A new boutique eco safari lodge has opened in Kenya’s Meru National Park.
Rhino River Camp comprises of five tented suites built out of caramel canvas and raised on stilts above the Kindani River.
Professional guides are on hand to take guests out into the bush any time of day to explore the surrounding wilderness.
Established in 1967, Meru is one of East Africa’s oldest national parks but the reputation of the park was enhanced by George and Joy Adamson who reared and weaned Elsa the lion, arguably the most famous lioness in the world thanks to the book Born Free and subsequent film.
It is one of the best spots in Africa to see wild rhino and it incorporates a breathtaking rhino sanctuary which is home to over 40 white rhino, 20 black rhino and several babies. Meru is also home to lion, cheetah, elephant, leopard, oryx, zebra and giraffe.
The canvas suites are set IN the trees of the forest that borders the Kindani River and each room has a view of the river, huge raffia palms, trees and tamarinds.
Every suite comes with its own private ‘zen’ area and the lodge has a large central area with a bar, lounge and a library and a swimming pool.
Activities available include game drives, bush walks, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and fishing.
The lodge is owned and managed by trained safari guide and wildlife filmmaker Andrea Maggi and the camp works with the Born Free
Foundation to offer guests a unique insight into conservation by becoming part of their lion census programme.
All guests are given a lion sighting form and asked to record details about their sightings and they can also visit the local villages to learn about the culture of the Meru people.
The local community receives a percentage of the profits made by the camp and the camp meets most of its energy needs through solar and hydro-electric power.