Meru

Meru National Park was established in 1968 and is about 348 km from Nairobi, Kenyan’s capital. The park is found at an altitude between 1000 m and 3400 m along the equator, and covers an area of about 870 kmq. Meru is noted for its diverse scenery; wide-open plains, snow-capped mount Kenya, many swamps and rivers lined with palms as well as mountains and woodlands on the slopes of the Nyambeni mountain range, to the northeast of mount Kenya. The Meru National park borders Bisandi National Park Reserve, a true wilderness covering about 606 kmq accessible only by 4×4 drive. The border between the two parks is known as “Kinna” and marks the division of the Meru and Boran tribal lands. The park is home to a large pride of lions, herds of buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, leopards, elephants, cheetahs, rare antelopes like the lesser kudu, duiker and dik-dik a tiny african antelope that stands just twelve inches high and is notoriously shy. These animals are easily spotted as the park is less visited. There are no rhinos in the park. There are also over 300 species of birds recorded in the park; peter’s finfoot, the pel’s fishing owl, kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings, ostriches, hornbills, secretary birds, eagles, weavers among others. Meru National park was one of the areas where the conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa, the lioness. The story was made famous by the bestselling book and award-winning movie “Born Free”.