It’s well worth a visit: a trek to the summit involves some beautiful hiking through the grassland and lush forest on the mountain’s lower slopes, followed by a dramatic and exhilarating walk along the knife-edge rim of the crater horseshoe.
Like most of the mountains in this region, Meru was formed by volcanic action associated with the creation of the Great Rift Valley. The circular wall of the crater was broken by subsequent explosions, and more recent volcanic activity has created the ash cone that stands inside the crater. Small eruptions have been reported in the last 100 years, indicating that Meru is still not quite extinct.