Kenya : Meru

Meru National Park is located on the equator near Mount Kenya and is part of a vast conservation area along the Tana River, encompassing Meru and Kora National Parks and the adjacent National Reserves of Bisanadi and Mwingi, covering a total area of over 4,000 sq kilometres.

This vast park is one of the least visited of Kenya's wildlife areas and there are few tourist vehicles to be seen. Meru was formerly the home of Elsa, the lioness reared from a cub by George and Joy Adamson and made famous in the film Born Free.

Meru was heavily poached through the 70s and 80s but in the mid 90s with a good park warden and game scouts the park is secure. Plenty of game has been reintroduced over the years and there are now healthy and growing populations. It's a beautiful, wild area with a number of small rivers which feed the great Tana river to the south of the park. There are a variety of habitats and some great bird life. It's the only National Park where you are allowed to walk and go on night drives and also go fishing for catfish and types of barbel.

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Elsa's Kopje
Set in the 850sq km Meru National Park Elsa's kopje, named after Elsa, is in a beautiful situation high up on a kopje (small rocky hill) overlooking the Mughwango swamp and Adamson's camp. There are 8 beautifully constructed rooms all of different shapes and sizes some with outside baths and all very private. The rocks of the kopje are incorporated into the room and all are open fronted with fantastic views which stretch for miles over the open bush. Two of the rooms and definitely the nicest are across a suspension bridge which is very bouncy and definitely an interesting walk to bed after a few drinks at dinner! There is also a family cottage with a double and twin room with a sitting room.

There is a free form swimming pool which is essential in this dry northern district and a short walk takes you to the top of the kopje for the most spectacular sun downer watching the sun set over the Nyambene mountains and on a clear day you can see Mt Kenya. It really is a magnificent lodge with excellent food very good guiding and good game viewing, which improves year on year. I would highly recommend it. There are 3 flights scheduled a week into the park but charters can also be arranged.

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pool	bedroom	view from kopje

room	Elsa's	lizard