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15 day Great Malawi Journey. Vwaza Marsh, Nyika Plateau and Lake Malawi
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This trip visits the main attractions of Malawi and at each place we will use the services of the best local guides in the country. Most of these people are seldom available to lead groups unless specially requested. The most important factor in delivering a truly exceptional safari experience is the quality of your guide -on this safari you will be hosted in each area by a guide who not only has tremendous local knowledge but by one who has chosen to live his life in the area he is guiding in.
One of the essential ingredients of this Malawi safari will be the journeys between the points we visit. Over the years, and by listening to feedback from our guests, one point comes over time and time again-that one of the most special aspects of a Malawi safari is the journey from point to point. There are a few long days on the road in this safari and there are definitely a few bumps and some dust to put up with but the people are friendly, the scenery is wonderful and there is always something of interest worth stopping for.
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Day 1: Luwawa Forest LodgeArrive Lilongwe and meet vehicle and guide and caterer. Drive approximately 4 hours north to overnight at picturesque Luwawa Forest Lodge in the Viphya Mountains. Comfortable en suite accommodation. Luwawa is set in a pine plantation but with patches of indigenous forest nearby-great walking and also birding. |
Days 2 & 3: Lake Kazuni Safari Camp – Vwaza Marsh Game ReserveContinue north on your Malawi safari to Lake Kazuni Safari Camp for 2 nights full board. Situated in Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve this simple camp offers en suite grass chalets and a central dining boma overlooking the Lake -the reserve has healthy buffalo and Elephant populations and also Puku, Kudu, and Impala. Water birds are a speciality. |
Days 4-6: Chelinda Lodge – Nyika National ParkA drive of about 5 hours today to Nyika National Park which is scenically Malawi's most spectacular wild area. It boasts an incredible mixture of scenery and landscapes – pristine brachystegia woodland, mature montane forest patches, crystal clear running streams and miles and miles of open rolling grassland. Being situated at a mean height of over 2 000 metres guarantees a permanently temperate climate which is of particular contrast to the lakeshore areas of Malawi. |
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Days on your Malawi safari can be spent walking, game driving and relaxing at the lodge. There are also horse-riding opportunities for keen riders. Game that can be spotted includes Burchell's Zebra, Roan antelope, Common reedbuck, Eland, Bushbuck, Warthog, leopard, hyena, side-striped jackal and serval.
Birdlife is prolific, 'Specials' include Churring and Mountain cisticolas, Red-tufted malachite sunbird, Fulleborn's black bou-bou, Bar-tailed trogon, Mountain nightjar and several species of Bulbul which occur deep in the canopy of the forests.
With panoramic views over the rolling grasslands of the Nyika Plateau, Chelinda Lodge has one of the most magnificent settings in Africa. Sixteen guests can be accommodated in eight individual en-suite log cabins, each with its own log fire. |
Days 7 & 7: Chintheche Inn – Northern LakeshoreTransfer by road to Chintheche Inn. This journey takes 7 hours. Chintheche Inn is spectacularly situated on the northern shores of Lake Malawi. The Inn offers en suite rooms for a maximum of 20 persons. Each room overlooks a white sandy beach and the Inn offers excellent swimming and interesting beach walks. The Inn has an excellent reputation for fine cuisine and offers a full bar. Snorkelling, swimming, boating opportunities exist at available at the Inn and local excursions can easily be arranged - diving, points of local interest and cultural safaris. |
Day 9 & 10: Kayak Africa, Domwe or Mumbo IslandThe tour departs Chinteche for one of the most spectacular day transits, driving +- 350km southwards along the eastern lakeshore and surrounding countryside. The tour drives through the Nkotakota Game Reserve and visit Mua Mission, one of Malawi's finest handcraft skills development schools. After lunch the tour drives eastwards through beautiful countryside on the southern edge of Lake Malawi.
Accommodation is on one of 2 Islands off Cape Maclear - namely Kayak Africa's Domwe and Mumbo. Each consists of 5 tents on raised platforms with incredible views of Lake Malawi. The tented bedrooms offer tasteful furnishing and whilst not en-suite, nearby 'enviroloos' and al fresco bucket showers ensure every comfort is provided. |
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Located at the tip of the Cape Maclear Peninsula this company operates kayak safaris around the glorious islands of this part of the lake. Guests paddle themselves in state-of-the-art sea-going klepper kayaks, supported by a motorised wooden fishing boat. All kayaking is done on a leisurely basis and cold drinks are taken on board the kayaks.
This is a great experience, enjoying a little more action than the traditional beach holiday. |
Day 11: Ku Chawe Inn, Zomba mountain rangeThe tour leaves Kayak Africa and drives southwards to the Zomba Mountain Massif. Zomba was the former colonial capital of Malawi and retains some of its former architecture. This juxtaposed with one of the best local markets in Malawi make for a fascinating visit. Behind the town, the plateau rises to over 2000m and we wind our way up this massive mountain.
The air becomes cooler as the tour enters plantations and rainforest remnants as the tour nears the final destination, Ku Chawe Inn. The inn boasts incredible views, and is a short distance away from clear-running streams and a trout farm. |
Days 12 - 14: Mvuu Lodge, Liwonde National ParkLeaving after a leisurely breakfast and possibly a last visit to the market, you travel northwards to arrive at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge in time for an afternoon activity.
Liwonde National Park is Malawi's premier wildlife viewing destination. A wide variety of mammals occurs in the reserve and it also boasts an astonishing biodiversity of birdlife. On a 3 night stay in this reserve, the record has been 300 bird species! The centre stage of the reserve is the Shire River, the only river that flows out of Lake Malawi. |
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A myriad of species make the river their focus and it is on this river where one is able to take part in unusual, but hugely productive game viewing. Mvuu boasts 'game boats' constructed locally out of Mulanje cedar wood. These comfortable boats enable game to be viewed in the heat of the day, when animals emerge out of the bush to drink at the river's edge.
They also allow for exciting night boat trips to find rarely seen animals such as civet, large spotted genet, large grey mongoose, White-backed Night-heron and Pel's Fishing Owl. Game drives and walks as well as visits to a hide overlooking the river are also offered. |
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Large mammals occurring in Liwonde include sable, roan, kudu, large herds of Elephant, Buffalo, large numbers of Crocodile (reputedly the largest in central Africa) and Hippo. Bird specials further inland include Bohm's Bee-eater, Brown-breasted Barbet and Livingstone's Flycatcher.
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Day 15: DepartureEarly morning road transfer to Lilongwe where the safari ends. |
Included:All transport
Food and accommodation
All park fees
All activities in game reserves except horse riding
Fishing and mountain biking on Nyika |
Not Included:All drinks
Gratuities
Laundry
Airport departure tax |
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Lake Malawi's Colourful Aquarium
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Lake Malawi contains more diversity of freshwater fish than the whole of Europe and America put together. They come in all colours and more than 500 chichlids species have been recorded.
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Vwaza Marsh Birdlife
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Vwaza is reputed for its rich birdlife with over 270 species. One of the best months for seeing falcons, hobbies, kites, buzzards and eagles is March, but birding is pretty good all year around. The best viewing is along the watercourses.
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FAQ's