Elewana Elsas Kopje Meru

Vibrant Holiday Safaris brings you Elewana Elsas Kopje Meru lodge. This is a luxury safari lodge located in Meru National Park in Kenya. The lodge is named after Elsa. The lodge offers stunning views of the park and is a great place to stay if you are looking for a unique experience.

Each cottage is crafted around the rocks, with a large bedroom, open sitting room, veranda and spacious bathroom, each with breathtaking views.

Guests can enjoy inimitable seclusion in the vast expanse of Elsa’s Kopje, boasting 870km² , the equivalent of 215,000 acres, of authentic African landscape. The park offers a thriving rhino sanctuary, and is famous for large elephant herds, hippo, lion, and birdlife; Meru National Park is recognised as having more diversity of animal species than any other park in East Africa.

The rugged and remote Meru National Park was rescued from oblivion thanks to Elsa’s Kopje, an environmental award-winning, boutique lodge. Winner of the Good Safari Guide’s ‘Best Safari Property in Africa’ award, Elsa’s Kopje is widely renowned as one of the most elegant lodges in Africa.

Elsa’s Kopje was designed and built by Stefano Cheli, officially opened by Dr. Richard Leakey (Director of Kenya Wildlife Service at the time), and Virginia McKenna of Born Free fame in 1999.  One of the most beautiful parks in Kenya, Liz & Stefano included Meru National Park on most of their mobile tented safaris.

ACCOMMODATION

Cottages

Nestled into the hillside, and overlooking the vast plains of Meru National Park, each of Elsa’s Kopje’s open-fronted cottages are unique in design and offer an elegant safari style.

6 EN-SUITE COTTAGE SUITES:

• 5 doubles and 1 twin / double
• Each cottage consists of a main bedroom, en suite bathroom and private deck or verandah. N.B. Cottage 3 has a private sitting room rather than a deck.
• 2 rooms can fit one extra bed, to accommodate children under the age of 16yrs.

Family Cottage

Brand new and with panoramic views of the Park. The Family Cottage is a spacious 2-bedroom cottage with a double and a twin room, both en-suite, a beautiful living room, large private deck and an outside bath by the master bedroom.

Honeymoon Suites

Overlooking the vast plains of Meru National Park, Elsa’s has three Honeymoon Suites.  Two of the suites have romantic outside baths and one suite has three levels featuring a private sitting room, main bedroom with en-suite bathroom, and a small private deck. For families with small children, two of the Suites can accommodate an extra bed suitable for children under 16.

Private House

Overlooking the vast plains of Meru National Park and facing Mt Kenya, Elsa’s Private House consists of one en-suite master bedroom with dressing room, one en-suite twin bedroom, a large dining and sitting room, a private garden and infinity swimming pool. The Private House can fit two extra beds, for children under 16yrs.

Guiding & Activities

Guides

The Elsa’s Kopje guides are based at the lodge in Meru National Park, they have the whole park to themselves, and know their backyard intimately. All the guides are Bronze or Silver level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified. The National Park is one of the most beautiful in Africa, and apart from being home to plentiful lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant and rhino, it is known for its diversity of habitat and wildlife, including the rare and beautiful lesser Kudu. The guides know every stunning corner, from the palm fringed springs, to the sandy beaches if the Tana river. A birders paradise, Meru boasts over 400 species, as well surprising botanical treasures including the giant baobab tree and rare paper bark Albitzia. Our guides know the territory of the Meru lions and leopards, but also in a habitat so diverse, they know the medicinal properties of the unusual plants, are keen birders, and can show you the home of the tiny naked mole rat!

ACTIVITIES

GAME DRIVES

The Elsa’s Kopje guides are based at the lodge in Meru National Park, they have the whole park to themselves, and know their backyard intimately. All the guides are Bronze or Silver level Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified.

Elsa’s Kopje has open gamedrive vehicles. The current fleet are new, specially fitted, 4×4 Toyota Landcruisers. The vehicles are unrivalled with feature enhancements specifically designed for comfort and photography – open sided with 3 rows of seats, photographic equipment stands, and charging sockets. Clients will share gamedrives unless “exclusive use of vehicle” has been prebooked at an extra charge.

