The Cottar’s have engaged in the original spirit of the bygone explorer to create a luxury camp in an undisturbed corner of the Maasai Mara. The family looks back on a long tradition: carrying out its first safari in 1920, the Cottar’s is the oldest established safari business in Kenya.

Strewn across an extensive site, the eleven exceedingly spacious tents offer plenty of privacy. There are six standard tents, a large honeymoon tent and four family tents, which comprise two en-suite bedrooms with a common lounge/living area and open fireplace. All tents come with a walk-in closet and a veranda with seating.

The central hub at Cottar’s comprises two main tents with lounge and dining area, and a large pool with fantastic views to the front. The camp’s location on the slope of a hill means spectacular views over the savannah.

Cottar's Bush Villa is ideal for a family or group of friends. The private villa boasts five en-suite bedrooms, a living room, dining room, a large viewing platform and a 25 m swimming pool. The villa comes with its own team and private vehicle/guide.

Most guests fly with a small aircraft from Nairobi Wilson to the Keekorok Airstrip. From here, it is a 1.5-hour drive to the camp. The flight time from Nairobi Wilson is approximately 45 minutes. Alternatively, a plane can be privately chartered to a fly to Cottar's Airstrip, which reduces the drive to camp to just 10 minutes.

The Maasai Mara abuts the Serengeti to the north to form the border with Tanzania. The reserve covers an area of approx. 1'510 km² and receives water via the Sand River, the Talek River and, of course, the Mara River.

Cottar's 1920 Camp is situated within the private 28 km² Olderikesi Conservancy, which lies on the south eastern border of the Maasai Mara. The area is very private and remote and there are hardly any other game drive vehicles in this corner of the Maasai Mara. Cottar's can also arrange excursions to witness the River Crossings in the Maasai Mara during the season. This activity is organised as a full-day excursion.

The Maasai Mara is home to one of the highest concentrations of big cat in Africa and more than 50 species of raptor. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, buffalo and elephant are high on the must-see list of most visitors here, and it is indeed the most likely place to get a snapshot of all of them.

Additionally, July sees the arrival of the first ca. two million wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s gazelle that migrate from the Serengeti to feast on the fresh green grass of the Maasai Mara. They remain until September, when they make their way south again towards the Serengeti. The animals traverse the Mara River, where hungry crocodiles lie in wait for their prey, a spectacle known as ‘river crossings’.

Game drives, night drives (in the private conservancy only), bush walks, bush picnics, visit to a local village, fishing, massage & spa, pool.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51