Meru National Park is a stunning, little visited and remote park that was home to George and Joy Adamson in the 60’s. In the 1970s it was visited by as many as 30,000 tourists each year, mainly as a result of the film Born Free. Today, you would visit Meru not just to tick off large animals – although they are there – but also if you value seclusion and wilderness, it’s well worth while visiting any of the many luxury tented camps for a few days.

Meru National Park is 870 square kilometres, framed to the north west by the Nyambeni Hills, which separate it from neighbouring Shaba and to the south, the wild Tana River forms the boundary, on its way from the Mt. Kenya catchment area to the coast north of Mombasa. Meru National Park is part of a much larger ecosystem that includes Kora to the south (which dwarfs Meru in its own right) Bisanadi, where Offbeat Meru operates, and Rahole Reserve which wraps around above Kora on the north bank of the Tana River. It has 13 permanent rivers that flow out of the Nyambeni hills and drain into the Tana River. The rivers break up the monotony of the open woodland, and are a defining vital life force during the dry season.

Wildlife in Meru National Park consists of elephants, lion and leopard and what are called the northern five – Oryx, Grevy’s Zebra, Gerenuk, lesser Kudu and Reticulated giraffe, and 40 square kilometre Rhino Sanctuary.

Meru National Park is also home to wonderful birds, so if you do have an interest in birdlife, this is well worth the visit. Rather like the indigenous peoples of this region, birds in this dry and harsh country are lavishly attired in glorious technicolour. Vulturine guinea foul strut self consciously along the edges of the road and the river lines are full or brightly coloured bee eaters and kingfishers. If you’re really lucky this is somewhere you could find the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl.

Leave: Nairobi – Nyeri – Nanyuki – Timau – Meru – Embu – Nairobi.

Day trip, around Mt. Kenya, late lunch in Meru or Embu then back to Nairobi.

Alternatively, spend the night in Meru and explore Meru National Park.

Transport(9 or 22 seater), Insurance, Accommodation:- varying with the season and pax .