Meru National Park is with no doubt the least busy of the most famous Kenya wildlife parks and a safari here offers nature lovers authentic wilderness experiences. What is interesting is that all the African big 5 games live in Meru National Park making it an incredible wildlife safari destination in Kenya.

Location of Meru National Park

Meru National Park is geographically located in Central Kenya along the Equator and over 13 Rivers bisect it plus many beautiful mountains fed streams. It is positioned on the North-eastern part of Nairobi 350kms away and extends to cover 870sq.kms of land area.

Meru National Park landscape is characterized by grassland, jungles, rivers, swamps, termite-created mounds.
Meru National Park is undoubtedly a complete wilderness and amazingly, the 1966 film ‘Born Free’ made it most famous. Established in 1968, Meru is home to a wide array of habitats that support a variety of wildlife worth spotting on Kenya wildlife safari.

What to see in Meru National Park – Kenya

Wildlife

Meru National Park is a host to countless wildlife including the leopards, buffaloes, lesser kudus, gerenuk, hippos, gazelles, zebras, elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, oryx, giraffes, dik-dik, bushbucks. Others include hartebeests, reedbucks, cobras, puff adders, pythons, and others.

Birds

Over 450 bird species all call Meru National Park a home making it a special birding safari destination of its own.

The park protects birds such as palm nut vultures, pel’s fishing owls. Sunbirds, kingfishers, red-necked falcons, rollers, Heuglin’s coarser, secretary bird, brown-backed woodpecker, starlings, hornbills, ostriches, and more.

Vegetation

Meru National Park features distinct vegetation comprising of 5 categories- the forests and savannas combined with swamps, grass, and rivers. The woodland is set on 1036m (Mt. Nyambeni slopes).

Tourist Activities in Meru National Park

Game/Wildlife viewing

Meru National Park is best to explore on guided game drives/viewing in a 4×4 with a pop-up roof for excellent game viewing and photographing. The park has numerous game tracks offering incredible game viewing experiences.

On Kenya safaris in Meru National Park, the possible wildlife to expect to keep an eye on include dik-dik, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos- black and white, buffaloes, elephants, reticulated giraffes, zebras, antelopes, birds, and more.

Game drives are arranged in the morning, day, and night to allow you to see a variety of wild animals both browsers and predators. Our experienced guides help you spot these animals and also explain the unique characteristics of each animal or bird spotting.

Birding

Birding is one of the interesting safari activities worth enjoying on Kenya safaris in Meru National Park. The park has all 450 bird species to be spotted including residential and migratory species of birds.

The birds to identify on a birding tour in Meru National Park include the red-necked falcons, brown-backed woodpecker, ostriches, Heuglin’s coarser, bee-eaters, pel’s fish owls, rollers, peter’s finfoot, hornbills, and more.

Cultural Encounter

It is also possible to undertake a cultural safari experience at the adjacent local community at Meru National Park. The cultural encounter here includes entertainment from dances and music performances from local residents, exploring the different traditions, lifestyles, stories told by the elderly.

Best time to visit Meru National Park

Kenya safaris in Meru National Park are conducted at any time of the year through the dry months/season is with no doubt the best time. This is from January till February or June, July, August to September.

This is the period when Meru records the least amount of rainfall or even no rains making it easier to navigate through the park’s game tracks for a game drive.

Where to stay at Meru National Park

The numerous lodges to book for an overnight stay on Kenya safaris in Meru National Park include budget, midrange, and luxury. They include Ikweta Safari Camp, Mulika Lodge, Leopard Rock Lodge, Rhino River Camp, and many others.

Getting to Meru National Park

Meru National Park is accessible by road; 350kms drive from Nairobi through Nyeri-Nanyuki route or take the Embu-Meru route.

A 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended to access this park. For self-drive travelers, 4×4 self-drive Kenya is a car rental agency that can assist you to plan a perfect self-drive trip in Kenya in a reliable 4×4 car such as Toyota Prado Tx and Land cruiser V8.

There is another option to hire a car in Kenya with a driver through this company at a very low cost. This saves you from the risks of accidents and car breakdowns caused by misuse.

By air, fly from the airport in Nairobi to Kinna airstrip around Meru National Park.

The Climate in Meru National Park

Meru National park experiences dry and wet seasons.