Meru National Park

Meru National Park is a protected area in Meru County, eastern Kenya, spanning about 870 km² roughly 350 km from Nairobi. Gazetted in 1966, it is famous as the setting of Joy and George Adamson’s Born Free, where Elsa the lioness was released and is now buried. The park boasts remarkable environmental diversity, ranging from lush riverine forests along the Tana River to open savannah, arid thorn bush, and volcanic hills. It hosts the Big Five, Grévy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, and over 400 bird species, and features a 44 km² rhino sanctuary protecting both black and white rhinos.