$2,251 to $2,330 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Nairobi to Meru National Park, First Light on the Tana Floodplain
Nairobi to Meru National Park, First Light on the Tana Floodplain
Morning: Depart Nairobi, leaving the city's rhythm behind as you climb into the central highlands. The road winds past the forested flanks of Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest peak, and crosses the equator near Nanyuki. The landscape shifts from cultivated highlands into the greener, wilder lowlands that mark Meru's edges.
Afternoon: Arrive at Meru National Park, a remote and rugged wilderness crisscrossed by 13 permanent rivers and mountain-fed streams. The park, established in 1966, spans 870 square kilometres of diverse ecosystems. Settle into your lodge and enjoy lunch as the midday heat begins to ease.
Evening: Head out for your first afternoon game drive along the Tana River floodplain. The permanent water draws Meru's megafauna into reliable concentration. Watch elephant herds move unhurried through the open ground, reticulated giraffes browsing acacias, and buffalo gathering at the water's edge. Return to camp for sundowners under a sky thick with stars.
- Main Destination:
- Meru National Park
- Accommodation:
- Ikweta Safari Camp
Wildlife in Meru NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
The Rhino Sanctuary, Elsas Memorial and Adamsons Falls
The Rhino Sanctuary, Elsas Memorial and Adamsons Falls
Morning: Rise early for a game drive into the rhino sanctuary, one of Kenya's most successful conservation stories. Both black and white rhinos roam this protected zone under 24-hour surveillance, their populations having recovered from near-elimination by poaching in the 1980s to a sustained viable group. The sanctuary feels more natural and less manicured than others in Kenya.
Midday: Visit Elsa's Memorial, a stone cairn marking the burial site of the lioness whose story Joy Adamson told in "Born Free". Continue to Adamson's Falls on the Tana River, where the water drops through a rocky channel in a series of stepped cascades, the surrounding riverine forest dense with birds and the sound of water against stone. Enjoy a packed picnic lunch beside the falls.
Evening: The afternoon circuit returns via Mughwango Swamp, where buffalo herds and elephants congregate in the reliable water. Return to camp as the light changes behind the hills.
- Main Destination:
- Meru National Park
- Accommodation:
- Ikweta Safari Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
The Rojewero River Corridor and Merus Birdlife
The Rojewero River Corridor and Merus Birdlife
Morning: Take the Rojewero River route, a different corridor from the previous day's circuits. The river's permanent water draws Meru's birdlife into the highest concentrations in the park. More than 400 species have been recorded here, with the riverine forest canopy occupied by hornbills, kingfishers, and the specific activity of a forest edge where open floodplain meets dense riparian woodland. Leopards are regulars in the fig trees along the bank.
Afternoon: The landscape here is a mosaic of open grasslands, acacia woodlands, and lush riverine forests along the watercourses. Meru is home to more than 100 mammal species, including the Big Five, cheetahs, Grevy's zebras, and the long-necked gerenuk that stands on hind legs to browse. The sense of space is remarkable—often with no other vehicle in sight, each sighting yours alone to linger over.
Evening: Return to camp as the sun sinks behind the Nyambene mountain range.
- Main Destination:
- Meru National Park
- Accommodation:
- Ikweta Safari Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
The Final Morning, Farewell to the Wilderness
The Final Morning, Farewell to the Wilderness
Morning: One last game drive, the savannah soft and golden in the early light. Watch the animals stir—perhaps a pride of lions patrolling the grasslands, or the elusive black rhino emerging from dense bush. Sip coffee at a quiet spot, letting the morning sink in, with the knowledge that Meru remains one of Kenya's best-kept secrets, a pristine wilderness waiting to be explored.
Midday: Return to the lodge, check out, and begin the long road back to Nairobi. The journey is a quiet one, filled with the deep satisfaction of having explored a park that represents one of Kenya's most authentic and ecologically intact protected landscapes.
- Main Destination:
- Meru National Park
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
