“Complete Wilderness that is Meru National Park wild and beautiful”. Few places offer a more genuine wilderness ambiance than the remote and rugged Menu National park. Meru National Park may be of interest especially to safari-goers wishing to stay away from the crowds. Meru National Park is situated on the equator east of Mount Kenya, somewhat off the main beaten track, and has comparatively few visitors. Meru National Park has several types of nature, including savanna, wetland and forest, offering habitats for a good wildlife safari and bird watching expeditions. A good number of permanent rivers flow through the park.
Meru National Park is 870 square kilometers of thorny bush, woody thickets and open grassland or just a complete wilderness. There are over 13 rivers which are fringed with riverine forests of doum and raffia palm. During the rainy season, grasses grow tall and the terrain is dotted with swamp and marsh. As stunning and lush as this vegetation may be, it can admittedly make game a little harder to spot. Still, wildlife is abundant here, with over 350 recorded bird species living alongside elephant, hippo, lion, cheetah, black rhino and a variety of antelope. Meru National Park borders Kora National Park and Bisanadi National Reserve, a true wilderness. It is only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles, and it covers a further 606km². The border between the two parks is known as “Kinna” and marks the division between the lands of the Meru and Boran tribes.
Former home to George and Joy Adamson of Born Free fame, and Elsa the hand-reared lion spent part of her life growing up here. When she eventually died she was buried here, and Joy Adamson’s ashes were scattered over Elsa’s grave. This corner of the world is home not only to rugged beauty and beautiful wildlife, but also to so much drama and history.
Meru National Park Highlights
Attractions in Meru National Park are both natural and breathtaking. Meru is naturally endowed with wildlife, animals, sceneries and different vegetation. The landscape is attractive with Mt Kenya clearly visible from the park. Most of the animals you come across in the park have been Trans-located from Laikipia, Lake Nakuru National park among other Game and wildlife area of Kenya.
Meru has well maintained roads and airstrips not to forget the enhanced security. The local communities have set up a Meru Cultural center and the Boran cultural center where visitors can sample their ways of life.
Animals found in Meru National Park
Meru Has it all; The wildlife found in Meru national park includes- Lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard ,Lesser Kudu, duiker, Dik Dik, buffalo, reticulated giraffes (Endangered), Grevy’s zebra (Endangered), eland, Oryx, Impalas, buffaloes. Black and white Rhinos (Endangered). Aquatic life includes hippo and crocodile. Meru national Park is also a birders heaven with over 300 species of birds recorded. There is a birdwatching club that organizes birding safaris regularly.
Other Attractions of Meru National Park
While in the wilds of Meru Park, Joy Adamson wrote the book “Born Free”, detailing her relationship with the lioness, Elsa. It is here that Elsa the lioness of born free fame was raised and released to the wild. When she died, Adamson buried her in Meru National Park. Elsa’s grave attracts lots of pilgrims and is one of the main attractions in Meru Park. We also have Pippas grave. Pipa was Cheater brought up by Joy Adamson.
Meru has several swamps- Mughwango, Mulika, Bwatherongi, Mururi and Leopard Rock. Animals congregate in the swamps during dry season. One can be able to get all the wildlife viewing at the swamp. Still Meru national Park has a total of 14 permanent rivers and numerous streams including Murera, Rojowero, Kiolu, Ura, Bwatherongi. Tana River forms its southern boundary. Meru National park offers Scenic Safari that let you enjoy the beautiful scenery and landscape – stroll through or view the dense vegetation, forests and savannahs with long grass, rivers and swamp
Park is best known for its Rhino Sanctuary. For those looking for these strange and enigmatic creatures, Meru offers you the best chance. The rhino sanctuary can be accessed from Murera gate. The Rhino Sanctuary is home to more than 60 rhino in total (40 of them being white rhino) as well as their offspring. Meru National Park is the best place to view these extraordinary animals in their natural habitat.
Getting to Meru national Park
By Road: You can get there by road. It is approximately 41/2 hours drive and 350kms from Nairobi city center. The Park can be accessed via Nyeri-Nanyuki-Meru or via Embu road. All weather roads. The park is 35kms from Maua to Murera Gate
By Air: One can also take a flying safari to Meru from Nairobi Wilson or any other airstrip within Kenya. Airstrip are at Kina, Mulika next to Meru Mulika Lodge and Elsa’s Kopje airstrip. There are scheduled flights from Nairobi. Charter flights are availbel from any part of Kenya
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