Safari tour in Malawi

DAY 1 BLANTYRE CHILEKA AIRPORT - MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE, MALAWI. Arrival in Blantyre around 14:00 with Ethiopian Airlines. The country is welcoming and warm: its people have a warm and hospitable heart that in no other country in Africa we have ever heard. Despite the poignant beauty of its landscape, its hospitable and incredibly friendly people, the kilometers of pristine beaches of golden sand, Malawi is a country not yet discovered by tourism and this makes it even more fascinating. After meeting at the airport, we will move immediately into Majete Wildlife Reserve, to get to the heart of the park and safari. Overnight at the lodge, located in the park overlooking a waterhole where often spotted are elephants and nyala. Full board.

DAY 2 MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE. Introduction to the park. First day safari in the morning, with the possibility of spotting species like buffalo, elephants, lions and nyala. Return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon, night safari and return to camp for dinner. Stunning location of the lodge, in the heart of the park. Often you sight shy antelopes, baboons, or, if lucky, elusive leopards. Full board.

DAY 3 MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE. The rich diversity of habitats will be immediately apparent in our third safari and during the afternoon drive. The banks of the Shire River are an ideal environment for hippos and crocodiles, while in the forests of marula elephants find their perfect habitat. Among the animals sighted within the reserve are lions, leopards, genets, civets, nightjar ... and all the big five. The  African Parks Conservation was founded and built by Nelson Mandela and operates in several African states. Overnight at the lodge. Full board.

DAY 4 MAJETE WILDLIFE - MULANJE FOREST  RESERVE. We will cross the Shire river and will climb to 800m altitude after the city of Blantyre to reach the massive Mulanje and the spectacle of the tea plantations. The hills are like endless expanses and bright green leaves with only the red space of the labyrinthine routes through the plantations. Overnight in old colonial house, set in the plantations. Full board.

DAY 5 and 6 MULANJE MOUNTAIN FOREST RESERVE. Walking through the vast spaces of the plantations. We meet the tea workers who patiently  pluck the young leaves at the top of the plants, leaf by leaf, to fill the huge baskets on their backs. The first tea plantations in Africa were introduced in the late nineteenth century precisely in this area of ​​Malawi. We then enter the magical forest of Mulanje and dedicate this day to a trek in the forest to the Likhubula waterfall, surrounded by greenery, including endemic chameleons and unique plants such as the famous cedar of Mulanje, a protected species. Legends and stories are part of Malawian culture that describes the Mulanje mountain, "Island in the Sky".  Then we will told you some legends from those who have always lived under this mountain spread over 650 km2, which with its 3002 meters is the highest in the southern tip of Africa. For those who wish, you can reach the CCAP hut, (5/6 hour) with a hiking that takes us on top of the island in the sky. Spectacular scenery will open behind us and finally we will arrive in the afternoon to simple shelter of CCAP, one of the largest, from which we can observe the south-eastern slope of the peak of Chambe, located at 2557m altitude. Overnight in mountain huts or in old colonial house, like the previous night. Full board.

DAY 7 MULANJE - LAKE MALAWI, MONKEY BAY AREA. From Mulanje traveling to Monkey Bay, Mangochi and Lake Malawi, headed to a bay where we will find a relaxing afternoon of fishing eagles and fishing villages with their canoes defy the third largest lake of 'Africa, one of the largest water reserves in the world; it is estimated that the endemic fish that inhabit the waters, Cichlids, are around 1000 species. Overnight at the lodge on the lake. Half board

DAY 8 LAKE MALAWI, MONKEY BAY AREA.  The fishing villagers are many, and in the morning it is easy to meet them in their canoes while returning from a night of fishing. Lake Malawi in this area is close to the Lake Malawi National Park: a real sea and provides livelihood to all villages settled on the banks of the lake. From here we can organize a boat trip to the island of Boadzulu, the lake Malawi National Park where we will be able to fully enjoy the wonder and the transparency of the lake. Women dry out the fish and preparing the stalls for sale. We will spend the day on Lake Malawi, in the villages and to devote to the knowledge of the people’s business. Overnight at the lodge on the lake. Full board

DAY 9 LAKE MALAWI, MONKEY BAY AREA - MUA - LAKE MALAWI. A few kilometers separate us from Mua, the oldest and original operational mission in Malawi. It was born with the support of the Ngoni tribe in 1903, at the request of two French White Fathers, an order which was born in Algeria. Father Boucher, anthropologist and missionary, started a center of culture and art, at Kungoni ( meaning “Waterfall”, because it sits near a waterfall) and the Museum of Chamare, named after Chapmartin, French father who founded the school of carpentry, still appreciated around the area today. At Mua they preserve the rich cultural heritage of Malawi and have collected about 400 of the 10,000 (yes, we wrote well, ten thousand!) Masks of the Gule Wamkulu, secret ceremony of the majority Malawian ethnic group: the Chewa. Since a few years ago the Gule Wamkulu became a World Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO. Overnight as previous night. Full board.

DAY 10 LAKE MALAWI - LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK. In the morning, wake up at sunrise and after breakfast we will reach the banks of the Shire River, where we will enter the Liwonde National Park and we will organize the famous boat safari to better spot and photograph the wildlife of the park: many elephants, hippos and crocodiles! The boats are motorized and will come accompanied by a guide who will maneuver the boat and, in addition to our presence, we will be adding a safari guide. The chances of sighting elephants are unique and often swim in front of us, across the river in search of food. In the afternoon, the second boat safari increases the chances of more sightings. Accommodation in the middle of the park, in one of the most beautiful lodge / Malawi courts, overlooking the Shire River. Full board

DAY 11 LIWONDE - CHILEKA  AIRPORT, BLANTYRE. Return to Blantyre through the fertile highlands of the Rift Valley; Transfer to airport for international departure flight.

* The current times are estimates calculated on flight plans provided by the airlines by the year 2024. If the route changes then this could be varied.

EXTENSIONS

• Lake Malawi beaches, adventure or relaxation
• Indian Ocean wonderful sea
• Hidden Ntchisi Forest
• Mulanje forest, behind AfricaWildTruck