Meru National Park

Meru National Park is located in Kenya, a tourism destination, and is one of the country’s least popular and frequented national parks. The park is known as the “Complete Wilderness” because of its vast and diverse species. The park provides a luxurious African wildlife experience and is home to a diverse assortment of wildlife. Meru National Park is covered in a diverse mix of vivid flora types, including rivers, wetlands, Khaki grasslands, and termite moulds.

This park is ideal for guests who dislike busy locations but require a quiet, private corner with plenty of seclusion. Meru National Park is located in Meru, around three hours’ travel or 350 kilometres east of Nairobi. The park covers an area of 870 square kilometres, making it one of Kenya’s smaller national parks. Meru National Park is one of the parks recognised for receiving the most rainfall, ranging from 635-762 mm during the first long wet season. This has favoured the park’s 13 rivers, as well as its evergreen greenery and thick grass, which attracts more animals and bird species.

The Meru National Park was founded in 1966 and is managed by Kenya Wildlife Services. Unlike other Kenyan national parks that are handled by people, Kenya Wildlife Services manages this park. The park was seriously impacted by poachers until early 2000, when the International Fund for Animal Welfare collaborated with Kenya Wildlife Services to restore the park and implement hard-hitting anti-poaching measures. As a result of these accomplishments, the park is today regarded as one of Kenya’s greatest, with all five African big cats visible.

Guests have praised Meru National Park for its Northern specials, which include species that can adapt to the arid environment. The park is famous for Joy Adams’ novel “Born Free,” which was the best-selling book of 1989. Joy documented the book following her studies on lions and cheetahs. The greatest topic and famous lioness that was nurtured by Joy and George together with her sisters the “big one and Lustica” was Elsa the lioness. Elsa stayed alone in the park after the two sisters were transported to the Netherlands.

After being nurtured by George and Joy, the lioness was released into the forest, but she could still visit them on occasion. After giving birth to her first three pups, she brought them to Joy Adamson to view. If you want to learn everything there is to know about Elsa and her family, you can do so by reading Born Free. She died of Babesiosis and was buried at the park, as shown by her tombstone marker. Until date, it remains one of the attractions of Meru National Park

One can reach the park via one of two ways from Nairobi: the major road through Nyeri and Nanyuki, and then to Meru National Park. The second option is to go down the Embu-Meru Road, which is the most scenic route and one that we recommend to our tourists. The second way enters the park via the Ura gate. The other, but only, option during the dry season is to travel through Mathara and Kangeta to Maua, which connects to Kinna Road and finally to the Park.

There are also two airstrips at the park, giving tourists who do not enjoy long bumpy drives along African terrain roads the option of flying. The park is accessible by direct flight from any of Kenya’s domestic airstrips, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport. You can be picked up at any of the airstrips located within the park.

Attractions at Meru National Park

The picturesque scenery and wildlife are the park’s main attractions. The following are the highlighted attractions at the park:

Meru National Park is home to the African big five, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinos, making it an ideal wildlife viewing destination. Because of the park’s forest cover, it is often difficult to spot leopards, which hide on trees or travel slowly crouched over tall grass. The park features both black and white rhinoceros, particularly if one drives via the Rhino Sanctuary. Other creatures in the park include hippos, crocodiles, zebras, oryx, cheetahs, wildebeest, and hyenas.The park is home to Northern specials like as giraffes, Grevy zebras, Kudu, and Gerenuk, among others.

George and Joy Adamson, authors of “Born free” and “Lioness Elsa,” once lived in this property. The two were the first Europeans to settle in Meru National Park, where they performed research and contributed to the park’s conservation and preservation efforts. They lived in the park until George returned, but Joy died and was buried there. Their home continues to serve as a historical site where visitors may learn more about the two. Many travellers now think of it as a museum.

Adamson’s Falls:

This is a 50-meter-high waterfall located in the Hastings caverns. The falls are named after the first Europeans to establish in the park, Gorge and Joy Adamson. The falls can be reached via nature pathways that lead past the Hastings cave. The path to the falls has been cleared, and it is now straighter than it was previously. It takes 2 to 3 hours to go to the falls, depending on the guest’s physical fitness. Other waterfalls in the vicinity include Creekton Falls, which are quite high and rugged, needing more athletic and experienced hikers to reach them.

Elsa, the famed lioness, was buried in the park near Joy Adamson’s house. Joy died and was buried in the same location before George returned to the Netherlands. This burial site remains one of the park’s few attractions. Tourists, particularly the Dutch, flock here to celebrate the life of one of their best environmentalists, Joy.

Birds:

Meru National Park is home to almost 300 documented bird species. The park is a good birding destination since it features unusual endemic birds that are uncommon in other parks. Common bird species include ostriches, Boran cisticola, Guineafowl, fishing owl, African finfoot, palm weaver, ibise, fish eagles, and Wattle starlings, among others.

Activities at Meru National Park

Meru National Park provides excellent game viewing opportunities for both full and half-day visits. species viewing can be done aboard a Kenya safari land cruiser, which allows one to comfortably enjoy both big and small species. The park has permanent occupants, so game viewing is good all year. The African big five can all be spotted along the river banks, including hippos, huge crocodiles, and various water birds.

Birding:

With approximately 300 bird species, birders can enjoy the glory of the tiny park by walking a few kilometres while seeing additional bird species. The park’s habitats benefit both aquatic birds that reside in and around the 13 rivers that cross it. Other semi-arid species can be found at the park.

Nature walks and visiting waterfalls:

Nature walks are accessible under the supervision of game rangers due to the presence of big cats and other big game such as elephants and buffalos, which appear simple but quite dangerous. You adore walking along the riverbanks and admiring waterfalls. The Adamsons Falls trek takes about 2-3 hours and is led by an experienced ranger.

Visiting the burial sites of Joy and Elsa the lioness:

The historical site located in Meru National Park attracts more visitors who come to see the grave of the renowned conservationist and the famous Lioness that is documented in books such as “Born Free.” Other visitors simply come to see the point where the two families lived together during their lifetime in Africa. Despite its tiny size, Meru National Park remains one of Kenya’s top parks for a truly African wilderness experience.