Unashamedly romantic and beautifully styled, Elsa’s Kopje is sculpted into Mughwango Hill, above the site of George Adamson’s original camp where he raised and released orphan lions, long before conservation became fashionable.
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.
Elsa’s Kopje & The Born Free Foundation
Elsa’s Kopje was designed and built by Stefano Cheli, and opened in 1999 by Dr Richard Leakey, and Virgina McKenna, the star of the 1960’s film “Born Free”,
and then founder of the “Born Free” foundation.
ABOUT ELSA’S KOPJE
Credited with single handedly saving this beautiful National Park which had suffered from little or no income from visitors – Before the opening of Elsa’s Kopje and subsequent income from visitors, there was talk in government of de-gazetting the park and turning the well-watered fertile land into rice plantations.
THE BORN FREE FOUNDATION
The Born Free Foundation – an international wildlife charity devoted to preserving our animal species across the globe and preventing extinction through careful and considered conservation and education – has had and is continuing to have a significant impact on the way the world cares for its animals.
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 AND 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 & Honeymoons
HONEYMOONS
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.
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.
Rates & Seasons 2023
| ALL RATES ARE PER ROOM IN U.S. DOLLARS | 1ST JUL – 31ST OCT 20TH DEC – 3RD JAN | 4TH JAN – 31ST MAR 1ST JUN – 30TH JUN 1ST NOV – 19TH DEC | 1ST APRIL – 31ST MAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROOM | HIGH SEASON | MID SEASON | GREEN SEASON | |
| Safari Cottage Full Board | Double / Twin | 1,258 | 938 | 612 |
| Single | 944 | 704 | 458 | |
| Honeymoon Cottage | 1,478 | 1,103 | 719 | |
| Family Cottage | 2,218 | 1,680 | 1,155 | |
| Private House | 2,856 | 2,205 | 1,470 | |
| Safari Cottage Game Package | Double / Twin | 1,632 | 1,290 | 962 |
| Single | 1,225 | 967 | 721 | |
| Honeymoon Cottage | 2,449 | 1,934 | 1,443 | |
| Family Cottage | 2,918 | 2,336 | 1,811 | |
| Private House | 3,556 | 2,861 | 2,126 | |
Full Board (FB) Includes:
- Accommodation, all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), soft drinks, beer, house wines and selected spirits, teas, coffees and refreshments (on the property), and laundry services. The rates exclude champagne, private cellar wines and premium spirits.
Game Package (GP) Includes:
- Full-board package, scheduled and shared game drives, activities including guided walking safari, bush sundowners, transfers to and from our designated airstrips. The game package excludes champagne, private cellar wines and premium spirits.
| APPLICABLE FEES, LEVIES AND/OR TAXES TO BE ADDED | ADULT | CHILD |
|---|---|---|
| (Mandatory and Non-Commissionable, Per Person, Per Night) | ||
| Meru National Park Fee | 52 | 35 |
| MAXIMUM ROOM OCCUPANCY | NUMBER OF GUESTS |
|---|---|
| Safari Cottage | 2 Adults and 1 Child |
| Honeymoon Cottage | 3 Adults |
| Private House | 4 Adults |
| Family Cottage | 5 Adults |
| ACTIVITIES, EXCURSIONS AND EXTRAS (PER PERSON, NET RATES) | ADULT RATE | CHILD RATE (<18) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared, Scheduled Game Drives (Included in Game Package Rates) | 105 | 105 |
| Sundowners (Included in Game Package, Min 2 Guests) | 68 | 42 |
| Fishing, Catch & Release (Included in Game Package) | 68 | 37 |
| Bush Breakfast (Included in Game Package, Min 2 Guests) | 68 | 42 |
| Exclusive use of a Safari Vehicle with Driver Guide | 440 | |
| Yoga Amenities Pack (Bookings made for Yoga Retreats only) | 95 | — |
| Extra Lunch at Property | 47 | 42 |
| Picnic Lunch Box | 32 | 32 |
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’
About Meru National Park
Meru National Park covers 1800 sq kms, and is the core of an ecosystem that includes Kora, Bisandi, North Kitui and Rahole Reserves, an additional over 5000 sq kms of wilderness.
Elsa’s Kopje is in the heart of the park, on small rocky Mughwango hill that affords 360 degree views that stretch from the 17,000 foot peak of Mt Kenya to the east, to virtually infinity to the east. Below the hill is the site of George Adamson’s camp, and the hill was the playground of Elsa the lion. There is a fertile spring to the east of the hill and guests can watch vast herds of elephant, buffalo and giraffe make their way across the plains below. Elsa’s Kopje is one of only two lodges in the National Park, and so guests will have this vast wilderness practically to themselves.
The park was made famous in the 1960s by Joy & George Adamson, who reintroduced their beloved lioness “Elsa” into the wild in Meru National Park. They wrote a book about their experience which was made into a feature film “Born Free” starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers – a ground breaking movie; the first to depict wild animals as endearing creatures, whose plight the audience could sympathize with. George Adamson continued to work with lions, living to the south of Meru National Park, until his death in 1989. Both Joy Adamson, and Elsa the lioness, are buried in Meru National Park.
