Looking for a cool climate in a vibrant locality? Welcome to county 012, home to most of Mount Kenya, the place where you will find 1 Buuri, 2 Tigania-s, 3 Imenti-s and 3 Igembe-s. This is Meru county! Interestingly the term Meru is believed to have originated from the Maasai community’s Maa language. ‘Mieru’ meant two things: the first, to describe those that did not speak their Maa language and second was a title for the Tigania and Imenti Forests which were also believed to be ‘quiet forests’. The term has taken on some new swag with the Ameru now known as the Amerucans!
The seat of the county is Meru Town, a thriving commercial and administrative centre that doesn’t sleep. Having one of the largest open-air markets in Kenya encourages biashara people from across East Africa to journey to county 012 with hopes of attaining products to boost business sales and maximise profits. Other visitors of the county normally come for the serenity of Meru’s conservation areas;Meru National Park, Meru National Museum, Vivienne Falls, Sacred Lake or Ithanguni peak.
The famous Meru National Park has a range of wild animals such as the African Bush elephant, Southern white rhinoceros and the Kenyan cheetah, which together with the East African lion and Grevy’s zebra show the truth behind the term ‘Magical Kenya’. Lewa Conservancy is on the western side of the county. Lewa is popularly known as the host of Run in the Wild – an annual gruelling marathon that raises money for conservation in the area.
Because of its long history as a mission centre for the Methodist Church, the county has several faith-based hospitals including Maua Methodist Hospital. As a result, there are 200 healthcare facilities (including government and private health institutions) throughout the county! Here you’ll also find the Kenya Methodist University which was chartered in 1997 as the first private tertiary institution in the area. Many of Meru County’s institutions grew out of the original mission that was set up in the late 1800s.
Looking to explore Meru? Try the beauty of Ngare Ndare Forest with its chain link bridge, hunt for a Grevy’s in the national park or hang out in Meru Town. All roads leading in are wonderfully tarmacked but very curvy – keep safe baite!
Our featured photographer is Gurveer Sira who is passionate about wildlife. He is a strong advocate for conservation groups and uses photography as a medium to educate those who have never had the privilege to go on safari, to help them understand the need to protect this beauty for future generations, so they are able to experience the real thing, not just still photographs. We love seeing Kenya through his Kenyan eyes!