Mount Meru National Park is about 50 miles east of Meru (the town). The road to Mount Meru passes through pristine, partly forested, farmland on the Nyambene Hills. Of all the Kenya parks, Meru presents the widest variety of landscapes and habitats. Forest, swamp and savannah are complemented by over a dozen rivers coming from Mount Kenya's slopes and destined to reach the Tana River, which forms the park's lower boundary. A great variety of wildlife exists, some in huge quantities. All the Big Five are here, and it is great place to spot cheetah and leopard. Meru's proximity to Mount Kenya and the Nyambene Hills (which reach to 8,249 feet) ensures reasonable rainfall in the western half of the park. The eastern portion is generally dry and can be extremely hot. A visit to the Tana River will take the whole of a day and involve a descent from 2214 feet at the Meru Mulika Lodge to about 984 feet at the river. Despite the temperatures this trip is a great experience through the Kenyan Wilderness. Meru deserves to be more visited but its solitude and bio-diversity make it a certain destination for the discriminating and environmentally conscious visitor.