meru

Meru National Park is situated in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its location, close to Mount Kenya and the Nyambene Hills contributes to its comparatively high rainfall and this, in turn, gives a varied habitat including savannah, forest and swamp. It also boasts a multitude of rivers (over a dozen) which criss-cross the park. Despite these attractions, and the fame it enjoys from its association with Joy Adamson (Meru National Park was the home of Elsa the lion and the setting for Born Free), it remains one of the least visited areas.

The wildlife is varied and includes some of the rarer antelopes; Beisa Oryx and Lesser Kudu are both present. It also has a bird list of over 300 species including the elusive African Finfoot and Pel's Fishing Owl. During the northern migration (October through to March) it plays host to an impressively large population of Eurasian Bee-eaters and Rollers. That said, birdwatching can be a challenge, the dense vegetation on the river banks makes it very difficult to spot waterbirds and the long savannah grass hides the smaller seed-eaters. On the plus side the park is quiet, you can go for hours without seeing a single tourist and this makes birdwatching a joy. There are currently only 2 lodges in the park, Leopard Rock and Elsa's Kopje (Meru Mulika closed down a few years ago and has never re-opened - although it is still quoted on most websites and in most literature). Elsa's Kopje is new (it opened in 1999), small and luxurious. It offers the most spectacular views from the open-plan, open-fronted rooms - birdwatching while luxuriating in a bath, perched high on an escarpment overlooking the park, is a memorable experience.

To the east of the park, forming what is almost a protective screen, is the Bisanadi National Reserve. This inaccessible, underdeveloped area provides the Meru wildlife with a welcome extension to the park as it allows greater freedom of movement. It also acts as a natural barrier protecting Meru from human encroachment. The border between Meru and Bisanadi Parks is the traditional division between the Meru and Boran tribespeople.

Meru Related Links

• Meru from MagicalKenya
• Meru National Park from Go2Africa
• Meru National Park by the Kenya Wildlife Service
• Meru National Park from GORP
• Meru Kenyaweb
• Meru National Park Think Quest
• Elsa's Kopje