Hosted by renowned sculptor Nick Mackman, this extraordinary safari will help you sculpt some of the iconic African wildlife we hope to see in the Ngorongoro Crater and Ndutu area of the Serengeti.
Over the course of our safari, we seek out some of East Africa’s most iconic wildlife. Under Nick Mackman’s expert guidance, there will then be practical demonstrations and tuition in field sketching and sculpture. Nick will help you transform your sightings from photographs and sketches into beautifully finished pieces of sculptural art.
The trip operates in April, when over two million migratory animals will gradually be easing westwards, following the rains and the new grass it brings, encouraging plenty of action from the resident big cats.
Beginning with the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, a lost world of Eden that provides refuge to the Big Five, alongside a wealth of ungulates and vibrant flamingo filled lakes. Next comes a 7-night stay in the fabulous Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This stunning area is famed for its big cats and is arguably one of the best places in the world to see lion and cheetah, the vast acacia studded grasslands are the perfect habitat for both, but also support a tantalising variety of other sought-after species. Both serval and caracal roam these lands, as do striped hyena, bat-eared foxes and three species of jackal. Falling within a conservation area rather than a national park, we're also afforded a greater level of flexibility and can venture off-road in pursuit of sightings, an important consideration in such a vast wilderness.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
Depart the UK on an overnight flight from London to Kilimanjaro via Doha.
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Day 2:
Arrive Kilimanjaro & transfer to Arusha
On arrival in Tanzania, we're met at the airport and transferred a short 45-minute drive to Arusha and our first night's accommodation. Here we have the day to recover from our journey, spending the day at leisure and perhaps exploring the forest trails home to Sykes and colobus monkeys before gathering together for a welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, 1-night
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Day 3:
Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area
This morning, we drive around 4.5 hours to the rim of the Nogorongoro Crater and settle into our accommodation - Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. The afternoon's at leisure to enjoy our surrounds and hopefully a spectacular evening sunset over the crater.
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, 2-nights
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Day 4:
Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area
We leave the comfort of the lodge early, ensuring we arrive at the entrance to the crater at first light. Mornings are spectacular in the crater, as the sun rises over this breathtakingly beautiful landscape.
We explore the crater floor, immersing ourselves in this verdant oasis, home to huge numbers of zebra, wildebeest, elephants, gazelle and predators such as lion, spotted hyena and serval. For the lucky few, an endangered black rhinoceros or elusive leopard may also be spotted, while the birdlife is also spectacular with flocks of lesser flamingos and birds of prey galore.
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Day 5:
Morning safari in Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area & transfer to Ndutu
This morning we again explore the wildlife paradise of the crater, taking our time over sightings to appreciate how we can later translate these sightings into artwork. We then leave the crater behind as we transfer three hours to Ndutu Safari Lodge - our final destination.
Accommodation: Ndutu Safari Lodge, 7-nights
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Days 6-11
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Safaris in Ndutu
We have six full days to explore this spectacular wildlife area, taking morning and afternoon game drives at the best times of day for both wildlife activity and light. Between game drives and in the evenings, Nick Mackman will use the time to run the sculpture tutorials and workshops. You will be encouraged to participate in these as much as possible.
The plains and sparse acacia woodland of Ndutu offers perhaps the best habitat in East Africa to see cheetah, which will be a highlight of our time here. At this time, large herds of herbivores such as wildebeest, zebra and both Grant's and Thompson's gazelles, will hopefully be moving through the area attracting the attention of the numerous lions and spotted hyenas. There's a fantastic range of wildlife we may encounter here from bat-eared foxes, servals and three species of jackal to kori bustard, Fischer’s lovebird and flap-necked chameleon.
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Day 12:
Fly to Arusha and on to UK
After seven wonderful nights staying at Ndutu Safari Lodge, we transfer to the airstrip for our flight to Arusha. From here, we transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for our flight back to the UK.
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Day 13:
Arrive UK
Please note: Please be aware that depending on weather conditions, the exact itinerary may vary.
