Travel to Malawi: Exploring the Warm Heart of Africa

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Exploring the Warm Heart of Africa

			DAYS: 10 GRADE: II, Some hiking, kayaking define PRICE: From $4100 per person (Includes Local Air) HIGHLIGHTS: Lake Malawi Malawian culture Zomba Mountain Mulanje Mountain Liwonde National Park ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels/Lodges Wilderness Camp MEALS: As noted  [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch,   D-Dinner] Prices, Departure Dates and Included Services Send to a Friend Print this Itinerary

Explore the Warm Heart of Africa on this wonderful journey through southern Malawi, from the evocative Lake to the solitary mountains, woodlands and lush forests. Spend some time on a lush island in the third largest lake in Africa. Add to this the fascinating, friendly Malawian culture and history for a well-rounded, seamless experience. Along with these outstanding attractions, this exploration is enhanced by local guides with tremendous local knowledge. An exceptional aspect of a Malawi safari is the "journey between" - along the road, guests gain an authentic insight into the land: the friendly people, superb scenery, and there is always something of interest to stop off and see along the way. Accomodations is in cozy lodges and tented camps.

	The market in Zomba is full of color and the locals are known for their welcoming culture.

DAY 1 :  ZOMBA MOUNTAIN
On arrival at Lilongwe Airport, meet your vehicle and guide for the scenic 4-hour drive south along the western spine of the Great African Rift to Zomba. The route offers many wonderful views down to the lake and over to Mozambique to the west and a good introduction to Malawai countryside. Passing through Zomba town, you head up to Zomba Mountain on a spectacular scenic road to Zomba Forest Lodge. This cozy, classic forester's house has en suite rooms, a comfortable lounge and dining area, all set in beautiful gardens.                                                

Zomba was the original capital city of the old British Central African Protectorate and its development as such is entirely due to the temperate climate on the nearby Zomba Mountain, a huge granite massif which dominates the western edge of the town. The mountain was settled by the British in the late 19th century as a respite from the heat of the low-lying plains, in a similar fashion to the hill stations of India. Your trip around Zomba will take in both the mountain and the town. In town there are many turn-of-the-20th-century colonial buildings and a trip around the market offers wonderful photographic opportunities - this being one of the busiest and most colorful in Malawi. Witchdoctors, tin smiths and second-hand clothes stalls literally wedged in between the piles of freshly picked fruit and vegetables. Overnight Zomba Forest Lodge. [LD] photo courtesy of Dana Allen

DAY 2 :  ZOMBA MOUNTAIN AND ZOMBA TOWN
There are many options available for today including walking around the plateau and visiting some of the viewpoints which fringe the edge of the plateau. Also keep on the lookout for birds and the beautiful giant butterflies native to the area. A round trip along the top of the mountain is about 25km and can easily take the best part of a day with constant stopping at points of interest. In the hotter months there are some great swimming spots. Overnight Zomba Forest Lodge. [BLD]

Mount Mulanje is Central Southern Africa's highest mountain.

DAYS 3-4 :  MULANJE MOUNTAIN
Board the vehicle this morning for the drive east to Mulanje Mountain. The journey takes you through the rolling tea fields of the Thyolo district where the early colonial settlers first planted tea in the 1880s. The drive usually takes about 4 hours. Your accomodation is at Lujeri Lodge, near to the base of Mount Mulanje, and is one of the oldest colonial tea estates in the country. The lodge is an old tea estate manager's house and has the old world charm of a bygone era, with a swimming pool as well as fantastic walks on offer around the estate.

Mulanje Mountain is located about 100km southeast of Blantyre. This massif is South Central Africa's highest mountain and is a huge block of granite rising 2380m above a largely flat and featureless plain. Once on the mountain the vegetation changes with altitude and theres plenty of wildlife from the klipspringer (tiny antelope) to various other small mammals and, of course, a variety of birds. The latter include buzzard, the black eagle and countless white-necked ravens. Fishing for trout is possible in the River Lichenya which drains the south-western slopes. The views while hiking are unrivalled; meander up the numerous peaks and along marginal plateaus, which are intersected by deep-forested ravines, in which the most conspicuous tree, Mulanje cedar, attains heights of 150ft. Overnight Lujeri Lodge. [BLD]

	Enjoy afternoon tea watching hippos grazing on the banks of the river.

