Olderkesi Conservancy: The 2027 Guide To The Mara's Quietest Corner
Olderkesi Conservancy at a glance
Olderkesi is a community conservancy of about 7,600 acres in the far south-east of the Mara, between the reserve, the Loita Hills and Tanzania’s Serengeti. It has just two camps, both run by Cottar’s. Night drives, walks and off-road driving are allowed. Packages start from KES 624,735.
Olderkesi Conservancy covers about 7,600 acres in the south-eastern corner of the Mara ecosystem, roughly 1 km from the national reserve boundary and right up against the Tanzanian border. There are only two places to stay: Cottar’s 1920s Camp and Cottar’s Bush Villa. On most morning drives here you will not see another vehicle. Conservancy fees are added to the camp rate, and our 2027 packages run from KES 624,735 (USD 4,830) to KES 1,229,040 (USD 9,505) per person.
Olderkesi Safari Costs (2027)
2027 Package Rates (Per Person Sharing)
Olderkesi has no budget or mid-range camps. Both places to stay are at the top end, so every package here is a luxury one. Prices are per person, two sharing.
Package | Camps | Regular season | Peak season (Jul to Oct) |
4 days fly-in (3 nights) | KES 760,500 (USD 5,880) | KES 1,073,040 (USD 8,300) | |
4 days fly-in, green season (Apr to May) | Cottar’s 1920s Camp | KES 624,735 (USD 4,830) | Not applicable |
5 days (4 nights) | Lake Naivasha lodge, then Cottar’s 1920s Camp | KES 916,500 (USD 7,090) | KES 1,229,040 (USD 9,505) |
Private villa | Cottar’s Bush Villa, exclusive use |
USD figures are worked out at about KES 129 to the dollar. The Olderkesi conservancy fee is about USD 80 to 100 per adult a day, depending on season.
What Is Covered
- Accommodation and all meals
- House wines, beers, soft drinks and select spirits at Cottar’s
- Game drives, night drives and walking safaris in the conservancy
- Conservancy fees for every night you stay
- Masai Mara park fees for the days you drive into the reserve
- Scheduled flights between Nairobi and the Mara, with the transfer to camp
- Laundry
What Is Excluded
- Kenya eTA (USD 34)
- Tips for safari guides and camp staff (USD 15 to 20 a day)
- Premium imported champagne and cellar wines
- Hot air balloon flights over the Mara plains (USD 550)
- International flights to and from Nairobi
The 5-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi To Lake Naivasha
We collect you from your Nairobi hotel in the morning and drive about two hours down into the Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha. Lunch at the lodge, then an afternoon boat trip on the lake with hippos, fish eagles and pelicans. Overnight by the water. More on this lake on our Mara and Naivasha page.
Day 2: Naivasha To Olderkesi
An early walk in Hell’s Gate or on Crescent Island, then a light aircraft to Keekorok Airstrip in the south of the Mara. From Keekorok it is a 1.5 to 2-hour game drive to camp, so the first game drive of the trip starts on the transfer. You reach Cottar’s in time for a sundowner.
Days 3 To 4: Full Days In The Conservancy
These are the days the trip is built for. Morning drives with nobody else around, a walk with an armed ranger, a full day in the reserve if the herds are close, and night drives after dinner. Your guide plans each day around what you most want to see.
Day 5: Departure
A last morning drive or a bush bath, breakfast, then the drive back to Keekorok for the flight to Nairobi Wilson.
Want it without the lake? The 4-day fly-in goes straight from Nairobi to the Mara. Read the full camp review on our Cottar’s 1920s Camp page.
The Conservancy
Conservancy Rule | Olderkesi |
Size | About 7,600 acres |
Camps | Two: Cottar’s 1920s Camp (11 tents) and Cottar’s Bush Villa |
Landowners | The Olderkesi community, roughly 6,000 members, leases the land through a community trust |
Set up | The community trust was formed in 2013 with Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust |
Neighbours | Masai Mara National Reserve, the Loita Hills and the Serengeti |
Off-roading | Allowed, with care |
Night drives and walks | Allowed |
Why This Corner Is Different
Olderkesi sits between the reserve and the Loita Hills, in the most remote and least visited part of the Mara. The nearest town is hours away and there is no phone signal for much of the drive in. The country is hilly, cut by drainage lines full of riverine forest, and the grass grows tall here in a way it does not where cattle still graze.
The busier conservancies have more camps. Naboisho has nine. Olderkesi has two, and that difference is what you feel on every drive. Compare it with Olare Motorogi, Naboisho and Mara North on our conservancies guide.
The Herds From Tanzania
Because the conservancy borders the Serengeti, some of the earliest wildebeest and zebra of the season pass through Olderkesi in late June and July, before many of the northern camps see them. Time it right and you watch the migration with nobody else around: the herds, open grass, your vehicle, and maybe one other.
For the big Mara River crossings you need a long day out to the west. That is the trade for the quiet.
Lions, Rhinos And The Border Prides
The lion prides here are unusual because they hold territory across the Kenya and Tanzania border. The pride you watch hunting in the morning may be in the Serengeti by the afternoon, which links them to a far bigger population than the Mara alone supports.
