Meru National Park

Location & Size: On the northeast -east of Mount Kenya in Meru District; Covers 870km/sq

When to visit the park: January - March (hot, dry season), July - October (warm, dry season)

Climate: The parks is part of Semi-arid zone and has irregular rainfalls, climate is Warm with low humidity. The maximum average temperature of the warmest month is 33°C during the day, while that of the coldest is 23-25°C. Wet seasons are April- June and November- December. Rainfall is 635-762mm in the west and 305-356mm in the east.

Rainfall: Wet seasons are April- June and November- December. Rainfall is 635-762mm in the west and 305-356mm in the east.

Altitude: 300m - 1036m above sea level.

Distance: 350Km from Kenya's Capital - Nairobi

kenyaparks4 Meru National Park is a Kenyan forest reserve located east of Meru, 350 km from Nairobi. Covering an area of 870 km², it is one the lesser known parks of Kenya. It has abundant rainfall, 635-762 mm in the west of the park and 305-356 mm in the east. It is 35km east of Maua town in the north eastern lowlands below the Nyambeni hills. Meru is part of a complex of protected areas along the Tana river that includes the adjacent Bisanadi and Mwingi National Reserves (to the east and south respectively), Kora national park and Rahole national reserve. The wetter North Western sector is hilly, with rich volcanic soils. The land flattens towards the East, where grey alluvial volcanic soils appear.

The area is crossed by numerous permanent streams, draining from the Nyambenes and flowing in parallel between tounges of lava, south eastwards towards the Tana River. As well as the many streams that cross it, the park is bounded by three large rivers: the Tana to the South, the Ura to the South West and the Rojeweru to the East. There are several prominent inselbergs of basement rock, notably Mughwango and Leopard rock.

Meru was one of the two areas in which conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness made famous in the best selling book and award winning movie Born Free. Elsa the Lioness is buried in this park and part of Joy's ashes were scattered on her gravesite. Joy Adamson released Pippa the cheetah in this park.

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