Planning a trip to Meru National Park

Visitor Information -- You can contact the Kenya Wildlife Service for up-to-the-minute information about the park (www.kws.go.ke), or contact the senior warden (tel. 0164/20-613 or 0721/860-285; merupark@kws.go.ke). The park is open from 6am till 7pm; last admission through any of the gates is at 6:15pm.

Getting There -- It's a long and winding road from Nairobi to Meru National Park, and the journey will probably take several years off your life (as does most open-road travel in Kenya). AirKenya (tel. 020/60-6535; www.airkenya.com) flies to Meru from the capital each day at 9:15am; the trip takes 70 minutes and the airfare is $174 one-way. There are three airstrips within the park that can be used for charters flying into Meru.

Getting Around -- As with just about every wildlife preserve in Kenya, you'll be happier in a 4X4. This is especially true during the rainy seasons, when any other vehicle will get you stuck.

Park Fees -- Adults pay $50 and children $25. Pay in cash and carry foreign currency (sterling and euros are also accepted), or a miserable exchange rate will be applied.