Representing vintage safari luxury at its best, the award-winning Cottar’s 1920s Camp boasts its own 7,608-acre private conservancy and is situated just one kilometre from one of Earth’s natural wonders: the Masai Mara National Reserve and, across the border in Tanzania, contiguous Serengeti region. Run by the continent’s first and longest-running safari family owners, it embodies the original, romantic spirit of adventurous African travel.

Having been providing safaris for more than 100 years, the Cottar family focuses on providing authentic, individualised safari experiences and continuing a legacy founded on wilderness, wildlife, comfort and security, as well as honouring a balance between conservation, prosperous commerce, community and culture.

Our 1920s Camp provides the romance of safari under cream-coloured canvas tents – the bygone style of safaris’ golden age while, at the same time, supplying amenities required by modern-day travellers and professional guides whose qualifications rank among the highest in Africa.

Within Kenya, Cottar’s and their 1920’s Camp keep a very low profile, but globally – this small family-run, purpose-driven company punches way above its weight.

Travel + Leisure
  • One of The Long Run’s certified Global Ecosphere Retreats (GERs) – with only 11 around the world
  • Located in the Olderkesi Conservancy, which borders the so-called “eighth natural wonder of the world”, the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
  • Secures the Olderkesi Conservancy for wildlife use: in a community partnership, the Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust leases these 7608 acres from the local Maasai community, conserving biodiversity on the land
  • Fifth-generation family owners with more than 100 years of authentic history of arranging safaris in Africa
  • Highest standards of guiding, with two KPSGA gold-standard guides and one silver-level guide
Rooms
Nine cream-canvas tents in a 1920s style. There are four luxury double tents, three family-sized tents with an open-play layout, and two tents for honeymooners
Bathrooms
All tents are en-suite, with hot showers and flush toilets
Dinning
Both communal and private tables are available, either in the mess tent or on a lawn in front, overlooking the savannah
Extras
Swimming pool, Spa treatments, Traditional canvas-topped bush bath
Caters To
Families, single travellers or small and large groups

Supports

Activities

  • Game drives
  • Guided walks
  • Visit a Maasai warrior school
  • Traditional canvas bush bath
  • Talk on sustainability and conservation
  • Stargazing
  • Talk on Maasai culture
  • Talk on the life of a hunter-gatherer
  • Talk on history of African travel
  • Coffee-tasting experience
  • Talk on pangolins
  • Carbon footprint, recycle and upcycling talk and experience
  • Raptor talk and visit
  • Foraging and medicinal walk
  • Ecological monitoring (must be pre-arranged at least one day ahead)
  • An hour with female conservation rangers (must be pre-arranged at least two hours ahead)
  • Talk on the history of Cottar’s
  • Reforestation seedball dispersal activity
  • Educational visit to The Explorers’ Tent, showcasing the history of safari

Activities at an Additional Cost

These activities will need to be pre-arranged – please enquiry for prices:

  • A conservation helicopter flight with the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) over the Maasai Mara

  • Immersive raptor experience with The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust

  • Mara educational cheetah experience
  • Visit the local Maasai village
  • Elephant research/monitoring experience
  • Beading lesson with Mamma Nashiro Batian
  • Massage or other spa treatments
  • Hot-air balloon flight over the Maasai Mara. PLEASE NOTE: The day begins with a wake-up call at 3.30am including tea and coffee before departure to the launch site. The drive takes about 90 minutes
  • Professional photography experience – with 20% of all proceeds going towards the Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust

Safaris