Today you will arrive into Lilongwe International Airport. You will be met by a local representative and then transferred across to your lodge. Depending on the arrival time of your flight you will have the afternoon at leisure to relax around the pool, or sit overlooking the lush landscaped gardens.
At 7pm you will meet for dinner. This will be your first opportunity to get to know your group, and your guide prior to the departure into Zambia tomorrow.
After breakfast you will transfer by road over to the famous South Luangwa Park in Zambia. Following border formalities you will head over to your lodge, ready for a 3 night stay.
South Luangwa National Park is in east Zambia’s Luangwa River valley, and it is well known for its abundant wildlife. Inside the Mfuwe Gate entrance, the river is often crowded with hippos, and the woodland savannah is home to hundreds of bird species. Trails from the park’s lodges wander past baobab trees, herds of elephants and rare Thornicroft’s giraffes. The park is famous for its high population of leopards and spotlights are used to locate these magnificent cats after dark.
You will stay on full-board basis in your lodge, and have the opportunity to partake in morning and afternoon game drives, when you will go in search of the elusive Big 5, and all the other magnificent animals this park has to offer.
Today you transfer back in to Malawi to spend another evening at Kumbali Country Lodge in Liwonde.
Established in 2006, Game Haven Lodge within the Private Chimwenya Game Park has been the realization of a dream that started in the 1980’s. To create a unique retreat within Malawi which would combine tourism and wildlife conservation whilst supporting the surrounding communities in Bvumbwe.
There are a number of activities available at the lodge, including game drives on the local reserve, birding, swimming, guided walks and mountain biking.
During your stay here you will also have an included visit to Satemwa Tea Estate. Here you will learn all about tea production, and coffee production and take part in some a civilised tea-tasting.
Liwonde National Park has been the home of incredible wildlife translocations and reintroductions, and transformations. When African Parks assumed management of Liwonde, in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in 2015, the park was riddled with tens of thousands of wire snares – more snares existed than large animals – and it had some of the highest human-wildlife conflict levels in the region. Just one year later, Liwonde was at the epicentre of one of the largest elephant translocations in history, where a total of 336 elephants were relocated to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in Malawi to help restore that reserve. This translocation not only helped reduce pressure on Liwonde’s natural habitats but also helped address the deadly human-wildlife conflict situation. Since 2015, over 36,000 snares have been removed, and poaching has been significantly reduced and is now under control.
Cheetahs were also famously reintroduced in 2017, bringing the species back to the park after 100 years. The cheetahs were carefully sourced through EWT’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project, which was established in 2011 with the aim of creating safe spaces for cheetahs in South Africa and managing the existing population in a number of reserves to ensure genetic diversity. The reintroduction has proved highly successful, and these fabulous cats are now one of the main wildlife attractions in the area, with visitors eager for a sighting.
Mumbo Island is a pristine and deserted tropical island floating on the expansive waters of the Lake Malawi National Park. With a maze of massive underwater boulders, innumerable species of colourful cichlid fish and calm, clear water, the National Park offers what many consider the best freshwater snorkeling and SCUBA diving in the world.
Mumbo Island is only 1km in diameter and has never been populated so it remains in a pristine, natural state. It is the absolute perfect place to relax for a few days before heading home. If you would like to add on extra nights here, then just let us know at the time of booking.
Today you will be returned at an agreed time to Lilongwe International Airport ready for your onward flight or flight home.
