Elsa’s Kopje

a favourite spot for lovers of Born Free

Elsa’s Kopje is located in the Meru area of northcentral Kenya.

Elsa’s Kopje is named after Elsa, the lioness raised by George and Joy Adamson and made famous in the 1960s blockbuster book and movie Born Free.

The property was built by renowned Kenyan safari characters Liz and Stefano Cheli in 1999 and was sold in 2014 to Elewana, a relatively upmarket offshoot of the mainstream Sopa brand of larger facilities.

The lodge sits high on Mughwango Hill, above George Adamson’s original campsite, before he moved to a more permanent base in the adjacent Kora Reserve. It is centred on an open-sided main building, leading out to a swimming pool area.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Elsa’s Kopje is in ten units of various descriptions, all of which are open-sided …

• Cottages : x6 : These six cottages are each of slightly different design, having been built around the various rocks and trees of the hillside.
• Honeymoon Suites : x3 : The three honeymoon suites are essentially the same, but slightly larger and in more quiet locations.
• Elsa’s House : x1 : This much larger unit has two bedroom suites, separated by a large lounge and dining room, leading out to a large private swimming pool. The whole can function completely independently of the lodge if you are looking for complete privacy.

Activities

Elsa’s Kopje provides the following guided activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the room rate …

• Vehicle safari
• Walking safari
• Bush meals
• Cultural interaction

The Meru area tends to feature relatively rarely in trips, mainly due to the marginal appeal of the place and the lack of lodge options.

The usual stay duration is 3 nights.

Seasonality

The best time to visit Meru is usually the Jun-Nov dry season, but there are good reasons to visit during other months. Arid areas such as this can be particularly interesting during the converse green season.

Getting there

Meru is usually accessed by light aircraft from Nairobi and distant safari locations like Maasai Mara and Amboseli.

The area is often combined in trips with other parts of this region such as Lewa and Samburu, with which it can be connected by road.

an unusual addition to a flying safari