Meet The Team

Cottar’s Guides

Douglas Nagi

GOLD LEVEL GUIDE & DIRECTOR

‘Delta November’ as he’s fondly called: the man who holds us all together. Nothing seems to ruffle his feathers, he’s always ready with a helping hand and has a wealth of knowledge on numerous topics.

Calvin Cottar

GOLD LEVEL GUIDE, DIRECTOR & OWNER

Calvin is the fourth generation of East Africa’s oldest family-run safari business. Having been guiding in the African bush since he was 15, he’s been awarded the Best Guide in Africa on several occasions (as well as being a KPSGA Gold Guide) and is regularly interviewed by the press, authors, and conservation enthusiasts.

Enock Sayagie

SILVER LEVEL GUIDE

Our calm and wise, undercover hero. One of the nicest people you will ever be lucky enough to meet, Enock handles himself with all the grace and grandeur that you would expect from a stoic Maasai Warrior.

Josphat Mako

SILVER LEVEL GUIDE

Mister FAN-TASTIC! Just wait, you’ll have a new best friend in no time, you can’t help it, Mako is just so much fun to be around. Born in the Mara, Mako joined Cottar’s initially as a trainee, then he learned how to drive, became a spotter and studied to become a guide (and also learnt English in the process).

Letura Kanae

BRONZE LEVEL GUIDE

Determined with a great sense of humour, is how to describe Letura; did you know that he ran the New York Marathon (a few years back, but still) AND with a smile on his face! He started at Cottar’s as a tracker/spotter, and was determined to become a guide which he has done effortlessly.

Wilson Tumake Mpatiani

BRONZE LEVEL GUIDE

Strike a pose! A true performer – he leads our Maasai talks at camp and did a lot of modelling for the famous Anthony Russell (ask him to show you the fabulous photos). Our newest guide, he’s worked his way up with an astonishing amount of energy and merriment that you’ll soon be swept up in it.

Maine Neboo

BRONZE LEVEL GUIDE

Fondly known as Neboo, he was born in the Olderkesi area and went to Olipalagilagi Primary school, so this is his home! He joined Cottar’s Safaris in 2009 working as a spotter at first and then got the opportunity to train as a guide, while continuing his job as a top spotter.

Cottar’s Heads of Departments

Amos Were

Camp Logistics & Stores

Amos’ Father – Francis has worked for the Cottar family for over 35 years and is still with us! Francis is part of the family so when his son applied for a job there was no question he would be a superb addition to the team.

Peris Aloyo

ASSISTANT CAMP MANAGER

Peris joined us in 2017 in our environmental management department and is also in charge of our guests’ experience. Prior to joining Cottars in 2017, she was a volunteer at Ecotourism Kenya under the standards and best practices program.

Grace Linti

Shop Manager

What can’t Grace do, that’s the question you should be asking. Grace is the ‘front office’ at camp and the content supervisor and on-ground content creator for Cottar’s social media. She is extremely efficient, energetic and always willing to help with whatever you may need.

Boniface Muhati

HEAD CHEF

Our supremely talented and all round nice guy, Head Chef Bonny. His culinary career was inspired early on by his Mum’s love and respect for classical British cuisine and her baking skills. His chocolate tart is what dreams are made of, you must try his Tree Tomato Sorbet, oh and the peach chocolate.

William Otsieka

MESS SUPERVISOR

William (Will I Am) always has the biggest smile to welcome you to the dining table whether this table is in the camp, on the side of a hill or by a waterfall, William will have the table looking like you are on a movie set and will make you feel so incredibly welcome and warm!

Tana Pike

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

For us at Cottar’s, if there’s ever anything we need, then Tana’s the person we call. She knows how to manage the team fairly and get the job or jobs (let’s be honest there are usually numerous) done. She often works too hard, but knows how to enjoy a good glass of red wine too, and has a wicked sense of humour to boot.

Louise Cottar

DIRECTOR AND OWNER

Louise Cottar is a co-owner and Managing Director of Cottar’s Safaris and Cottar’s Safari Services. Louise has a degree in International Business and a Masters in Business. 

Karen Darnborough

Database Management

Karen has over nine years of experience in the travel industry in Kenya and was the marketing manager at Cottar’s Safaris for seven years. She is currently our database manager, implementing and overseeing our database improvement strategy.

Tanya Leakey

CAMP MANAGER

Tanya grew up in a pretty remote part of Kenya, so being outdoors and in the bush is where she’s always felt most at home and at her happiest. She’s travelled quite extensively in and around Africa, but specifically in Kenya, “the Maasai Mara is high on the list of incredible places, there is something truly magical about it…”

Kari Mutu

Marketing Manager

Kari has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with expertise in marketing strategy, communications, stakeholder engagement, and story-telling.

Elizabeth Kamau

Head of Reservations

Elizabeth’s roots lie in Nakuru County, where her upbringing was enriched by regular visits to nearby national parks such as Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo, and Lake Bogoria. These adventures ignited her passion for tourism at a young age.

Elle Reinink

UK & EUROPEAN MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

Elle demonstrates a strong understanding of the intrinsic business culture that exists in each of the regions she represents and has a wealth of experience in servicing the needs of the travel trade effectively.

Andrew McEwan / Africa in Focus

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

Andrew, with a deep-seated passion for exclusive and distinctive tourism offerings, is the visionary force behind Africa In Focus. Having started this venture in 2005, he established it as a dynamic marketing and representation company for premier establishments in Southern Africa.

David DiGregorio & Christina Koontz

NORTH AMERICA MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

David DiGregorio, founder of CornerSun Destination Marketing, is a seasoned international marketing executive while Christina Koontz is an expert communications professional.

Joanne Tang / Infinite Luxury Group

Mainland China, Hong Kong & Singapore MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE

Joanne brings over 25 years of experience in the luxury hotel industry across sales, marketing, and communications, having worked with renowned hotel groups such as Shangri-La, The Ritz-Carlton, and Mandarin Oriental.

Roggers Menyi

Food & Beverage Manager

Roggers has been a food enthusiast from a tender age, having grown up in the farming regions of the Rift Valley, cooking over firewood in his mother’s mud-walled kitchen. With years of experience in culinary and bar management, he is a passionate and detail-oriented professional who excels at creating memorable and creative dining experiences.

Jacob

HEAD OF HR

Jacob is a certified human resources professional who effectively aligns the human resources practices of the company with its overarching business objectives and strategies. His primary focus is on maximizing the value of the organization’s workforce to facilitate business success.

Steve

Social Media Coorodinator

As Cottar’s Social Media Coordinator, Steve excels at capturing the beauty and essence of the Maasai Mara through stunning visuals.

Allan Okoth

Environmental and Social Impact Coordinator

Allan is a dedicated environmental steward with a deep-rooted passion for conservation and sustainable development. Growing up in Kenya, he has always been inspired by the country’s natural beauty and biodiversity, which led him to pursue a career that combines his technical expertise as a bio-systems engineer with conservation.