When Africa was still a continent in the hands of European colonialism, Charles Cottar decided to change his native Oklahoma for East Africa where he moved with his family in 1912. Seven years later he was a pioneer in the creation of the then non-existent nature tourism industry, founding with his sons Mike, Bud and Ted, the safari company “Cottar’s Safari Services”. The company, which imported cars from the United States and adapted them for use as safari vehicles, offered big game and film safaris at the time.
Charles’ company gave, for example, logistical support in the early 1920s to explorers and nature documentary makers Martin and Osa Johnson. In 1924 they also worked as guides for the then Duke and Duchess of York, the future King George VI and his wife Elizabeth, during their trip to Kenya.
The family was known among the british administration for being somewhat rebellious and anti-establishment, preferring to spend long periods with the local tribes in wildest Africa. Thus, the Cottars were the first to reach unexplored areas such as Lake Paradise and were among the first to obtain images of the wildlife in those territories. In this family, it was normal to have lions, leopards, wild dogs and chimpanzees as family pets.
Charles Cottar was the pioneer who traded his native Oklahoma for a life on safari in Kenya with his family.
Wild animals were common in the family as pets.
Charles Cottar survived elephant, buffalo and three leopard attacks in his lifetime, but finally succumbed in 1939, at the age of 66, to a deadly charge of rhino in the Mara region.
The business continued in the hands of his children and grandchildren. In the early 1960s they founded the first safari-only photographic safari camp in Tsavo National Park. Mara Camp in the Masai Mara in the 1970s, Kimana Camp and Bushtops in the 1980s.
The vintage luxury of a classic camp
Located on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and just one kilometer from the Serengeti National Park, the renowned Cottar’s 1920 Safari Camp is intrinsically linked to the community and its natural surroundings. Not only does it provide travelers with exclusive and personalized safari experiences, but it also makes a significant contribution to the conservation of Kenya’s wildlife and ecosystem, protecting it from poachers and supporting the local community.
Staying in one of the ten tents at this luxury camp is a journey back in time to the essence of safaris and the golden age of the great African journeys of the early 20th century, which the Danish writer Karen Blixen masterfully recounted in her famous autobiographical novel “Memories of Africa”.
In addition to the safari camp, the exclusive Cottar’s Bush Villa, was designed by Calvin and Louise Cottar and hand-built with indigenous and eco-friendly building materials. Located at one end of the camp, its breathtaking views of the savannah plains leave no one indifferent.
The entire interior design breathes that vintage luxury characterized by cream-colored canvas tents, colonial-style furniture and handcrafted upholstery.
Commitment to sustainability and the local community
Ninety-five percent of the camp’s inorganic waste is recycled and many of the ingredients used in the dishes being cooked come directly from the camp’s organic garden. Guests are encouraged to take bush walks rather than vehicle rides, which reduces fuel consumption, as well as offering the unique experience of interacting with wildlife up close.
Cottar’s has also been a pioneer in partnering with the Maasai community to manage their land on their behalf, providing them with lease income and employment opportunities. 45% of the camp’s staff are members of the local community.
The camp offers different experiences to bring guests closer to the style and traditions of the Maasai that include, among other activities, visits to the villages and traditional markets or visit the so-called warrior school where you can learn to make fire with sticks or to shoot your own bows and arrows.
Other experiences include participating in the vulture rehabilitation program (seven of Africa’s 11 vulture species are endangered, and 90% of reported vulture deaths in Africa are due to poisoning) or walking with the only all-female ranger unit in the Masai Mara, learning about the area’s medicinal plants, foraging and tasting wild foods or participating in seed-based reforestation work.
Photos: Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp
www.elefant.com.es / elefant@elefant.com.es
Madrid – Barcelona – Bogotá
