Overview
The Mara in private
Cottar’s Bush Villa, set in a 3,000-hectare private conservancy in southeast Mara, is a completely private residence with the same high standards of luxury and committed to conservation and the local community as its sister camp.
It’s airy and contemporary yet very much of its place, built by hand using indigenous and eco-friendly materials and with breathtaking view onto the savannah plains. Over 900 square metres of living space include five large bedrooms for groups of up 12, lounge, viewing deck and dining spaces as well as a fabulous swimming pool.
You’ll be greeted by a dedicated and discrete staff of eight, private guides and game drive vehicles, and an abundance of wildlife.
Facts
At a glance
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Five bedrooms
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Swimming pool
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Expansive living spaces
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Private game drive vehicles
Experiences
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![Cottars Camp 1920 Masaai Mara safari 32]()
Day and night game drives
Visit both the Masai Mara National Reserve and the OlderKesi Conservancy. You can do either morning, evening or day-long game drives, searching for the Mara’s iconic wildlife.
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![Cottar pangolin]()
Guided walks
Walks are led by a professional guide and accompanied by a licensed gun bearer. Bush walks can start from camp or can be a part of a game drive, giving you the chance to view the unique ecosystem from a completely different perspective.
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![Cottars Camp 1920 Masaai Mara safari 1]()
Life of a hunter-gatherer
A journey into the vanishing world of Letilet the Maasai/Il-Torobo hunter-gatherer tribe. Spend a few hours roaming the surrounding bush and savannah with Letilet and let him take you into his world of wonder, listen and learn from him about multiple facets of Il Torobo and Maasai traditions and everyday life.
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![Cottars Camp 1920 Masaai Mara safari 5]()
Conservation and community tour
Join the conservancy rangers on a patrol over the beautiful Olentoroto Hill, meet the local community and have lunch with the conservancy managers, all to get a deeper understanding of this community-based conservancy.
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![Cottars Bush Villa10]()
Maasai Warrior School
Children and families are invited to learn the ways of a warrior with the African bush as your classroom. A session includes spear throwing, bow and arrow practice, Maasai jumping, dancing, singing, beading and tracking.
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![Cottars Bush Villa7]()
Sustainability tour
A short walk around camp visiting the 4Cs centre and back of house, including the veg garden, solar power set and other sustainability initiatives.
Community & Culture
Cottar's maintains close ties to neighbouring communities and is keen to address the challenges they face. Through the Cottar's Wildlife Conservation Trust (CWCT) the Camp has for many years actively supported the Maasai community’s struggle to obtain land tenure which has been one of the main impediments to community development in South East Mara. Without land tenure, communities are essentially squatters on the land and therefore have no claim or decision-making power with regards to its use.
Cottar's business model aims to balances out its commercial needs with its responsibilities to neighbouring communities. It always re-invests in the community through bursaries, training, providing medical care and by offering employment. More than 40% of employees are from the Maasai community, and they are actively encouraged to show off their culture by wearing traditional dress and selling handicrafts.
Conservation
Non-profit organization The Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust works to conserve important wildlife corridors in and around the Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Reserves. One of the ways it does this is by leasing land from the Maasai community. The trust also helps to protect biodiversity by teaching these nearby communities about conservation.
Vultures are an important part of the ecosystem, and the Raptor Rehabilitation Centre helps to treat these threatened birds who are often poisoned. Among the first to respond in such cases is Olderkesi conservancy. Their conservation work goes even further, with the women’s groups of the conservancy running a 100-hive bee project that both supports conservation efforts and generates income.
Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
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Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
What makes us different
Why Niarra
Niarra Travel is a forward-thinking travel company headquartered in London born out of a passion to do things differently.
In Swahili, a Bantu language spoken by millions in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, the name Niara means "with utmost purpose" and our team are united by a passion for exploration and a belief that the right kind of travel can make the world a better place.
Our Travel Researchers are here to create incredible trips with a positive impact for you.
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Unforgettable experiences
Creating your trip is entirely collaborative and our Travel Researchers are here for every step.
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Positive impact
Curated sustainable experiences and accommodation that maximize the benefits to local people and place.
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Fairness and transparency
An open, competitive pricing structure that ensures more money goes to where it's needed in the destination.
