visitor numbers and lost its popularity which is a shame as the park has much to offer. The once decimated wildlife numbers have recovered quite substantially.

The Big Five are present in the park as well as large numbers of buffalo, reticulated giraffe, several species of antelopes including the lesser kudu, as well as Grevy’s and Burchell’s zebra.  Beisa Oryx, hartebeest, waterbuck, bushbuck and hippo are also to be found in addition to vervet monkey and olive baboon. Over the last decade over 50 rhinos, both the black rhino and the white rhino, have been introduced in the park though in a large fenced stockade.

Apart from the usual birdlife which is in abundance, some of the notable species are Boran cisticola, Somali ostrich, vulturine guineafowl, Pel’s fishing owl and the giant kingfisher.

Getting there:

Charter flights and 4wd or by road from Nairobi but 4wd essential.

What to do:

Game drives

Visit Elsa the lioness’s kopje and grave

See the Adamson’s falls (named after George Adamson)

Best Time:

All year round

Accommodation:

Lodges and campsites