Meru National Park

Meru National Park is the setting of Joy Adamson's book 'Born Free' - unspoiled, untamed and exceptionally beautiful.

Meru National Park - Landscape

Meru National Park | Background Info

Mammals found in Meru National Park | Birds found in Meru National Park

Straddling the equator, Meru park is bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain fed streams, making it a green paradise compared to the dry savannah of Kenya’s other parks. It boasts diverse scenery from woodlands to wide open plains, meandering riverbanks, a landscape dotted by kopjes and rich volcanic soil deposits. This is the wilderness into which George and Joy Adamson released Elsa the lioness of which the film “Born Free” was based on.

Game viewing in Meru encompasses large herds of elephant, buffalo, gerenuk, lesser and greater kudu. Magnificent lions, leopard, black and white rhinos.

With so many rivers here you need to bring your fishing rod with; relax on the river bank with some canapes and a good book. There are plenty of catfish, tilapia and barbell to catch. Or if you are feeling more energetic you can go on a guided walk to the top of Mughwango Hill, where you can enjoy uninterrupted 360 degree views, with Mount Kenya in the west to the vast Meru plains in the east.

Experience Meru National Park

Rich Safari History

Well off the mainstream tourist circuit, Meru is not a reserve to come and tick off the Big Five. Rather it is a wilderness experience. The horizons are endless and game wild. Huge tracts of the park have no roads and must be explored on foot. On the roads that there are, minibuses are never seen. You might see a park ranger or lion researcher in an old Land Rover but that is the extent of the traffic. Finally, Meru is perhaps best known for Elsa the lioness, who was released here and made famous by Joy Adamson's books.

Why Visit Meru National Park

Rhino Sanctuary – Meru National Park incorporates a 44km² rhino sanctuary, home to over 40 white rhino, and 20 black rhino and several babies.
History – built overlooking the site of George Adamson’s camp in Meru, the rock was the playground of Elsa the lioness of “Born Free” fame.
Location – currently the only fully operational lodge in Meru National Park, Elsa’s guests have the entire Park to themselves. The park is arid with Doum Palms and Baobab trees, but its 13 rivers and springs also allow for thriving riverine habitats.
Superb for families. Fantastic koppies (hills) and views in a park where you are one of a small handful of guests.
The incredible true story of the Adamson lions.

Part of the Meru National Park has been fenced off to create a sanctuary for 40 White Rhino and 20 Black Rhino, making this one of the best places in Kenya to see these endangered animals.

The Experience & Elsa Kopje

The activities offered in the national park is game viewing on a self-drive or guided game drives offered by the lodge you stay with. Elsa's Kopje has a special licence to conduct night safaris and game walks within the park.With only one lodge operating inside the park, it will seem as if you have the park to yourself.

Elsas Kopje - This lodge is named after Elsa the Lion who was made famous by George and Joy Adamson. An elegant up-market lodge it blends into the kopje (hill) on which it is situated. Accommodation is in luxuriously appointed cottages that have stunning views. The main lodge has an open-sided bar and dining room next to an infinity pool that overlooks the Meru plains.

Mammals found in Meru National Park

Overview

Meru is a lot less busy than some of Kenya’s more popular parks, and has an unspoilt feel. All of the Big Five are present. Elephant and buffalo are very common, and there is an enclosed rhino sanctuary containing both black and white rhino. The park is extremely scenic with tall doum palms growing along the park’s many watercourses. Meru is home to the Big Five. Elephants migrate through the park and big herds can sometimes be encountered. Big cats are more difficult to spot, but it isn’t rare to have a sighting all to yourself. Northern Kenya specials include beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, and the odd-looking gerenuk. The rare Grevy's zebra occurs alongside the more common Burchell's zebra.

Mammal Checklist

Full List of Mammals found in Meru National Park

Aard-wolf
African Buffalo
African Civet
African Dormouse
African Elephant
African Hare
African Wild Cat
Angola Free-tailed Bat
Ant Bear
Banana Bat or African
Banded Mongoose
Beisa Oryx
Black Rhinoceros
Black-backed or Silver-backed
Black-faced Vervet
Blue Duiker
Blue or Sykes’ Monkey
Bohor Reedbuck
Burchel’s or Common Zebra
Bush Baby
Bush Duiker
Bush or Large-spotted Genet
Bush Pig
Bush Squirrel
Bushbuck
Cane Rat
Caracal
Cheetah
Clawless Otter
Coke’s Hartebeest or Kongoni
Common Waterbuck
Dwarf Mongoose
East African Hedgehog
East African Red Squirrel
Eland
Epauletted Fruit Bat
False Vampire Bat
Flat-headed Free-tailed Bat
Genet
Gerenuk
Giant Rat
Giant White-toothed shrew
Grant’s Gazelle
Greater Galago
Grevy’s Zebra
Hippopotamus
Hollow-faced Bat
Hunting Dog
Impala
Jackal
Kirk’s Dik-Dik
Lander’s Horseshoe Bat
Large Grey Mongoose
Leopard
Lesser Ground Pangolin
Lesser Kudu
Lesser Leaf-nosed Bat
Lion
Marsh Mongoose
Naked Mole Rat
Neumann’s or Small-spotted
Olive Baboon
Oribi
Pale-bellied Fruit Bat
Patas Monkey
Pipistrelle
Porcupine
Ratel or Honey Badger
Reticulated Giraffe
Rock Hyrax
Rousette Fruit Bat
Serval
Side-striped Jackal
Spectacled Elephant Shrew
Spotted Hyaena
Spring Hare
Square-lipped or White Rhino
Steinbok
Striped Ground Squirrel
Striped Hyaena
Suni
Tree Hyrax
Unstriped Ground Squirrel
Warthog
White Rhinoceros
White-bellied Free-tailed Bat
White-bellied Tomb Bat
Yellow-bellied Bat
Yellow-winged Bat
Zorilla

Birds found in Meru National Park

Overview

With more than 300 species recorded, Meru is an excellent birding destination. It has several northern Kenya specials, including the impressive Somali ostrich, Boran cisticola and vulturine guineafowl. The noisy yellow-necked spurfowl is very common and the sought-after Hinde’s babbler can sometimes be spotted as well. The rivers running through the park offer the right habitat for Pel’s fishing-owl, the elusive African finfoot and the localized golden palm weaver as well as more common water birds.

Meru National Park Bird list