Time Out Kenya guide

Angela Beitz goes on an old school-style safari to Cottar’s Caamp in the Maasai Mara, in Kenya.

The Maasai Mara is one of the most popular spots for safari in Africa and boasts the largest wildlife reserve on the continent. It’s most popularly known for the frequency of lion spotting and for the Maasai people, making it one of Africa’s most visited destinations.

If you only have a limited amount of time we suggest flying with one of the small air charters which will take about 45 minutes from Nairobi and drop you off at the Cottar’s airstrip. We won’t lie, the plane is very small and if the weather is a bit windy or rainy you will certainly feel it.

We were very happy to have touched down in the middle of nowhere to be greeted by Ken, our guide, and six Maasai Mara warriors. This was such an exceptional experience and it was hard to believe that just 45 minutes ago we had been in the heart of very busy Nairobi.

Ken was the epitome of a traditional safari guide, dressed head to toe in khaki with a wide smile – we could tell straight away we would be in for a treat. We were whisked away to a very cool safari-green, open-sided Land Cruiser and taken to the camp.

Cottar’s is an unusual camp. Beautifully furnished with an early 20th century feel complete with genuine zebra-skin rugs, four-poster beds and high canopied tents; it is quite overwhelming in terms of style and provides a special experience. The service is amazing and you will be made to feel like part of the Cottar’s family. It reminded us a little of staying in someone’s house. The hospitality was very warm and friendly.

Calvin Cottar, the son of one of the great pioneers of hunting – and subsequently photographic – safaris, is an excellent guide, not to mention a pleasant and interesting host.

If you are lucky enough to visit while he is at the camp he will no doubt regale you with tales of times gone by, and if you are interested in conservation and preservation be sure to let him know because he is a fountain of knowledge on the subject.

Cottar’s is the oldest safari company in Kenya – now in its fourth generation of ownership. Charles Cottar, who started the company, survived elephant, buffalo and three leopard attacks in his lifetime, finally succumbing in 1939, at age 66, to a deadly rhino charge. Present day Cottar’s guides don’t take nearly as many risks, but they will still provide an authentic Kenyan safari experience.

The experience
It may be a good time to warn you that a safari is not for people who don’t like to get out of bed early. Since the best times to see animals are at dawn and at dusk you will be setting off at 6am for your game drive which means being woken at 5.30am. The very special thing about Cottar’s though is that they wake you with your choice of either tea or coffee each with homemade biscuits.

This goes someway to soften the early morning blow. We headed out with Ken and Mako, who was our Maasai guide, and were shocked and wonderfully surprised to see 12 lions in the first 30 minutes. There were two males in the pride, four lionesses and six very cute and playful cubs. The adults did not seem at all phased by our visit and sat around sleeping while the cubs played and climbed trees.

We also spotted huge numbers of wildebeest, buffalo, topi and groups of zebras standing out with their black and white stripes through the trees. The zebras tend to put enough distance between themselves and their predators to make pursuit futile, and can often be seen hanging around with giraffes since their long necked friends can spot a predator from further away.

The landscape of the area is breathtaking by itself but on the morning we were out it had been raining and there were not only one, but two rainbows poking out in the distance. Cottar’s has its own 6,000 acre private conservancy and is situated one kilometre from the Maasai Mara game reserve in which we were doing our game drives. It also sits adjacent to the Serengeti National Park of Tanzania and is the perfect spot to the see the annual migration of 2.5 million animals that takes place every September.

We pulled up at a spot for breakfast (with no lions, we checked) and indulged in an absolute feast of cooked food, cereal, toast, fruit and delicious Kenyan coffee. This was a very special and tranquil experience, sitting around chatting with no other people nearby, enjoying the outdoors at its best. We continued the day with loads of sightings of giraffes towering above the trees along with impala, baboons and leopards.

There are two important ways in which Cottar’s distinguishes itself from most of the safari camps in the Mara. Firstly, it is one of the few camps where the guides eat each of their meals with their guests. This is a lovely touch because you get to know your guide very well and by the end of a few days you feel like you are part of an extended family. Secondly (and equally importantly), Cottar’s is one of the few camps that is equipped for walking safaris.

We were lucky enough to take part in such a walk with Ken and our trusty guard (who was armed with a rifle!), and it was an amazing experience. Knowing that you are walking in areas where there are wild animals nearby is exhilarating (and hearing a herd of elephants breaking down trees very close to where you are walking really keeps you on your toes). Not to mention that Mako (our Maasai guide) had driven ahead of our walk and had set up a campfire for sun-downers with the most spectacular of sunset views – all in all, a fitting end to a great day of safari. Cottar’s is a great place for those wanting a little bit of Out Of Africa and we would recommend it for a memorable and luxurious safari experience.

The area
The Mara Conservation Area surrounds the main Maasai Mara Reserve. This land is owned by different Maasai communities (although much of it falls under conservation partnership agreements with the private camp owners), and differs from the main reserve in a couple of important ways. First, the Maasai to whom this is home are allowed to use this area to graze their cattle. Second, because it lies outside the main reserve, walking in the area is allowed.

Accommodation and food
The food at Cottar’s is hearty, homemade and quite simply, delicious. You’ll have a hard time saying no to the lovely waiters who will want to feed you. They serve afternoon tea every day with coffee and cake so good you’ll almost want to forego a game drive in the name of eating all afternoon. All tents have sweeping views over the Maasai Mara where you can see life unfold on the lush grasslands and Serengeti Plain, and you may even hear or see an elephant or two at night. Cottar’s is booked on the basis where all your food and drinks are provided. The staff are lovely and you will be escorted to and from your tent in the evenings by a night watchman. A gorgeous swimming pool has just been added, which is perfect for relaxing or reading a book and looking out to nature.

Interesting facts
Cottar’s has created the Cottar’s Wildlife and Conservation Trust, which shows local people the value of tourism and encourages environmental protection through education. It supports school children, medical services and numerous community initiatives. There is low risk of malaria, as the Maasai Mara is at an altitude of 2,000 metres.

When to visit
The Maasai Mara has a great climate all year round. The days are usually warm and dry, with cool nights. The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra starts around July and usually finishes sometime towards the end of October. It is possible to see amazing wildlife throughout the year with resident lion prides and Big Five game viewing. Rains usually fall in November and again from April to June, but it’s usually during the evenings – leaving the days hot and dry.

Need to know

Getting there
Etihad flies direct to Nairobi from Dhs1,430 return (www.etihadairways.com). It is an approximately 45-minute flight from Nairobi to the Cottar’s airstrip. For more information go to www.cottars.com.