Cottar’s Safaris Unveils Mara AI and Immersive New Digital Experience

Cottar’s Safaris, Africa’s oldest family-run safari enterprise, has officially unveiled ‘Mara,’ a cutting-edge AI-powered safari travel assistant designed to assist both guests and trade partners.

Breaking Travel News reports that this launch coincides with the debut of a completely redesigned website, merging a century of safari heritage with modern technology to make planning journeys to the iconic Cottar’s 1920s Camp and Cottar’s Bush Villa in Kenya’s Maasai Mara smarter, easier, and more engaging.

Developed in close collaboration with the seasoned experts at Cottar’s, Mara serves as an intelligent, conversational guide accessible through both WhatsApp and the newly launched website. By synthesising the family’s one hundred years of safari knowledge with advanced AI capabilities, she offers instant, hyper-personalised responses regarding accommodations, wildlife sightings, seasonal nuances, and travel logistics.

Mara distinguishes herself from generic AI tools by being purpose-built and exclusively trained by the Cottar’s team to embody the company’s specific ethos and deep institutional knowledge. She intuitively understands the subtle details of their unique guest experiences, the expertise of their guides, their conservation efforts, and the distinct atmosphere of the properties.

Travel Weekly reports that Mara is operable 24/7 and fluent in multiple languages, and ensures that helpful, accurate information is always available—whether a guest needs advice on packing lists or wants to understand the impact of Cottar’s community projects.

For travel agents and operators, Mara acts as a powerful, on-demand productivity tool. She provides instant access to granular details regarding property specs, pricing structures, special offers, and experiential itineraries, allowing trade partners to support their clients with greater speed and confidence.

“Mara is designed to complement, not replace, the personal service that has always defined Cottar’s Safaris,” explains Louise Cottar, co-owner and CEO. “She represents the next step in making our expertise instantly accessible to both guests and trade partners, while our team remains as personally engaged as ever.”

Synchronised with the launch of the AI assistant, Cottar’s Safaris has launched a sophisticated new website that serves as an immersive portal to its world-class offerings. Visitors are invited to digitally explore the award-winning Cottar’s 1920s Camp and the recently refurbished Cottar’s Bush Villa, while also discovering the family’s pioneering work within the private Olderkesi Conservancy.

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While Cottar’s Safaris is based in Kenya, the technology driving “Mara” reflects a massive trend currently sweeping through Nigeria, often regarded as Africa’s Silicon Valley. Nigeria is currently experiencing a significant spate of AI integration across service sectors.

With Lagos hosting major tech incubators and startups, Nigerian businesses are increasingly moving away from static customer service to dynamic, AI-driven interactions. Initially dominant in the Nigerian Fintech space (with chatbots like Leo by UBA), this AI utility is rapidly bleeding into the lifestyle, hospitality, and travel sectors.

In Nigeria’s high-cost operating environment (energy, logistics), businesses are turning to AI to reduce overheads associated with 24/7 human customer support, allowing human staff to focus on high-value physical interactions.

The deployment of tools like ‘Mara’ signals a paradigm shift across the African continent for the tourism industry. For one, AI breaks down the barrier of exclusive knowledge. Prospective tourists from non-English-speaking countries (e.g., China, parts of Europe) can interact with African safari lodges in their native languages, boosting inclusivity and bookings.

For Nigeria and Kenya, whose primary tourism markets are often in the US or Australia, time zones create communication friction. AI assistants like Mara solve the waiting game, capturing interest instantly rather than losing a client who has to wait 12 hours for an email reply.

These AI tools collect data on what tourists are asking (e.g., “Do you have vegan food?” or “Is it safe for kids?”). This allows African tourism boards and private operators to tailor their actual physical products to match current global demands.

For Nigeria specifically, where tourism infrastructure is still developing, AI can help curate safety information, cultural guides, and logistics for business travellers in Lagos or Abuja, rebuilding confidence through accurate, instant information dissemination.

Craving more innovation in travel? Dive into our Innovation & Tech Section to see how technology is reshaping the way we explore Africa. 

FAQs

1. Is the ‘Mara’ AI assistant a real person?

No, Mara is an advanced artificial intelligence trained on 100 years of Cottar’s Safaris’ data. However, she is backed by a real human team who can step in for complex queries or final booking details.

2. Can I use Mara to book my entire safari?

Mara helps with planning, availability, and information. The reservations team usually oversees the final booking confirmation to ensure every detail is perfect, even though she can guide you through the process.

3. Does using the AI incur any costs?

No, Mara is a complimentary service available to all guests and trade partners via WhatsApp and the Cottar’s Safaris website to make travel planning easier.

4. What languages does Mara speak?

Mara is multilingual and can assist guests in various major global languages, making it easier for international travellers to plan their trips without language barriers.

5. How does this benefit travel agents?

Mara serves as an instant resource for agents, providing immediate answers on pricing, room specs, and availability, allowing agents to serve their clients faster without waiting for email replies from Kenya.