Zarek Cocker Safaris
Kenya

Born and raised in Kenya, and having taken every opportunity to go on safari, or go camping and hiking, from a young age, I have developed a deep connection to East Africa’s wilderness areas.
I pride myself in looking for wildlife beyond the Big 5 and have spent a good deal of time looking for many of East Africa’s lesser known – but spectacular  – mammals like Naked Mole Rats, Crested Rats and a variety of bat species.
A safari with me is defined by my wide-eyed wonder at the natural world, from hopping through muddy puddles looking for frogs to slowly roving a riverbank looking for an elusive leopard.  When I am not guiding or helping to design an itinerary from the office, I often pack a tent in the car and head off on safari with my family or friends.

As a Gold Level guide the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association (KPSGA) I am familiar with local wildlife, cultures, and conditions. I also hold a Level 2 qualification with the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA), and a Level 3 Track & Sign qualification with Cybertracker, a non-profit network for wildlife trackers. These widely-recognized qualifications have provided me with useful tools to interpret the signs and behaviours of wildlife we encounter on safari.

Although I’m a Kenyan by birth and a qualified guide, I do not take for granted the collective, traditional knowledge systems of Africa’s indigenous peoples. I hold the utmost respect for the ancient wisdom and skills held by local cultures that I could never hope to personally attain in full. I strive to include representatives of Africa’s rich diversity of ethnicities throughout my safaris to intertwine this wealth of knowledge into the fabric of every safari.

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