Meru National Park

Overview

There is a different feeling to Meru National Park. You leave the busy rhythm of Nairobi behind and gradually trade traffic and buildings for red-earth roads, open grassland, riverine forest and enormous skies. Then the wildlife begins to appear: elephants moving through the bush, giraffes feeding beside the road, buffalo gathering near water and, with patience and good guiding, lion, leopard or rhino. A Meru National Park safari is for travellers who want more than ticking another park off a list. It is a chance to slow down, explore a less-visited corner of Kenya and experience a landscape closely associated with the conservation story of Elsa the lioness and the Adamson family.

Why visit Meru National Park

Meru is one of Kenya's most diverse safari landscapes. The park combines open plains, bushland, forests and waterways, including the Tana River and its tributaries. It is also home to the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — alongside distinctive northern species such as Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe. Kenya Wildlife Service also highlights Meru's rhino sanctuary, exceptional birdlife, Elsa's grave and its conservation heritage among the park's major attractions. For travellers who prefer a quieter safari atmosphere, Meru can be especially appealing. You are not simply following a convoy of vehicles from one famous sighting to another. The experience is more about reading the landscape, following tracks, watching animal behaviour and allowing your guide time to find wildlife naturally.

Highlights

• Track black and white rhinos
• Search for the Big Five
• See large elephant herds
• Spot Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe
• Explore a quieter Kenyan wilderness
• Discover Elsa the lioness and the Born Free story

Getting there

Meru can be reached by road from Nairobi or by air. Kenya Wildlife Service currently gives the road distance from Nairobi at approximately 348 km, with routes through Nyeri–Nanyuki–Meru or Embu. The park also has airstrips including Kinna, Mulika and Mughwango. Kenya Wildlife Service For travellers with limited time, flying can make a short Meru safari considerably easier. For travellers who enjoy the journey itself, travelling by road allows the safari to become part of a broader Kenya itinerary.