Last day at Lewa Downs

On our last evening at Lewa Downs we watched the sunset from the top of one of the hills and then drove back to our lodge with the spotlight.  We were rewarded with two beautiful male lion just on the edge of the swamp and spent some time with them before heading back.

Our last destination on this wonderful safari was Meru National Park and our lodge, Elsa’s Kopje built high on a rocky outcropping looking over the bush.  Meru is one of those wild and untamed places which has managed to stay under the radar so the wildlife and beauty of the park is a secret which we mostly keep to ourselves.  Like a shy person at a party, Meru will at first seem to have nothing much to offer but as you spend more time there the wildlife and scenery are gradually revealed so that when the time comes to leave you want to stay on longer! Unlike the Serengeti where it is much easier to find the game over the open plains, Meru is quite wooded and cut through with streams and marshes. The game is also more shy here and will often disappear like ghosts into the bush when you drive up.

Despite these challenges, we still got to see some great game and also were able to appreciate the woodland biome from the other ecosystems seen so far on the safari. One of the distinguishing trees seen here is the venerable and bloated baobab, rising majestically above the bush and providing homes, food and shade to multiple species of animals.