Owners, Managers and Guides

COTTARS 1920'S SAFARI CAMP, Masai Mara

Calvin Cottar – Owner

• The longest established safari outfitting company in Africa, registered in British East Africa in the year 1919 by Chas Cottar and operated by him and his sons, Bud, Mike and Ted during the 20's, 30's and 40's thence by Mike's son Glen and his wife, Pat in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's and by Glen's son Calvin and his wife Louise in the 90's and 2000's.
• Calvin, a fourth generation Kenyan grew up in the bush, gaining experience with wildlife from Glen, his father and Bajila, his father's tracker. From the age of 15, Calvin began guiding clients on game drives and walks from the family camp in the Mara. Calvin went on to Tanzania as a professional hunter, returning to Kenya after 5 years to set up a wildlife management company that offered services to landowners.
• In 1993,Calvin joined the Kenya Wildlife Service in the community development department, and initiated five district wildlife associations to help landowners acquire user rights of their wildlife. In July 1995, Calvin rejoined the family company to initiate the 1920's project.
• Calvin has been voted the best Guide in Kenya. Calvin has passed his silver-level KPSGA exam and has also been awarded a position as Honorary Warden for the Kenya Wildlife Service.
  GUIDES

Calvin Cottar

• Calvin, a fourth generation Kenyan, grew up in the bush, gaining experience with wildlife from his father Glen and Bajila his father's tracker. From the age of 15, Calvin began guiding clients on game drives and walks from the family camp in the Mara.
• Calvin has been voted the best Guide in Kenya. Calvin has passed his silver-level KPSGA exam and has also been awarded a position as Honorary Warden for the Kenya Wildlife Service

Douglas Nagi (Head Guide)

• Douglas was born and brought up at Thika in Central Kenya. Enthusiastic about wildlife from the age of fourteen, he joined an Environment Club at school and visited a number of eco-systems across East Africa. He studied Wildlife Management and Guiding at Utalii College and went on to do a research project on ethno-botany and ethnography in the northern regions of Kenya with the National Museums Association.
• Douglas is a member of Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association (KPSGA), holding their Silver Level Guiding Award. He also has a certificate in astronomy, which he studied with a visiting professor from Oxford University. He is an active member of Nature Kenya, and has attended many of their birding field trips. He trained in gun-handling with the British Army in Laikipia.
• Douglas brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the camp. He is as capable leading walking safaris as game drives. His expertise in the study of plants and trees, and his knowledge of the medicinal uses of local plant species, enhance his safaris. His enthusiasm for the wildlife and his numerous stories about all species of flora and fauna ensure that all who are guided by him gain memorable insights into the land.

Isaac Tesot Rotich (Guide)

• Isaac was born in the Trans-Mara. He started working on safari as a waiter and cook, then developed an interest in birding and joined Nature Kenya, where he was able to pursue and develop this interest. He is now a Silver Level Guide, and a member of KPSGA.
• After a wealth experience in Kenya He was selected as best performing guide here, and seconded to Botswana where he worked at Chief's Camp in the famous Okavango Delta and at the Chobe Chilwero in Chobe River.
• On returning to Kenya, Isaac studied botany and ornithology. He was a guide at other Mara lodges before joining Cottar's 1920s Camp.
• Isaac's infectious passion for the wildlife of Africa, and his wide-ranging interests – football, fishing, bird watching, animal behaviour and mountain biking to name but a few – make him an informative and inspiring guide.

Simon Kinyanjui (Guide)

• Simon was born and grew up on the slopes of Mount Kenya. He is a member of KPSGA, from which he holds a Bronze Level Guiding Certificate, and has now taken his Silver Level Exams. He holds a certificate in Birds and Entomology from National Museums of Kenya. He is also a member of Nature Kenya, and holds their certificate in Ornithology.
• Simon started his career guiding safaris all over Kenya, before joining us at Cottar's 1920s Camp.
• Simon is an all-round guide, with an interest in mammals, birds and plant-life. He particularly likes nocturnal mammals such as white tailed mongooses and genet cats. During his years of guiding he has developed an interest in photography and is building up a collection of wildlife photographs. His wide experience and his enthusiasm for all species of fauna combine with his sense of humour to make all his game drives enlightening and entertaining.

Bernard Ndungu Kimani (Guide)

• Bernard was born at Karen, Nairobi. He has certificates in Culture and Zoology and Botany from Utalii College and a certificate in Ornithology from the National Museums Association. He is a member of KPSGA, from whom he holds his Bronze Level Guiding Award, and is currently working towards his Silver Level Award.
• Bernard worked at lodges around Kenya and guided mobile safaris in diverse regions of Kenya. Bernard was a freelance guide, working for numerous camps around Kenya, before joining Cottar's 1920s Camp.
• Bernard's special interest in birds and plants makes him an informative and interesting guide and anyone who walks or drives with him will return to camp with a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Kibet Ropkoy (Senior Guide)

• Kibet has been guiding with the Cottar family for two generations.
• Kibet was a driver for Cottars Hunters in the 1960s, on safaris that travelled the length and breadth of Kenya. During this time, he tracked with Calvin's father, Glen Cottar, and guided a number of Glen's hunting safaris. In 1963, Glen was severely mauled by an injured buffalo during a hunt. The buffalo, injured and enraged, smashed Glen against the ground with his horns and stamped on his legs. Kibet distracted the angered buffalo, bravely drawing it towards himself, while Glen was helped into a tree.
• In the '70s Kibet guided for Glen at the Tsavo Camp that Glen ran with his wife Pat. In the '80s, Kibet guided Abercrombie and Kent Safaris, and later he led trips for Ker and Downey Safaris.
  Kibet became a freelance guide, leading and guiding many safaris around Kenya, before returning to work with the Cottar family at Cottars 1920s Camp.
• Kibet's lifetime of experience makes him a font of knowledge on African flora and fauna. His wealth of stories and natural instinct for finding game enrich every safari that he guides.

William Ole Siara (Guide and Community Liaison Officer)

• William is Maasai from Osupuko Oirobi. He was born and brought up in the Loita Hills.
• William holds a Bronze Level Guiding Certificate from KPSGA. He trained at Wildlife Clubs of Kenya in Nairobi in Tour Guiding and Tour Administration and has a diploma in Tourism and Wildlife Management from Moi University.
• William worked for the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya as the assistant education officer for the Western Kenya region. He went on to be a guide in Naivasha. He then worked for Friends of Conservation, in environmental governance and natural resource management, before joining Cottars 1920s Camp.
• As well as guiding, William is responsible for Cottars Wildlife Conservation Trust. The Trust supports the local Maasai in development projects of their own initiative. Further to building a school and funding bursaries and teachers, the Trust purchases medicines and finances doctors and ambulance services. It has also instigated training schemes in subjects as diverse as tourism and resource management, anti-poaching, bee keeping and livestock husbandry.
• William's local knowledge and experience in community development make him an asset to our team, and his quirky sense of humour ensures that he is remembered by all who meet him.