The park has enormous diversity of habitat and wildlife, from cool forests at 3400 ft to the west, dropping down to 1000 ft semi-desert plains with giant baobab and commiphora trees. It has thirteen clear spring fed rivers lined with palms and riverine forest, and home to basking hippo. 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.
The park also has an 84 sq km rhino sanctuary housing over 60 black and white rhino. The area is so large that finding the rhino can still be a gamedriving challenge.
Climate
The days are warm, rising to maximum of 30 deg C, but comfortable with minimum humidity, and the evenings are cool. Rainfall is mostly in April and May with an average of 350mm per year.
Community & Conservation
GET INVOLVED
In the 1980′s and 90′s, poachers slaughtered many of the elephants in Meru National Park and rhinos were completely eradicated from the area. The park’s infrastructure was deadened with a horrendous blow to conservation.
SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH AND AFRICA
Sir David Frederick Attenborough’s incredible coverage of nature and especially nature in Africa on the BBC as well as his own literary work has marked an illustrious career. Over many years, Attenborough has increased awareness and interest about the planet’s rarest animals, plants, and natural phenomena.
Elewana Elsa’s Kopje celebrated its 20th Anniversary at the beginning of July with a very special guest of honour, Virginia McKenna who joined guests for a number of special events that took place from the 3rd to 6th July 2019.
The camp is named after Elsa, the lioness upon who the film Born Free was based, and is located on the Mughwango Hill (Kopje) above the site of the original campsite where Joy and George Adamson raised Elsa the lioness. Virginia continues to work tirelessly on campaigns through the Born Free charity that she founded, including ongoing conservation projects in Meru National Park.
James Haigh, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Elewana Collection comments “We feel extremely privileged that Virginia joined us at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Virginia was the guest of honour at the opening of the property 20 years ago, so it is very fitting that she joins us this year. We also celebrated the hard work that has been invested by staff and guests at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje. With over 20 years in conservation, sustainability and helping the surrounding communities, it is testament to this work that Elsa’s and the surrounding area has thrived over the last 20 years”.
Born Free is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilderness of Kenya. Born Free, and its musical score by John Barry, won numerous awards.
Virginia & Bill in the movie – Born Free
Virginia with little Elsa in the movie
Virginia with the grown Elsa in the movie
The Born Free movie poster
Virginia’s letter at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje in 2019
Virginia’s opening letter at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje in 1999
Some of the highlights from the three days included guests being treated to a special sundowner on George’s Rock, where George Adamson often took Elsa the lioness for her afternoon walk. As the sun set it was time to head back to camp, where Virginia gave a presentation and spoke about her role in the Born Free movie and how it led to the Born Free Foundation. The evening ended with dinner under the stars and the sounds of the African bush. On the second day, guests had an opportunity to speak with Virginia, while enjoying morning tea and a chance to get their Born Free books signed then in the evening guests were able to watch the film Born Free, which is credited with popularising the concept of animal conservation. The last day started with an early morning game drive followed by a special bush breakfast near the grave of Elsa. Later in the afternoon, everyone went down to the site of George’s old camp below the kopje and Virginia retold stories from long ago. The chefs had made a lovely 20th Anniversary cake, and after dinner all the staff trouped out onto the lawn singing Happy Birthday! The cake was presented to Virginia to cut, and then shared among guests and staff alike. Many of the staff have been at Elsa’s Kopje since the beginning and remember Virginia McKenna from the launch in July 1999.
It was an exceptional few days remembering some of the key mile stones in Meru’s history and enjoying the beauty this incredible area has to offer. Everyone left with memories that they will treasure for many years to come, having shared a very special moment in history with us.
Elewana Elsa’s Kopje is the only permanent lodge in the area where guests can easily enjoy the 215,000 acre Meru National Park and rhino sanctuary, well known for large elephant herds, lion and birdlife and a huge diversity of species, pretty much to themselves. Heralded as one of Africa’s most iconic and elegant lodges, every room is unique in design but all enjoy the breath-taking vistas that reach as far as Mount Kenya, the Nyambeni Hills and the Eastern Plains. Six spacious cottages, one family cottage, three honeymoon cottages and a private house compliment a magnificent bar and dining area, along with an infinity pool and massage cottage, both with spectacular outlooks over the surrounding park.
An Evening with Virginia Mckenna
Virginia talks about what it was like to play Joy Adamson in the 1966 film – Born Free, The Born Free Foundation, Meru being her second home, the strong spirit of Elsa the lioness that lives on here and our natural environment.
Interview with George – The General Manager
PR Highlights
www.elewanacollection.com
www.luxuriousmagazine.com
Virginia McKenna to join Guests for 20th anniversary of Elsa’s Kopje in Meru National Park
www.bornfree.org.uk