DAY 5 :  LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK
Leaving the mountains behind, you depart for Liwonde though the Phalombe Plain's many villages and soon climb down into the Great Rift Valley. In Liwonde Town you meet a boat and travel up the Shire River to an intimate bush lodge in Liwonde National Park. Driving time is about 3 hours and the boat journey is one hour. Liwonde National Park is considered to be the finest in Malawi and one of the best birding locations in Africa. This beautiful area offers some of the most scenic game viewing, pristine riverine surroundings and game viewing in the region. A great deal of the terrain is Shire River floodplains, much loved by the healthy population of elephants in this park.  Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is situated along the banks of a quiet lagoon flowing off the Shire River. The lodge offers comfortable tented accommodation in five spacious 'Hemingway'-styled safari, each with its own en suite facilities. Built on stilts high above the lagoon, the dining room is a breezy and relaxing place to spend time between activities. The relaxing pool is set amongst shady trees, within earshot of hippos in the river. As well as boat safaris, game drives and nature walks enable us to experience a wide range of game, including large numbers of sable antelope, hippo, impala, and waterbuck. Huge crocodiles and serval cats are also fairly common. Overnight Mvuu Wilderness Lodge. [BLD] photo courtesy of Dana Allen

DAYS 6-7 :  LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDS
You will spend the next few days exploring the park on game drives and visiting the local village. The park is surrounded by a large rural community. On the western boundary this begins only a couple of kilometers from the river and there are some great opportunities for interaction. Possibilities include a bicycle ride to Nanthomba and Kafulafula Schools, a visit to the local Women's Handicraft group or a tour of the various agricultural projects in the area which we support.

Liwonde National Park is considered the most prolific wildlife area in Malawi, despite its size - only 548km2. However, the Shire River - the country's largest river and Lake Malawi's only outlet - forms the western boundary of the Park and is a magnet for wildlife. Nearly a kilometer wide in places, with floodplains extending to three times that width in the south, the Shire River harbors a dense population of hippo, flotillas of crocodiles and large numbers of elephant - the largest remaining population in the country. Antelope such as kudu, waterbuck and bushbuck are common along the banks. Sable occur in one of the greatest numbers in all of Africa and one of only two breeding groups of black rhino in Malawi reside in the Park. Night drives can yield serval, civet, mongoose and genets, while baboon, vervet monkeys, bushbuck, oribi, leopard, lion and bushpig are also found. Over 300 bird species occur here, with many specials such as Bhm's Bee-eater, Livingstone's Flycatcher, Pel's Fishing-Owl and the only population of Lilian's Lovebird in Malawi. Overnight Mvuu Wilderness Lodge.[BLD]

Lake Malawi is known as the Calender Lake - 365 miles long and 52 miles wide.

DAY 8 :  MUMBO ISLAND, LAKE MALAWI
Looking forward to a change of pace, today drive west through picturesque villages to the main road before heading north to the lake, stopping en route at the bustling town of Mangochi for a look at the museum. The driving time is around 3 hours.
On the banks of the expansive Lake Malawi step into a boat for ride out to an island retreat. Mumbo Island is a small and deserted idyll, save for an intimate tented camp that is perched on rocks high above the water and blends in perfectly to create a place of rustic charm and minimal impact. Tucked into the lush foliage, each tent is fully furnished with its own shaded view-deck and hammock. Accommodating only fourteen in camp, the seven tents are tastefully furnished, comfortable tents with hot bucket showers and 'eco-loos'. Unlike most island destinations in the region, Mumbo Island has never been populated by humans and is still in its natural state. This, together with the focus on non-motorized water sports, makes Mumbo Island ideal for the active outdoors enthusiast.
The most popular activities here are snorkeling through the crystal-clear water and lazing in a hammock or in the lounge, contemplating the stunning scenery. Other activities include diving (Mumbo is a PADI registered resort, offering beginner, advanced and specialty courses, as well as gear hire and casual dives), swimming, kayaking, and bird watching. Guests have the option of boating or paddling, exploring the granite islands in this freshwater Rift Valley lake.
The Peninsula is an exquisite rocky promontory full of towering forest-clad hills and was named by Dr David Livingstone after Sir Thomas Maclear who had in the 1840s taught Livingstone the rudiments of map making. The early Scottish Missionaries chose it as one of their earliest stations owing to the safe shelter from the often stormy lake and now it is a proclaimed protected area - Lake Malawi National Park, the first national park in the world set aside for the preservation of freshwater fish. Overnight Mumbo Island. [BLD] photo courtesy of Dana Allen

DAY 9 :  MUMBO ISLAND, LAKE MALAWI
Today can be as active or as relaxed as you wish with options to swim, snorkel, kayak, go birding or just stroll. There are short easy walks from the camp which take you to several points of all points of interest on the island. The lake is home to over 2000 species of brightly colored algae feeding fish from the cichlid family. Many are endemic to the lake and species are still being discovered and catalogued. The areas around the Kayak Africa Camps are among the best spots on the whole lake for viewing these fish, most of whom live near the surface and can easily be spotted when snorkeling. Overnight Mumbo Island. [BLD]

DAY 10 :  DEPART
This morning you must prepare to depart this warm country as you are transferred by boat and road (about 4 hours) to the Lilongwe airport for your departing flight. [B]

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

. C o n t a c t Julia Nesbitt 1(800)345-4453