Tour Overview
Malawi is a little-known gem of a country in the heart of central southern Africa that offers a true African experience in terms of scenery, wildlife and people. It is long and narrow, dominated by the great blue shining Lake Malawi. The country is known as the 'warm heart of Africa' for its friendly people and any visitor to Malawi cannot fail to be overwhelmed by the colour, vibrancy and generosity of its urban and rural residents.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Lilongwe, Malawi - Liwonde National ParkArrive Lilongwe International Airport. Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your domestic flight to Mvuu airstrip located in the Liwonde National Park.
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is situated in the heart of Liwonde National Park on the banks of a quiet lagoon flowing off the Shire River. The lodge offers comfortable tented accommodation in spacious ‘Hemingway’-styled safari tents, with own en suite facilities for a maximum of 10 guests. Each tent has its own private viewing platform and is discreetly hidden between the thick undergrowth bordering the lagoon. The lodge has a swimming pool, sun deck and al fresco dinner platform overlooking the river and lagoon.
This afternoon you may explore the Shire River and lagoons – with excellent opportunities for sightings of elephants, hippo, crocodile and bird life. Birding is rewarding - specialities include Lillian’s lovebird, brown breasted barbet, osprey, palmnut vulture, Pel's fishing owl and Livingstone’s flycatcher.
Lunch, Dinner
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge Day 02 & 03: Liwonde National Park
Enjoy two full days of guided activities from the lodge. Activities to be enjoyed include boating, day and night game drives, nature walks and birding. A great diversity of animals can be seen including large numbers of Elephant and Sable antelope, Hippo, Impala and Waterbuck.
Huge crocodiles, Leopard and Serval are also fairly common. Birds are prolific, especially along the Shire River, where the African Fish Eagle and the Pel's Fishing Owl are frequently sighted, as well as Böhm's Bee-eater, White Backed Night Heron and a host of local "specials".
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge Day 04: Liwonde National Park – Likoma Island
Ground transfer back to Lilongwe International airport to board a light aircraft for scenic the flight to Likoma Island. This flight offers spectacular vista views as you fly over the edge of the Nyika escarpment and along the Mozambican shores of the lake to Likoma.
You are met at the airstrip for transfer to the lodge.
Likoma Island is the larger of two small islands situated in the far north of Lake Malawi, close to the Mozambique coastline. To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 square kilometers with one small dirt road, the local people survive largely by fishing, and rice and cassava farming. The island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves. The waters are crystal clear throughout the year providing among the best diving and snorkeling in Lake Malawi.
Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the southwestern tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. Translated as “Maybe tomorrow” in the local Tonga dialect, the lodge uses the stunning natural surroundings of beach, rock, island and lake to create a lodge of unique character, imagination and very special ambience.
With no machinery available on the island, Kaya Mawa Lodge was built entirely by hand, in partnership with the local community. It consists of ten stone and teak-framed thatched cottages set into a granite headland. There is a honeymoon house tucked away on its own private island that is reached by boat or a wooden walkway.
Each cottage faces the lake and has a 7x6-foot mahogany four-poster bed, a shower, a sunken stone bathtub and a “loo” with a view. The view from the shower in the honeymoon suite defies description. Each cottage has a private terrace with direct access to the water, and some can only be reached by walkways built over the lake.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kay Mawa Lodge Days 05 & 06: Likoma Island
Enjoy two full days at Kaya Mawa Lodge. The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity, but there is enough activities available to keep guests busy.
Walking or biking around the island. This is one activity you simply should not miss. Likoma is completely safe and the local population is legendary both for its friendliness and its curiosity-a simple unescorted stroll around the island perhaps with a knapsack filled with cold drinks and a few snacks is a wonderful experience-you can stop off to swim en route, engage the locals in conversation and visit the cathedral and the lively market nearby.
Swimming and snorkeling. The waters around the lodge are safe and clear—some of the best snorkeling on the island is right at the lodge-snorkels and masks are provided. Alternatively there is a rock swimming pool right by the bar.
Diving Courses (additional fees apply.) The lodge has its own PADI accredited instructor and excellent dive equipment and can offer casual dives as well as a full range of instruction - PADI Open Water One courses (the minimum requirement for someone to be able to dive unaccompanied takes 4 days) and half day resort courses (to allow someone to dive accompanied by the instructor.)
Motorized Watersports (additional fees apply.) Water skiing, tube riding and wake snaking are offered as well as fishing trips.
Sailing Safaris. The lodge has a small wooden skip for journeys around the island.
Excursions to Mozambique (additional fees apply.) Longer trips by motor or sailing boat to the wonderful beaches of nearby Mozambique can be arranged as well as overnight trips to Nkwichi Lodge and the Manda Wilderness area.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kay Mawa Lodge Day 07: Likoma - Lilongwe - Depart
Transfer to the Likoma airstrip and depart via light aircraft to Lilongwe International Airport.
Breakfast
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