Join us to explore Namibia and to dip into Botswana and Zimbabwe.

We sketch the best of Africa’s wildlife in wonderful, varied landscapes as we travel from the rust red sand dunes of Sossusvlei to the excitement of the Skeleton Coast, before heading to the silvery-white salt pans of Etosha and to the lush, tropical Caprivi Strip.  The adventure continues to Botswana’s Chobe River and to Victoria Falls for a grand finale at the Devil’s Cataract – an unforgettable place to paint at sunrise.

Namibia is unparalleled for its landscapes and for the diversity of its desert wildlife. There are deserts to stretch your imagination and animals to amaze you.  As our pages fill even in those first few days, you find yourself astounded at Namibia’s geology and wildlife and you’ll fall in love with the people and places.

We begin our first painting sessions in Sossuvlei, a dry valley in the middle of a sand sea of 300m high dunes.  It is as impressive as all the photos you’ve seen.

The Skeleton Coast gives us sunsets overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, with sea lions (Cape Fur Seals) and dolphins patrolling the waves.  We might brave the water for a swim with them from our beach, but the joy of sketching at the 80,000 strong seal colony at Cape Cross is unforgettable.

Sketching the rescued cheetahs of the Central Highlands, we learn about these beautiful animals and sketching them at close quarters!  The cats here are usually visible at all times of day, with crimson breasted shrikes often in the trees around them. This Cheetah Conservation Fund reserve has uninterrupted views of the Waterberg Plateau, the birdlife on the reserve is also excellent and at night we may be able to spot brown hyena and aardwolf.

We then head to the eastern side of the immense Etosha National Park where we will sketch the shimmering salt pans under huge African skies.  At the waterholes, and from our air-conditioned vehicles, we can watch and paint a rich variety of wildlife coming and going.  This is what makes this park so unique – the ability to wait and watch as the animals come to us – giraffe, zebra, rhino, lions, cheetah, and numerous graceful antelope.  Birdlife too is superb and it’s hard not to be impressed by the sheer variety and colour as we constantly see new species, from huge raptors to dazzling rollers and shrikes.

From Etosha we head further north into the Caprivi Strip, a narrow ribbon of land sandwiched between Angola and Botswana, and criss-crossed by mighty rivers.  This area of Namibia is only just being discovered by travellers and it feels truly wild and unspoilt.  Imagine yourself drawing on a river cruise, drifting on the Okavango River, surrounded by riverine forest, and watching brightly-coloured kingfishers, herons, darters, pygmy geese and African fish eagles.  Here, water loving hippo and buffalo, as well as rarer antelope species like sable, tsessebe, red lechwe and sitatunga will also make their way into your sketchbook pages…

You could choose to end your safari here (see lower price) or to continue your safari with Mary-Anne to spend some magical time at Chobe in Botswana and at Victoria Falls.

At Chobe in Botswana we take boat safaris on the river, anticipating wildlife sightings as we float down the wide river.  This river which borders Namibia and Botswana is the life source for birds, mammals and reptiles.

Victoria Falls forms the finale to a wonderful safari, with all the thrills of painting near or under the spray cloud and all the delights of being in this very special part of the world.

February as it’s a particularly beautiful time to visit southern Africa. The rains will have nurtured fresh green grass growth and wildflowers and cleared the air of dust. It’s also birthing season for many plains game so there will be plenty of cute baby animals around with their mothers. We could get the odd shower, but if we do we can expect dramatic cloud formations and spectacular sunsets to paint!

You can expect stylish and comfortable accommodation throughout, as well as expert guiding and knowledge both from our local eagle-eyed safari guide, and from Mary-Anne who is an accomplished artist and seasoned Africa hand.

Our trip will cover over 2000 kilometres.  While the distances are great, the country has some of the finest roads in Africa; and its main roads (tarmac and gravel) are well maintained and empty.  Drive times on this trip are moderate, typically between 3 and 4 hours between each destination, with the occasional 6-hour drive.  On longer drives we will break up the journey with scenic sketching stops and picnic lunches.

We will be travelling in specially modified safari vehicles which have six guest seats and are equipped with air-conditioning. The roof opens for game viewing and there is plenty of legroom and packing space.

All activities done on tour are easy to moderate.