Responsible Travel

If you are conservation and community minded, we would be honoured to provide a luxurious, yet authentic and ethical safari journey.

“No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced” – David Attenborough

“Realize that everything connects to everything else” – Leonardo da Vinci

We achieve this in 4 ways

Conservation & Community

For us, sustainable conservation is anchored in the land.

We donate 20% of our yearly net profits to securing critical wildlife corridors and biodiversity in the Olderkesi area of Kenya that in turn supports the local community. The Olderkesi Conservancy protects a crucial and fragile wildlife migratory corridor adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust (CWCT) partners with the local Maasai community to protect land dedicated to wildlife and wilderness. Called the Olderkesi Conservancy, this 7,608-acre area borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve and is a critical migration corridor for elephants and other wildlife.

Partnerships and Engagement

Cottar’s Safari Services will only recommend a lodge, camp, villa or hotel that has been screened personally by us and yields some significant value to conservation, community or culture.

Profits from your safari will finance ecosystem services (land, conservation, wildlife), and more. The funds also support the only all-female ranger unit in the Maasai Mara; a school of 400 primary students and local community employment, which contribute to a more sustainable, inclusive development pathway for the Olderkesi Maasai community.

We have an ongoing partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation and are also a member of The Long Run, one of only nine Global Ecosphere Retreats in the world, which enables us to share with, learn from, and grow alongside other global, like-minded organisations.

Our Responsibility

We tread lightly and make an impactful contribution to the many wonderful destinations where we operate.

You can rest easy knowing that as you explore East Africa, you do so with a fresh and positive approach to sustainability. For us, as we hope it is for you, it’s about worth to the planet.

Why Travel With Us?

Choosing to come on safari with Cottar’s Safari Services means that your travel directly benefits the local people, wildlife and wild spaces. We firmly believe that tourism, practised properly, can be a driving force in conservation and this belief dominates our trade practices. We also believe in the power of business to empower people in Africa and when you come on safari with us, you are supporting these efforts.

Cottar’s Safari Services is a fifth generational family business that curates tailor-made, sustainable luxury safaris in East Africa. We donate 20% of our yearly net profits to securing critical wildlife corridors and biodiversity in the Olderkesi area of Kenya that in turn supports the local community. The Olderkesi Conservancy protects a crucial and fragile wildlife migratory corridor adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. If you are conservation and community-minded, or are interested in learning and understanding more about the 4Cs (conservation, community, culture and commerce), then we are the perfect team to guide you on an impactful journey throughout East Africa.

Our motivation goes far deeper than simply providing places to stay; we only recommend destinations and safari properties that meaningfully support conservation, community or cultural projects. We have screened some 100 lodges, camps and villas in East Africa based upon a set of strict criteria that proves those three tiers are being adhered to. For us, as we hope it is for you, it is about worth to the planet and engaging experiences. If we can make you happy on an exceptional, life-changing safari, while keeping the natural world safe, then we’re one step forward in our effort for regenerative travel. We aim to ensure that guests who travel with Cottar’s Safari Services return home with a greater understanding of the conservation and community work that their safari contributed to.

We would be honoured to provide a luxurious, yet authentic and ethical safari journey for you. Let’s work together to make travel and tourism take responsibility, and help to protect the wildlife and wild spaces that we are all here to enjoy. Think about the power a future booking could have in helping rehabilitate an area – when seeking value for money, also think of values for money.

Our expert safari curators are on hand to understand your interests and provide start to finish personalized safari itineraries, advice and professional guiding services. Cottar’s Safari Services uses immersive safari properties, wildlife-rich locations and partnerships with local experts and organizations to provide one-of-a-kind life-changing journeys. We hope that we will have the opportunity to work with you to deliver a seamless, educational and responsible travel experience.

Travel with Purpose

Cottar’s Safari Services operates under the guidelines of The Long Run’s 4Cs: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce
We donate 20% of our yearly net profits to securing critical wildlife corridors and biodiversity in the Olderkesi area of Kenya that in turn supports the local community
Each safari booked with Cottar’s Safari Services directly contributes to at least one of the 4Cs
We have a low-volume, high-impact policy for both Cottar’s Safari Services as a company, and for the choices, we make when creating itineraries for you
We have rigorously vetted the 100+ properties we include in itineraries to ensure that they are also directly contributing to the 4Cs
Established in 1919, we have 100+ years of experience operating safaris throughout East Africa
Our seasoned safari experts based on the ground in Kenya support you every step of the way from initial inquiry to final departure
We provide our guests with personalized and tailor-made, professionally guided, sustainable luxury safaris
We provide 24-hour backup and support while you are travelling throughout Africa