Dubbed the 'Warm Heart of Africa' for its good-natured charm, the tiny, landlocked country of Malawi in southeastern Africa is a famously hospitable little nation brimming with touristic abundance. Its exuberant landscape is a breathtaking natural kaleidoscope of verdant countryside, sweeping plateaux, soaring highlands, and river valleys. Malawi's share of the vast Great Rift Valley encompasses the country's must-see eco-destination, the emblematic Lake Malawi, several national parks and game reserves, while the Central African Plateau's undulating terrain is defined by a series of dramatic escarpments, punctuated by lakes, dramatic hills and dense forests. A wealth of outdoor activities is open to outdoor enthusiasts, including hiking, swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing, sailing, kayaking, parasailing and boating. Game viewing at the reserves offers a chance to see crocodiles, lions, elephants, hippos and leopards. For the more culturally curious, browse the many bustling markets, visit traditional villages and dig into the treasure trove of the country's history at The Society of Malawi in Blantyre.
The Majete Wildlife Reserve lies only 1½ to 2 hours drive south-west from Blantyre. Majete Wildlife Reserve’s undulating terrain incorporates grassy plains, forests of marula, acacia and leadwood interspersed with palms and wonderful waterfalls and rivers.
This large 14,000 ha sanctuary was taken over by African Parks in 2003. With extensive private funding, the park embarked on an ambitious & systematic programme of wildlife restocking and new roads. Thousands of animals have been reintroduced including nearly 200 elephant, black rhino, buffalo, zebra, sable antelope, eland, waterbuck, nyala, hartebeest, kudu amongst others. Both lion and leopard have also returned to the reserve.
Thus you now have a good chance to see good herds of elephant, nearly 400 buffalo and plenty of the magnificent sable. There are a wide range of game viewing possibilities including elephant tracking, game drives, game walks and guided walks to the waterfalls. The Shire River is populated by large numbers of crocodiles and hippos.
Another area of great interest is the Thyolo district, one of the most scenically beautiful regions of Malawi, between Blantyre and Mount Mulanje. This is the heart of Malawi's tea and coffee producing region with rolling hills of immaculately cultivated, emerald green plantations and some of the oldest estates in the country, dating back to the early 1900s.
With magnificent views of Mount Mulanje and the Lower Shire valley to the west, Satemwa tea estate enjoys a temperate climate of the Shire Highlands and relaxed ambiance. A stay on a tea plantation gives you the chance to sample both of the local brews, tea and coffee, which thrive in the fertile red soil, as well as guided walks around the estates or visits to the beautiful lower slopes of Mount Mulanje with its beautiful rock pools for swimming and picnics. Guided walks on the mountain from 30 minutes to the whole day are possible.
Mount Mulanje is Malawi's highest mountain at 3000m, surrounded by oceans of picturesque tea plantations. It is a favourite with hikers and climbers. Contact us if you want to do a more serious hike/climb on the mountain.
The magical Zomba Plateau (1,500m), rising above the old Malawi capital of Zomba, provides spectacular vistas. and is a real treat. Delightful woodland walking to scenic waterfalls and dams, horse riding, mountain biking and trout fishing is all on offer. Below lies the old colonial Capital of Zomba. There's plenty of interest in the town of Zomba including the Zomba market, small Botanical gardens, War Graves memorial, old parliament as well as the many distinctive colonial buildings.
The Liwonde National Park lies south of Lake Malawi - lush and wild with the best wildife safaris on offer in Malawi. This is largely because of the Shire River, (pronounced Shiree) which drains Lake Malawi, forms its western boundary and acts as a magnet for wildlife. Broad and languid, it is alternatively fringed by riverine forest, Borassus palms and wide floodplains, stretching to 3km wide in parts. Liwonde park offers a lush diversity of habitats. Relatively dry mopane woodlands cover the eastern half of the park - interspersed with candelabra trees - while patches of miombo woodland occur in the south. Palm savanna and numerous baobabs line the extensive floodplains of the Shire River.
Arriving by river boat is the best way to see the beauty of this magnificent park. With one of the densest populations of hippo in Africa, and a riverbank heavy with huge sun bathing crocodiles, the wide and scenic Shire river is a vital life source for the park's animals in the dry season. The grass-covered floodplains attract large breeding herds of elephant, magnificent and rare sable antelope as well as impala, reedbuck, waterbuck & warthog amongst others. The park is also home to lion, the elusive leopard as well as buffalo, kudu and impala which inhabit the woodlands beyond the floodplain. Liwonde Park has a smaller sanctuary within which is a breeding project with a small number of black rhino.
Birdlife is prolific in Liwonde with over 380 recorded species offering probably the best year-round birding in Southern Africa and 'specials' include the rare Pel's fishing owl, white-backed night heron, Böhm's bee-eater and Lilian's lovebird.
Safaris are conducted in open vehicles (on day and night drives), by foot and by boat. There is also an opportunity to track black rhino on foot which is an exciting addition. We recommend combining a couple of nights on safari in Liwonde with another safari destination such as the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, Majete Game Reserve also in the south or the contrasting Nyika plateau in the north.
Located on the southern shore of Lake Malawi at the tip of the Nankumba Peninsula, Cape Maclear is a little resort town surrounded by mountains and set within Lake Malawi National Park. This town features an array of beachside bars and local restaurants in a spectacularly scenic setting of golden sand beaches lapped by dazzling turquoise water. Cape Maclear is a Robinson-Crusoe paradise, making it a sought after tourist destination. Kayak over to the nearby Thumbi island and spot the majestic fish eagle, sail across the lake and catch a picturesque African sunset, or scuba dive into the crystal-clear depths of the lake, which boasts some of the best freshwater diving in the world. Other popular activities include: bird watching, windsurfing, hiking, swimming or shopping in the local craft markets as well as island tours and guided village walks.
