Wildlife Tours to Malawi MALAWI & ZAMBIA
Carmine Bee-eaters, South Luangwa 2009 © Papyrus Tours
*Single room supplement.
Tour Destinations :
- Lilongwe
- Liwonde National Park
- Lake Malawi
- South Luangwa National Park
Tour Summary
Malawi & Zambia
Our journey starts in Liwonde National Park in the valley of the Shire River. Here we will find some excellent bird and mammal watching. The birdlife is prolific and, although the mammal list is smaller than for instance in Kenyan reserves, this is compensated for by the concentration of around 800 Elephant and 2000 Hippos along the Shire River.
Our next stop will be on the shores of Lake Malawi which will add another dimension to the tour. During two full days at the lake, we will have the opportunity to take a boat ride which will give us chance to see some of the hundreds of mainly endemic fish species.
Hippo with Red-billed Oxpeckers, Liwonde NP 2009 © Papyrus Tours
The final leg of the tour will involve a transfer to Zambia’s Luangwa Valley where we will spend five nights. Our activities will involve game drives each day amongst the rich vegetation which supports a large variety of mammals. The dominant antelope are Impala and Puku but we should also find Bushbuck, Eland and Greater Kudu in good numbers. There are large herds of Elephant, Buffalo, Wildebeest and
Zebra.
Add to this Lion and Leopard, some excellent bird watching and the opportunity to conduct night game drives and South Luangwa clearly has much to offer.
Thornicroft Giraffes, Puku and Yellow Baboon, South Luangwa 2009 © Papyrus Tours
Itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1 : Fly overnight from the United Kingdom to Lilongwe.
Day 2 : Arrive at Lilongwe International airport. Transfer to the Sanctuary Lodge. Built in the heart of Lilongwe between the city centre and the old town the Lodge is perfectly positioned within a Nature Reserve. Afternoon bird walk (depending on flight times). Overnight Sanctuary Lodge
Day 3 : After breakfast, you will drive south along the M1 to Dedza Mountains and on to Liwonde National Park which is the country’s premier park and boasts most of the mammal species found in Malawi. Game activities centre around drives in open vehicles and the very popular boat safari. These provide excellent sightings of Elephant, Crocodile and Hippos. Animals such as Impala, Bushbuck, Waterbuck, Kudu, Sable Antelope and Hyena are also encountered. Bird watching is excellent with numerous interesting species found including Bohms Bee-eater, Palmnut Vulture and Pels Fishing Owl. The park has a wide range of habitats within a relatively small area including marshes, floodplain, mature riverine thickets and mopane woodlands.
Mvuu Camp, situated on the bank of the Shire River offers excellent accommodation. Overnight Mvuu Camp.
Day 4 & 5: Two full days to explore the Liwondwe National Park by boat, vehicle or on foot. Overnight Mvuu Camp.
Days 6 : After a final morning game drive or boat safari, you will drive north to the western shore of Lake Malawi, your base for the next three nights.
Days 7 & 8 : Two full days on the lake side will offer the opportunity for a boat ride on the lake and excursions into the surrounding lakeshore habitat in search primarily of new bird species.
Pied Kingfisher, Shire River, Mvuu 2009 © Papyrus Tours
Day 9 : After breakfast at the hotel, you will transfer back to Lilongwe by road to catch the afternoon flight to Mfuwe International Airport in Zambia. From there it is a short transfer to your lodge and you will arrive in time for an afternoon game drive before settling in for a five night stay.
Days 10 & 11 : After a light breakfast, you depart for a morning game drive at 06.00hrs. All game drives are undertaken in open game viewing vehicles to optimise your wildlife viewing opportunities. Drinks and snacks will be available during the game drive. Depending on game sightings, you will return to the lodge at 11.00 for "brunch". The afternoon will provide time for photography, bird watching, swimming or simply relaxing. Tea will be served as always in the late afternoon following which, at 16.00, you will embark for an afternoon/night drive, returning to the Lodge at 20.00 for dinner. Overnight Thornicroft Lodge.
Nile Crocodile, Mvuu 2009 © Papyrus Tours
Days 12 & 13 : On day 12 you will you will undertake a whole day safari. Taking snacks, a light lunch and enough refreshments you will leave the Mfuwe area to explore an entirely different area of the park [Lion Camp area or Nsefu Sector]. You return at dusk, and freshen up prior to dinner. Day 13 will provide an opportunity to revisit some of the best sites, search for a particular mammal or simply take photographs and enjoy a more leisurely look at some of your favourite birds and mammals. Overnight Thornicroft Lodge.
Day 14 :There will be time for a final game drive before ‘brunch’ and your flight back to Lilongwe from Mfuwe. You will arrive at your lodge in Lilongwe in the late afternoon for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 15 : You will have time to relax and prepare for the journey home before departing late in the morning to catch your flight to Nairobi where you will arrive in the late afternoon. A transit visa will allow you to visit a city centre hotel in Nairobi for evening dinner and you will retrace your steps to the airport for your late evening departure to London.
Day 16 : Arrive in the UK in the early morning.
Bohm's Bee-eater, Mvuu Lodge 2009 © Papyrus Tours