Meru National Park : Meru National Park is truly untouched wilderness though it is less visited, located in remote areas and surrounded by undiluted natural beauty. More so, the park is wild and beautiful, straddling the equator and divided by 13 rivers and numerous mountains fed streams. Its landscape is diverse from woodlands at 3,000ft on the slopes of Nyambene mountain range, northeast of Mount Kenya to wide- open plains inhabited with riverbanks with doum palms.
The park stuns with abundance of wildlife species including elephant, Grevy’s Zebra, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, hartebeest, hippo, buffalo as well as the reticulated giraffe among others. Meru National Park is also home to the endangered black and white rhino species -they are under a twenty-four-hour surveillance. Well, the sanctuary offers one of the best rhinos viewing lifetime experience in the wild.
Truly, the park is a birders paradise with diversity of over 400 bird species recorded, including Peter’s Fin foot, Pel’s fishing owl, Kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starling and weavers all inhabitant of Murera and Ura rivers. The river is home with wide population of hippos, crocodiles and fish among others.
More fact, Meru National Park is famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book ‘Born Free’’, the story of the Adamson’s life and research about lions and cheetahs. Elsa the lioness famously sounds and her grave is marked inside the park.
At its border there is Bisanadi National Reserve known as ‘’Kinna’’ the border between Meru and Bisanadi park- it is the traditional division between the Meru and the Borana people. This is a true wilderness.
Travelers during their visitation at the park can enjoy game viewing, camping, picnicking, hiking and warm swimming in the swimming pool lied next to the Bwatherongi ‘’Kinna’’ bandas ‘’cottages’’. Fact, the park is located about two hour’s drive from Meru ,Borana and Tharaka communities in the cultural village also part of activity to do while on visit at Meru. Ameru culture is located at Murera Gate – the main gate, Borana culture at Bisanadi gate and Tharaka culture at Ura gate.
Weather and Climate at Meru National Park;
The park’s land is part of Semi -arid zone and have irregular rainfalls. Wet seasons tend to happen from the moth of April to June and November to December. Rainfall received in the area is 635 – 762melimeters in the west and 305 -356 mm in the east.
Park size;
Meru National Park covers an area of about 870 square kilometers inhabitant to wide range of wild animals and other features.
The park features with;
Wildlife including; Grevy’s zebra, Elephant, Eland, Bush pig, Waterbuck, Cheetah, Leopard, Reticulated Giraffe, Hippopotamus, Buhor Reedbuck, Hartebeest, Python, Puff udder, Cobra, Buffalo among others.
Birdlife
Meru National Park boosts with more than 427 bird species recorded include; Marabou stork ,Yellow – necked spurfowl ,Crested guinea fowl ,Somali Ostrich ,Laughing dove ,Africa jacana ,Vulturine Guineafowl ,Helmeted Guineafowl ,Crested Francolin ,Yellow-necked Spurfowl ,Ring-necked Dove ,Mourning Collared -Dove ,Red -eyed Dove ,Ring -necked Dove ,Lounging Dove ,Remeron Pigeon ,Hartlaub’s Bustard ,Kori Bustard ,White-bellied Bustard ,Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse ,Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse mentioned but few.
Highlight attraction to see in Meru National Park;
Beautiful views of Mount Kenya.
Visit the former home of joy and George Adamson and Elsa the lioness.
Rivers and riverine habitats
Tana river
Adamson’s falls
Activities At Meru National Park;
Game drives;
Game drive is the most rewarding activity in the park where can you expect to see wide wild animals’ species such as big fives and other animals to see dik-dik antelope, lions, Grey’s zebras, Plains zebras, hart beasts, cheetahs, bushbucks, buffaloes many more.
Bird watching
The park is rich with notable bird species with over 300 which can be viewed by the bird lovers; bird species to see includes; long tailed fiscal, Hartland’s bustard, eastern chanting goshawk specked pigeon, Rameron pigeon, white billed go away bird, sunbirds, palm but vultures, brown becked woodpeckers, hornbills, Columba guinea, Somali ostrich, wattled sterling among others.
Cultural tours
The park is surrounded of the community that lies on the slopes of Nyambene hill to the west of the park – the people who stay there are predominately agriculturalist with a lot of land having Catha edulis plants and coffee. They are good in performing cultural dances and music performance through singing songs for visitors. There is also traditional demonstration of traditional pottery thus making a rewarding experience to the tourists.
Nature walks
This is one of the most impressing experiences done on foot in accompany of park rangers who leads tourists in walking trails by helping them identify animals such as Bohor reedbuck, wallowing buffalos, the elusive caracal and different bird species while hovering in the sky.
Fishing;
Visit the park and take part in fishing experience where you required to settle down with your rod and put a fishing net in the water as you enjoy your favorite cold drink as you gazing at the birds in the sky singing while observing the quite water at the same time enjoying fresh breath air around.
Park Entry Fee;
Meru National Park -Citizen’s adults entitled to pay KSH300 and child KSH 215 per person to access the park activities.
Foreign residents’ adults entitled to pay KSH300 per person in 24 hours.
Foreign nonresident adult pays USD52 and child entitled to pay USD35 per person.
What to pack with you on safari to Meru National Park;
They include; drinking water, picnic items and camping equipment if you have idea of stay overnight.
Other useful items; binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and guidebooks.
Where to stay;
Meru National Park boosts with perfect accommodation ranging from hotels, lodges and campsites including; Kinna cottages, Meru Guest Housemaker Cottages, campsites; Muganga, Rojawero, Kampi Baridi, Chuma, Kenmare, lodges; Elsa’s Kopje and Leopard Rock Lodge among others.
How to get there;
Roads;
By road; One can access the park from Nairobi ‘’348kilometers’’ via Nyeri – Nanyuki-Meru or via Embu all weather roads.
Travelers visiting Meru can still access the park from Maua to Murera Gate ‘’35km’’ and 348 kilometers from Nairobi.
Other way, the park can be accessed via Embu to Ura Gate ‘’120kim’’,290 km from Nairobi.
Airstrip;
The park can be reached by boarding a domestic flight to fly you to main airstrip at Kina, Mulika next to Meru Mulika Lodge and Elsa’s Kopje airstrip.
