ART ON SAFARI WITH MARY-ANNE BARTLETT

Art Safari is for all those inspired to paint by travel.  Your travel sketchbooks become visual diaries, full of the wonders of the world.

Mary-Anne’s Art Safari’s holidays are for creative explorers: artists, writers, photographers and non-painters.  Whether travelling on your own or not, you are welcomed into a like-minded group.  Be assured of inspiration, good food, comfort and style.  Photographers and non-painting partners will experience new ways of seeing as well as enjoying all the benefits of relaxed wildlife viewing and personal safari guiding – brilliant for photography, bird watching and learning more about nature.

In September this year there’s a 2-week tour in Malawi & Zambia and a one week residential trip to a lodge in South Luangwa in Zambia

ZAMBIA AND MALAWI – BIG GAME IN LARGE OPEN SPACES
Tour: 14 nights in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, Lake Malawi & Liwonde National Park in Malawi - with Mary-Anne Bartlett
Dates: 06 – 20 September 2018 

A stunning two country Art Safari led by Mary-Anne Bartlett.  You will see a great diversity of landscape, wildlife and local living as we visit two of Africa’s most beautiful national parks.

Be ready for wonder, peacefulness and charm. Liwonde National Park, Lake Malawi and South Luangwa National Park provide a thoroughly outstanding wildlife experience.

It’s the end of the dry season (winter), so early September is still cool, (not too hot!) and its ideal painting weather. South Luangwa National Park is often quoted as one of the very best wildlife destinations in the world, not just Africa. The great Luangwa River meanders slowly to create great sand bars laced with crocodiles, pools filled with hippo, oxbow lakes full of storks and elephants, and dry lagoons for herds of zebra, impala, puku – always watching out predators…

In particular, South Luangwa is a first-class park for leopard and because it is one of Africa’s few national parks to allow spotlit night drives, when leopards are most active, the chances of spotting one of these stunning cats are very good!

Lake Malawi, brilliantly dubbed the ‘Lake of Stars’ by Dr David Livingstone when he first saw it with Mary-Anne’s 3x great grandfather in the 1860s, is an inland sea, with fresh water to dive into, snorkel or kayak on. Golden beaches, idyllic rocky islands and secluded coves offer a lovely contrast in scenery and a relaxing few days before our next safari.

Liwonde National Park in Malawi is a little gem. The scenery along the wide, slow flowing Shire River is lush and almost tropical. The river banks are lined with emerald reed beds, yellow fever trees and towering borassus palm trees, and in the dry season the water is a magnet for elephant and antelope who visit it for a daily drink.

A boat safari here is a truly wonderful game viewing experience and a must for birders. There are many special bird species to be found In Liwonde including Bohm’s Bee-eater, the Palmnut Vulture, Pel’s Fishing Owl and White-backed Night Heron. The interior of the park is much drier and dominated by mopane forest where it’s possible to spot rarer species such as the magnificent sable antelope. Liwonde is not known for its predator population, however recent conservation efforts have seen spotted hyena and cheetah re-introduced to the park. We find that the spectacular setting, combined with the friendliness of your Malawian hosts and the comfort of your accommodation makes this a hard place to leave.

The tour ends in Malawi’s capital city of Lilongwe with a chance to unwind in comfortable surroundings and a whole day to continue working on your sketches.

We explore, paint and enjoy the wonderful settings. Be prepared for huge concentrations of elephant and buffalo in Zambia, as well as regular sightings of lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra and a multitude of other species. 
Activities include day and night game drives, visits to villages and local projects including paper-making and textiles and lots of fun and freedom.

There’s a chance to visit one of Art Safari’s projects – set up with one of the guides Danger Chipino – the Mtendere Orphan Feeding Centre in Ulongwe, near to Liwonde National Park.

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE:

• 1 night in Lilongwe, the garden capital city of Malawi 
• 4 nights in South Luangwa National Park, staying on the edge of the Luangwa River
• 1 night in a pretty and eclectic urban retreat in Lilongwe
• 3 nights at Lake Malawi, staying on the Lake shore
• 3 nights in Liwonde National Park, staying in the centre of the park
• 2 nights at a quiet country lodge set in its own forest reserve on the outskirts of Lilongwe
• Joining point: Lilongwe International Airport
• Departure point: Lilongwe International Airport

Tour cost: From £4125 per person sharing
Single supplement: £600
Prices include: All accommodation, all meals (except 2 lunches and 2 dinners in Lilongwe), safari guide and art safari tutor, all game activities as indicated, all park entrance fees in Malawi, and all ground transport from Lilongwe Airport.
Prices exclude: International flights, visas fees, Zambia Park Entrance Fees, drinks, optional activities, art materials and personal expenses.