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Meru National Park, Kenya

Elsas Kopje

Definitely one of our favorite properties on the continent! Everyone who stays here falls in love with the feeling and atmosphere of the camp. The rooms are beautifully built into the rock kopje and offer views over Meru National Park and Mount Kenya.

This is the kind of place you don't mind hanging back on a game drive to sip away cocktails in their infinity pool.

 — Mango's view

For many years Kenyas best kept secret, the untamed wilderness of Meru National Park is best explored from its hidden jewel, Elsas Kopje. Elsas Kopje is named after Elsa, the lioness made famous by George and Joy Adamsons book and the film of the same name, Born Free. The lodge is invisible to the eye as you approach the kopje, which means small hill.

eight Makuti (thatched) stone cottages blend into the hillside, each with its own bath or shower and toilet en-suite and private veranda with a unique view. The cottages face across seemingly endless savanna, fringed with doum palms, crisscrossed by 13 rivers. This Park is renowned for its elephant herds and fantastic flora and scenery.

The atmosphere induces a feeling of peace thanks to a highly trained, unobtrusive team of staff and a skilled host who manages the lodge. Each cottage is attended by a butler who also waits on the guests at mealtimes. The food is traditional Northern Italian cuisine blended with a selection of local and international dishes, fresh baked bread, crisp salads and locally grown vegetables.

Activities include game drives in open-sided safari Land Rovers, driven by knowledgeable driver-guides, all members of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. Guided walks are led by a Professional Safari Guide and accompanied by a Ranger. Other attractions include bush breakfasts and sun-downers and visits to the Tharaka tribal village on the Southern boundary of the Park.

Find time to enjoy a drink at the aptly named Hard Rock Cafe watching the sunset behind Mt. Kenya in the distance.

Includes: All meals, local drinks, laundry & safari activities