Cottar’s 1920s Camp is one of The Long Run’s Global Ecosphere Retreats®. It is situated in the 7608-acre private Olderkesi Conservancy bordering the famous ‘seventh’ natural wonder of the world, the Maasai Mara in Kenya, and the Tanzania Serengeti game reserve.

They have created 23 impact activities that engage and impact. They are accessible to guests and allow staff to develop their talents. People want to travel, but they want it to be fun and engaging, but they also want it to have meaning and purpose.

95% of Cottar’s experiences are free and don’t need to be pre-booked. The only charge is when they bring in an expert from a specific project.

Some of the activities that Louise shared include:

• Foraging and medicinal walk– Letilet leads this walk. Letilet has spent his life living off the land and gathering interesting ingredients that the chef develops into a beautiful tasting experience. Guests learn of the unique natural wild food sources in the Maasai Mara, the values of biodiversity, and cultural understanding. Watch Letilet’s documentary about the life of a hunter-gatherer that has over 10 million views so far HERE.

• Immersive raptor experience– Seven of Africa’s 11 vulture species are on the edge of extinction, and poisoning is primarily to blame. Poisoning is the primary cause of vulture mortality in the Mara; these species have witnessed unprecedented declines over the last few decades. Cottars has partnered with the Kenya Birds of Prey Trust, who come to Camp and do a presentation on all the vital work they do. If a vulture or other bird is being rehabilitated, the guests can visit it. Otherwise, guests can go out for a game drive with KBOPT and learn more about how they are working to protect these keystone species and other raptors.

• Maasai Warrior School – The Maasai Warrior School showcases the cultural and work skills a Maasai warrior needs daily. Guests get an opportunity to join the Maasai team and learn the skills of a Maasai Warrior. For younger children, the Maasai Warrior School includes fire making, spear throwing, bow and arrow practice, Maasai jumping, dancing and singing, and tracking. For grown-ups, it can be the same activities or sitting down and learning the roles and responsibilities of the Maasai community through their various age groups.

• Coffee-tasting experience– Joseph, a waiter at Cottars, loves coffee, and he has developed a coffee-tasting experience where he showcases three coffees- Rwandan, Kenyan and Ethiopian using the siphon brewing method. The siphon is a visually stunning brewing method that uses vacuum filtration to push boiling water through a bed of freshly ground coffee. Thanks to a paper filter and a relatively quick extraction time, this technique creates an uncommonly nuanced and delicate cup that mesmerizes the senses. Joseph takes guests through the history of coffee in East Africa whilst comparing the different tastes and aromas.

• Learning with female conservation rangers– For one hour, guests can join and support the only all-female ranger unit in the Maasai Mara and learn about the vital conservation, community, and cultural initiatives they work on. Guests also participate in daily patrolling, de-snaring, wildlife counting, and liaison with the Maasai community when appropriate.

• Kids Entomology Safari –Children from 5 years and above soon become immersed in this captivating outdoor classroom, where the guide and tracker become the teachers, and learning about the importance of conservation is not only educational but also great fun. A safari with children is exceptional, whether learning the art of patience, identifying animals, or becoming friends with a Maasai warrior. Learn more HERE.

Other activities at Cottars include– the Stargazing Experience, Carbon footprint, recycling and upcycle talk, reforestation seed ball dispersal, and many more. Please read more about the activities HERE.

About the Global Ecosphere Retreat® standard.

The Long Run’s members join as Fellow Members and embark on a supported, bespoke journey to work towards the Global Ecosphere Retreat® (GER®) standard. This standard is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and only awarded to organisations that demonstrate a holistic balance of conservation, community, culture, and commerce (the 4Cs).

GER® is considered ‘one of the world’s best standards for privately protected areas’ (Dr Jeff A. Langholz). It is ultimately for those nature-based tourism businesses that are exceptionally motivated to be a force for the greater good and are the best of the best in sustainable tourism.

The GER® standard is unparalleled by any other standard in that it:

• rigorously covers all conservation, community, culture, and commerce aspects of sustainability in tourism with equal weight.
• is not merely about compliance but is a vehicle to support nature-based tourism businesses in their journey of continuous improvement.
• is not only about businesses mitigating their negative environmental impact, but about positively impacting the well-being of the planet and the people.
• is earned rather than granted following a highly rigorous assessment by accomplished experts and professionals.
• requires businesses to own, directly manage, or influence a significant landscape or seascape making GER® specialist and committed to driving meaningful change.
• requires businesses to be commercially profitable or commit to attaining commercial viability, demonstrating that conserving nature is an economic imperative beyond the ethical arguments of posterity.

Once a property achieves GER® status, it is granted for six years with a compulsory mid-term (three year) review to ensure compliance and review where needed. To find out more, please contact The Long Run team.