I’ve been fortunate enough to spend hours on the back of a game vehicle in national parks and private reserves across Africa, and if there’s one lesson I take with me every time I hoist myself aboard a Land Cruiser, it’s this: details matter.
While it’s tempting to simply set off in search of the big-ticket items — herds of elephants, or a crash of rhinos — the bucket list sightings cannot always be guaranteed. Lions may hide in the shelter of a thicket, or the buffalo might have marched off in search of fresh grazing. When that happens, as any safari guide worth their khaki shorts will tell you, you’ve got to look a little closer to find the magic. Marvel at the iridescent plumage of a blue waxbill. Enjoy the family antics of a mongoose family jostling for space at a waterhole. Admire the engineering feat that is the dung beetle’s ball.
Teasing out the details is also the foundation of a growing niche in the realm of safari travel: art in the wilderness. From Botswana to the lowveld, a growing collection of art safaris allows amateur — and budding — artists to acquire a new skill while on safari and develop a deeper appreciation for the nuances of the bush.
“Joining an African Art Safari allows you to immerse yourself in your art while experiencing the camaraderie of travelling with fellow artists,” explains Alison Nicholls, who has been leading Africa Geographic’s Art Safaris in Southern Africa since 2011.
During morning and afternoon game drives, the pace is purposefully slow, allowing guests to sketch a variety of species within the landscape. Back at the lodge, after the customary slap-up brunch, Nicholls leads a two-hour watercolour workshop, “where you create paintings based on your sketches and learn about washes, values and composition,” adds Nicholls. “With a maximum of only five artists per trip, you receive a lot of individual tuition, and you’ll be amazed how quickly your sketching and painting improve.”
Nicholls’ art safaris typically focus on Southern Africa but this year they expand their horizons to Zimbabwe’s iconic Hwange National Park.
“They cater to any skill level, and we have a lot of repeat guests, many of whom do both Art Safaris,” adds Nicholls.
The bad news? Her trips are so popular that this year’s dates are already sold out, but you can join her mailing list for advance warning of future tours.
In northern Botswana, Belmond is tapping into the growing demand for art-inspired travel with the launch of its Sketchbook Safaris. Here, journeys allow guests to experience Savute Elephant Lodge and Eagle Island Lodge during a five-night trip that immerses guests deeper into the Okavango landscapes.
With Belmond’s expert nature guides at the wheel, guests on a Sketchbook Safari are in the capable hands of accomplished artist Vicki Thomas, who provides artists the chance to hone their technique. Each day is structured to balance exploration, guided instruction, and creative expression.
The journey begins at Savute Elephant Lodge in Chobe National Park, famed for its large elephant herds, allowing time spent with a sketchbook amid them, learning to capture shape and form.
After a short flight to Eagle Island Lodge, the landscape shifts to palm-lined waterways, where fish eagles stand sentry. Between game drives, watercolour workshops back at the lodge guide guests in matching the colours in the landscapes to those on the easel.
But an art safari doesn’t have to be about the bushveld.
Since opening to the public in 1995, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve — a 30-minute drive from Hermanus in the Cape Overberg — has pioneered the concept of fynbos safaris across a 3,500-hectare reserve that is a hotbed of floral abundance. This award-winning reserve, home to two luxurious lodges, introduces travellers to the biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
While they are easily discovered on daily flower safaris and guided walks with expert naturalists, Grootbos is also home to Africa’s first florilegium — a collection of botanical artworks.
In 2022, Grootbos opened the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery, a purpose-built space showcasing 124 works by 44 local and international artists. It’s a remarkable way to explore the botanical bounty of the Overberg through the stroke of an artist’s brush. The Grootbos Florilegium also shares its expertise with guests during annual Botanical Art Masterclasses — five-day retreats focused on field observation and creativity.
“Since the gallery opened in 2022, we’ve hosted an international artist each September to present a weeklong masterclass,” says Chris Lochner, Grootbos resident artist. “This helps bring some new skills to the SA botanical arts community and to forge deeper connections with some of the top international botanical artists.”
These classes are generally aimed at more experienced painters, though less experienced artists with strong drawing skills also benefit.
This year, the guest artist will be Laura Silburn from the UK, an acclaimed botanical artist and tutor for the Eden Project Florilegium Society. Through studio workshops, guided walks, and demonstrations, aspiring artists will benefit from Silburn’s expertise through small-group studio workshops. Amid the fynbos, there is certainly no shortage of detail and delight for the observant eye.
