To the northeast of Mount Kenya lies Meru National Park, which is without a doubt one of Kenya's wildest and least frequently visited parks. This small (870 km²) but well-protected game reserve accommodates large elephants, lions and leopards, as well as some of the largest herds of buffalo in Kenya.
The exuberant rainfall in part of Meru National Park has resulted in an abundance of jungles, swamps and high grasses that make it slightly more difficult to see the game than in other national parks. This also means however that many hippos, lions, cheetahs and a few rare types of antelope can live here in undisturbed happiness. George and Joy Anderson (author of several books about the animals of Africa) have raised a number of animals in this park, including Joy's cheetah, Pippa, and the son of the famous lioness Elsa. The park also offers a fantastic view of Mount Kenya, which is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest mountain in Africa, after Mount Kilimanjaro.
