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At a glance

  • Vintage luxury at its best, with antique furnishings and butler-delivered silver service
  • One of the first camps to see the herds of the Great Migration arrive and one of the last to see them leave
  • Highest number of Gold Level KPSGA safari guides in Kenya
  • Run by the oldest established safari family in Africa
  • One of only ten accredited Global Ecosphere Retreats in the world

Overview

Located in the 7,000-acre Olderkesi Conservancy bordering the Masai Mara, this classic camp harks back to the safari spirit of the 1920s and is brimming with charm and a sense of adventure. Canvas tents are swathed in white cotton, with four-poster beds and old gramophones on the side. And when you’re not out on game drives, you can soak in a bathtub outside of your room drinking vintage champagne from cut-crystal coupes while listening to jazz vinyls.

When to visit

  • January
    27ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    55mm
    Average Rainfall
    January is the height of the summer period and falls into the short dry season. It's an excellent time to visit pretty much all of Kenya’s parks and reserves, with warm temperatures and short grasses making for excellent game viewing, and opportunities to spot newborn animals and hungry predators circling with intent. Birdwatching is spectacular with many migratory species present. Although days are hot, evenings and early mornings can be cool in the Mara and layers are recommended.
  • February
    27ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    42mm
    Average Rainfall
    February is well into the short dry season with hot, dry and clear days with just the odd shower. Temperatures are also largely determined by altitude. Overall, February is an excellent time to visit pretty much all of Kenya’s parks and reserves, with warm temperatures and short grasses making for excellent game viewing, and opportunities to spot newborn animals and hungry predators circling with intent. Birdwatching is spectacular with many migratory species present. Although days are hot, evenings and early mornings can be cool in the Mara and layers are recommended.
  • March
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    11ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    95mm
    Average Rainfall
    For most of March, days are warm and dry, however Kenya is approaching the 'long rains' so more rainfall should be expected. Temperatures are also largely determined by altitude. March is an excellent time to visit pretty much all of Kenya’s parks and reserves, with warm temperatures and short grasses making for excellent game viewing, plus opportunities to spot newborn and infant animals. Birdwatching is spectacular with many migratory species present. Although days are hot, evenings and early mornings can be cool in the Masai Mara, so layers are recommended.
  • April
    ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    mm
    Average Rainfall
    April heralds the start of the green season and the beginning of the 'long rains', which bring an explosion of greenery and a drop in temperatures. Days are still warm but evenings are cool, so layers are recommended. The increased rainfall results in more water sources, which combined with thicker vegetation makes wildlife viewing more challenging. However, with careful planning this is still an excellent time to visit: the landscape is lush and bright and there is hardly anyone else around. It's an especially good time for photographers to visit thanks to the vivid colours, dramatic skies and excellent air clarity. Some lodges and camps close during the long rains, and there are more mosquitoes about.
  • May
    27ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    11ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    120mm
    Average Rainfall
    May is characterised by the long rains, when vegetation is thick and tracks into the park become very muddy. Days are warm and wet, with cool evenings necessitating layers. The increased rainfall results in more water sources, which combined with thicker vegetation makes wildlife viewing more challenging. However, with careful planning this is still an excellent time to visit: the landscape is lush and bright and there is hardly anyone else around. It's an especially good time for photographers to visit thanks to the vivid colours, dramatic skies and excellent air clarity. Some lodges and camps close during the long rains, and there are more mosquitoes about.
  • June
    26ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    20mm
    Average Rainfall
    Dry weather for the most part returns to Kenya in June, though there may still be some light showers. Days are clear and sunny with low humidity and evenings can be cool, with layers recommended. The grasses and vegetation are still verdant after the rains making some wildlife viewing a bit more difficult, but as water sources start to dissipate, animals start to congregate around rivers and permanent waterholes, making them easier to spot.
  • July
    26ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    20mm
    Average Rainfall
    Winter continues through July with warm, dry days and very little rain. Nights and early mornings can be very chilly, especially in the Mara, which sits at a higher altitude. Add in the wind chill from an open safari vehicle and it's well worth bringing layers on both morning and evening game drives. The good news is that shrinking water sources and thinning vegetation make wildlife viewing easier. Plus July sees the first herds of the Great Migration arrive in the Mara from Tanzania, followed by a host of predators in pursuit. This is also the time to witness the migration's famous river crossings, with enormous Nile crocodiles lying in wait for the wildebeest and zebra.
  • August
    27ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    25mm
    Average Rainfall
    August is the last month of winter in Kenya. Days are pleasantly warm with very little rain, though nights and early mornings can be very chilly, especially in the Mara due to its higher altitudes. Add in the wind chill from an open safari vehicle and it's well worth bringing layers on both morning and evening game drives. By August, most of the Great Migration herds have settled into grazing on the plains of the Masai Mara. It's a wonderful time to watch predators in action, though you still may catch the odd river crossing too.
  • September
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    30mm
    Average Rainfall
    Temperatures start to increase as Kenya moves out of its winter. Days are warm and clear with little chance of rain, though nights and early mornings can still be quite chilly, especially in the Mara due to its higher altitudes. Add in the wind chill from an open safari vehicle and it's well worth bringing layers on both morning and evening game drives. The Great Migration herds remain massed on the plains, with hungry predators keeping watch for easy targets.
  • October
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    11ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    35mm
    Average Rainfall
    October is the last month in the dry season before the short rains start in November. Temperatures are on the rise, days are warm and clear with little chance of rain, though nights and early mornings can still be quite chilly, especially in the Mara due to its higher altitudes. Add in the wind chill from an open safari vehicle and it's worth bringing layers on both morning and evening game drives. The migrating herds start to head south around now, once again braving the crocodile-infested Mara and Talek Rivers. Excellent resident populations of wildlife remain, though, and the drier conditions and limited water sources make for excellent game viewing.
  • November
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    11ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    105mm
    Average Rainfall
    November sees the start of the short rains, bringing with it a return to green and lush landscapes. Wildlife viewing becomes a bit more challenging with the thickening of vegetation and more surface water, but there are lots of newborn animals about to compensate for that. The birdlife is brilliant with many migrant species present. The majority of the migrating herds have headed back across the border to Tanzania, but the Mara's resident wildlife ensure there's still plenty to get excited about. Days are hot with cooler evenings and mornings.
  • December
    ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    mm
    Average Rainfall
    By December the short rains have ended for the most part and the country tends to be sunny and dry, with lush landscapes following the short rains in November. Early mornings are still chilly, days are hot and humid and evenings are warm. Wildlife viewing is a bit challenging due to the thicker vegetation, but the birdlife is brilliant with many migrant species present.

Location

Cottar's 1920s Camp is located on the Olderkesi Conservancy, in the far south-eastern part of the Mara. As such it's one of the first camps to see the great wildebeest migration coming in and the last to see the herds heading back to the Serengeti. There are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi-Wilson Airport to the Masai Mara. The flight takes approximately 45 minutes. The camp is 10 minutes from Cottar’s private airstrip or 90 minutes from Keekorok Airstrip. Private charters can also be arranged. Cottar’s 1920s can also be accessed by road from Nairobi, which takes approximately 5-6 hours.