Meru National Park

Explore the Vast Reaches of Untouched Land in Meru

Moving northward from Nairobi and into the central part of Kenya, we have the county of Meru and Meru National Park in the homelands of the ancient Ameru tribes.

Meru National Park is known, and often famed, as the setting for the book 'Born Free' by John Adamson - a story of a lifetime dedicated to wildlife research. As a destination, it was very popular in the 60's and 70's, then had a period of being less so as widespread poaching during the 80's took its toll, but since the 80's has recovered well and is a wonderful corner of Kenya to visit today.

Meru is a large park, and its landscapes are vast. Its size and distant location lend to a wonderful sense of being off the beaten track and having endless miles of untouched land surrounding you, which we like. Vegetation is mostly bush land dotted with Acacia, Fig and Desert Date trees, whilst soil is rich and red in colour, and rainfall sporadic in this semi-arid region. With its rich colouring and fantastic birdlife it can be a lively and inspiring national park to visit, especially in the green season. As the dry season approaches, bushes and grasses dry out leading to a harsher, starker environment; but with multiple rivers running through the park there is ample water for all, and wildlife sightings good along the rivers.

The predominant predator in this area is Lion, and there are a number of different wildlife species found here that you won't find in The Ma'asai Mara, including all of the 'northern special five', those being Reticulated Giraffe, Grevvy's Zebra, Gerinuk, Oryx, and Somali Ostrich.

Meru is distinctly different from the Ma'asai Mara and from Kenya's other northern frontier reserves, so we recommend it for those looking for something off the beaten track in journeys combined with other wildlife areas in Kenya. We suggest it for extra wildlife variety on your trip and also purely for the pleasure of being in and enjoying this fantastic landscape.