Cottar’s Bush Villa

AREA & ACTIVITIES

Habitat & Wildlife
The Masai Mara ecosystem is one of the best game viewing areas in Africa and is especially good for viewing the big cats. Elephants, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles, giraffe, zebra, lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyaena, impala, gazelles, eland, waterbuck, topi, jackal and serval are all common and seen regularly. Rhino are found in certain areas, and wild dogs are more transient visitors. The famous wildebeest and zebra migration is usually in residence from mid-July through to mid-October, though the movement of the animals is always somewhat unpredictable. The scenery of the Masai Mara is stunning with open grassland plains intersected by rivers, rocky ridges and pockets of riverine forest. Birdlife is varied and especially good around the riverine woodland areas.

Whilst the official Masai Mara Game Reserve can be busy with tourist vehicles in places, especially at river crossings, the private Olderkesi Conservancy (which Cottar’s is on) is an exclusive enclave offering greater flexibility on activities as well as more exclusive game-viewing.

Activities
Activities with your dedicated vehicle and guide include daytime game drives into the Masai Mara Reserve (half or full day drives with picnic lunch), and walks and night drives on the Cottar’s property outside the reserve. There is also a waterfall and rock pool on the Sand River where swimming is safe and you can organise a run with a Maasai Warrior. Other activities include visiting a local Maasai village, hot air ballooning or enjoying a massage in camp (all at extra cost).

There are also a range of activities that give guests the opportunity to engage with and have an impact on local community and conservation projects, many of which are supported and operated by the Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust. These include spending time learning with the only all-female conservation unit in the Maasai Mara, learning about vulture rehabilitation, taking a foraging walk to learn about medicinal properties of the local flora, participating in a reforestation seed disbursal bushwalk experience, a half-day experience including helicopter flight with the Mara Elephant Project, a tour of the community-owned conservancy to learn about its importance, and a cheetah educational experience.

Seasons
Cottar’s Bush Villa is open all year but it is ideally best to avoid the rainy seasons in April, May and November. The wildebeest migration is usually in residence in the Mara between mid-July and mid-October.