Elephants and buffalo are around all year. Black rhino are seen now and then, as the south of the Mara is one of the better areas for them, and wild dogs pass through occasionally. Leopards and cheetahs are less common than in the northern conservancies, so do not come here expecting a big cat checklist.
The Land And The People Behind It
The conservancy was formed when the Olderkesi Maasai community agreed to set aside a wildlife corridor along the Serengeti border. Today about 6,000 community members benefit from the land leases and regular payments, and grazing inside the core of the conservancy is carefully managed. You can see the result. The grass is tall, trees are coming back along the drainage lines, and wildlife numbers have climbed year on year.
The land is managed by the Olderkesi Community Wildlife Conservation Trust together with Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust, which also works on keeping the wider corridor between the Serengeti, the Mara and the Loita Hills open. Our Masai Mara conservation guide explains how the lease model works across the Mara.
What Night Drives And Walks Change
Night drives go out after dinner with a red-filtered spotlight. They regularly turn up aardvark, porcupine, springhare, genets and hunting predators that you would never see in daylight. With so few vehicles in the conservancy, the night animals here are bold and easy to find.
Walking safaris are part of the stay, not an extra. The hilly ground and the forest along the drainage lines make the walks more varied than on flat plains. An armed ranger sets the pace, slow enough to read tracks, insects and plants you would drive straight past.
Off-road driving means your guide can leave the track to get you properly close to a sighting. With a vehicle for each tent, the day follows what you want to see. I once spent a whole morning with a couple and one lion pride, from the hunt to the cubs feeding, and there was nobody waiting behind us or rushing us along.
The night sky. After dinner the camp staff will sometimes walk you out to look at the stars. There are no towns and no other camps for miles, so there is no light at all. On a clear night you will see more stars than you probably ever have.
Before You Book
- Fly in. The road is long and rough, and scheduled flights land at Keekorok, then a 1.5 to 2-hour drive. Cottar’s own airstrip is mainly for charters. See our flying packages.
- Book early for July to October. With fewer than 20 rooms in the whole conservancy, the best dates go months ahead.
- Split the stay if the river crossings matter. Two nights here and two nearer the Mara River covers both.
- Pack warm layers. Olderkesi sits higher than most of the Mara and nights drop to about 10°C in the dry season.
- Bring a head torch for walking to your tent with the askari after dark.
- Plan your reserve days. Park fees apply only on days you drive into the reserve.
- Ask about children. The camp runs a Maasai Warrior School that older children love.
Planning Factor | Smart Choice |
Getting there | Scheduled flight to Keekorok, or a charter to Cottar’s airstrip |
How long to stay | At least three nights, four if you want a reserve day too |
River crossings | Add two nights at a camp near the Mara River |
Clothing | Neutral colours and warm layers for night drives |
Budget | Luxury only, so set the budget before choosing dates |
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between The Reserve And The Conservancy?
The Masai Mara National Reserve is public land run by Narok County, where vehicles must stay on the tracks and night drives and walks are not allowed. Olderkesi is private community land leased for wildlife, so night drives, walks and off-road driving are all permitted and visitor numbers are kept very low.
How Much Are Conservancy Fees?
About USD 80 to 100 per adult a day, depending on season, for every day you stay. In our packages they are already included.
Do I Pay Masai Mara Park Fees Too?
Only on the days you drive into the reserve. They are USD 100 per adult a day from January to June and USD 200 from July to December, set by the Narok County Government. Do not buy tickets on the KWS eCitizen portal, as they are not valid at the Mara gates. We prepay them for you. The full rules are on our park fee page.
How Do I Get To Olderkesi?
Fly from Nairobi Wilson to Keekorok Airstrip, then drive 1.5 to 2 hours to camp. By road from Nairobi it takes most of a day, and the last stretch is rough.
What Are The Best Months?
Late June to October is the time to catch the herds pushing up from the Serengeti into Olderkesi before they reach the northern Mara. November and December bring the short rains, green hills, excellent birding and very few visitors. January to March is warm and dry, with superb tracking of the resident big cats and hardly another vehicle. April and May are green and dramatic, with our lowest package rates, but Cottar’s closes for maintenance during some weeks of the long rains, so check the exact open dates with our Sekenani team. Our best time to visit guide has the month by month picture.
Is Olderkesi Good For A First Safari?
It depends what you want. The classic Mara with river crossings and big herds every day happens nearer the centre of the reserve. Olderkesi suits people who have been on safari before, or first-timers who would rather have quiet and depth than a packed schedule. A split stay gives you both.
Plan Your Olderkesi Safari
With only two camps and fewer than 20 rooms in the whole conservancy, Olderkesi fills up early, especially in August and September. Tell us your dates, how many of you are travelling and what matters most to you. Our team at Sekenani will check availability with Cottar’s and send an itemised quote within 24 hours.
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +254 180 297 751
- Online booking: Get a Quote
Related Reading
- Rhinos in Masai Mara
- Big Five animals
- Mara River crossing
- The migration
- Safari cost
- Masai Mara map
- Luxury safari
- Naboisho Conservancy
Sources
- Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Olderkesi Community Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Narok County Government
Written by David Njunge, TRA-licensed safari guide with over 10 years in the Masai Mara. Edited by Cess Wambui, travel consultant, BSc Tourism and Hospitality Management. Verified for the 2027 season.
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