The park has enormous diversity of habitat and wildlife, gamedrives will take you through forests, past giant baobab trees, through clear spring fed streams lined with palms. This is lion and elephant country, but also Meru has many rare species including caracal, the beautiful Lesser Kudu, aardwolf, and over 400 species of birds.

DAY EXCURSIONS TO THE TANA RIVER

Take a picnic lunch, and take the whole day to explore the sandy Tana River, Kenya’s longest. Rising in the highlands of Mt Kenya and travelling 704kms before emptying into the Indian Ocean.

RHINO SANCTUARY

The National Park incorporates an 84 sq km rhino sanctuary, home to over 70 rhino, both black and white. The size of the sanctuary ensures that finding the rhino is still a gamedriving challenge!

GUIDED WALK

Take the time to leave the car behind and enjoy the small things – tracks, dung beetles, naked mole rats and micro-ecosystems.

Enjoy a climb up to the very top of Mughwango Hill, enjoying a 360 degree view from snow-capped Mt Kenya in the west to the vast Meru plains to the east.

RIVER FISHING

Take your rod, afternoon tipple with some canapés and a good book, and settle on the palm lined banks of one of Meru’s many rivers. The fishing is fun, with plentiful catfish, tilapia and barbell. Share your prey with herons, monitor lizards and spectacular kingfishers.

SWIMMING POOL

Enjoy the cool waters in the heat of the day!

An infinity pool perched on the side of the hill, the views are indeed infinite! The pool has bar service.

The Private House has its own private swimming pool.

BUSH BREAKFAST & SUNDOWNERS

Take a moment to sit back, enjoy the spectacular views, the smells, the colours, and the gentle breeze.

Bush breakfasts are a chance to enjoy a full breakfast, al fresco, in the middle of the plains, surrounded by wildlife.

“Sundowners” are a safari tradition – after a day of safari; stop, watch the spectacular sunset; traditionally with a gin and tonic in hand.

MASSAGES

Safari is also a holiday and a rest – a break from today’s frenetic lifestyle.

Elsa’s Kopje offers massages for wonderful way to ease the stress out of tired shoulders and backs.

WEDDINGS AND HONEYMOONS

HONEYMOON

There is nothing more romantic than a safari! Already an unforgettable, once in a lifetime and pampered experience; safaris offer incredible sunsets, romantic tents with spectacular views, and relaxed al fresco dinners.

All the cottages at Elsa’s Kopje are outstanding suites, but we also have a “Honeymoon Suite” which can be booked especially for a honeymoon.

Being a very special holiday, we often have special offers and upgrades for honeymooners.

WEDDINGS

Over the years, Elsa’s Kopje has hosted very many beautiful weddings, blessings, and renewal of vows for our guests.

From small simple ceremonies involving merely a glass of champagne at the end of a gamedrive; to elaborate three day events, with over 20 guests taking over the whole property.

Discuss your ideas with your travel agent, or contact us for more information.

Getting there

HOW TO GET THERE

• Mughwango Airstrip (private airstrip) is a 5 min drive from the lodge; Kinna Airstrip is a 45 min drive from the lodge. Both are a 1hr flight from Wilson Airport.
• Once daily scheduled Air Kenya flight departing Nairobi Wilson to Kinna airstrip
• Private Charters from anywhere into Mughwango Airstrip
• A helicopter pad is a 1 minute drive from the lodge
• Road transfer in Elewana vehicle to/from any of Elewana’s other Northern properties or Nanyuki (travel times between 3.5 and 8 hours)
• Elsa’s Kopje features on the Elewana SkySafari Kenya Classic and Connoisseur itineraries.

LODGE & AIRSTRIP COORDINATES

• Mughwango airstrip coordinates:  N00°07.794’ E038°08.022’
• Kinna airstrip coordinates:  N00°09.905’ E038°11.715’
• Lodge coordinates:  N00°08.061’ E038°08.232’