28 Day Mobile

Camping & Cottage

Exploration of Zambia & Malawi

This tour reaches all the unique destinations at a fraction of the cost

Highlights
Livingstonia Beach - Lake Malawi
Liwonde National Park
Zomba Mountain
Setamwa/Thyolo Tea Estates
Mulanje Mountain Biosphere Reserve
Dedza Pottery
Luwawa - Chikangawa Forest Reserve
Vwaza Marsh Conservation Area
Nyika National Park
Lilongwe Wildlife Sanctuary
South Luangwa National Park
Luambe National Park
North Luangwa National Park
Shiwa Ng'andu (Africa House) / Kapishya Hot Springs
Bangweulu Swamps - Shoebill Conservation area
Kasanka National Park

Itinerary
Day 1 & 2
Arrive and transfer to Salima's Livingstonia Beach Campsite for our Tented accommodation on a Dinner & Breakfast basis.

During our time on Lake Malawi, activities include; swimming, snorkling, boating and more. We will visit the local fishing village, gaining an insight into the lives of the local people. There is also the David Stuart Aquarium, where the cichlid fish of Lake Malawi are kept, before export around the world for the aqarium enthusiasts.

Day 3 & 4
Depart after lunch to Liwonde National park. Overnight in Mvuu Campsite - Tented accommodation - inclusive of all meals and game activities.

Liwonde National Park is Malawi's best for wildlife.   It is located on the Shire River, a tributary of the Zambezi. You're guarenteed to see hippos and crocodiles and during the dry season elephant, impala, water buck, and baboons are common.  Less common are sable, kudu and bushbuck. Bird life on the river is plentiful.

There is a Black Rhino Sanctury here; the rhino are shy, but we will try and search for them. There is a good chance of seeing the sable antelope on this drive, a most unique looking species.

Day 5
Liwonde National Park - Zomba Mountain
Depart Liwonde National Park to Zomba plateau. Overnight on the Trout farm campsite. All meals included and a tour of the plateau.

Zomba Mountain - Zomba Plateau (one of our favorites) has superb mountain views and abundant opportunities to explore (the gardens on the mountain are a real paradise). We will undertake walks, visit the local markets and explore this eden on the mountain. Lot's of fresh fruit and berries are grown on this mountain with the ideal climate that exists here.

Day 6
Zomba - Thyolo
After lunch we drive to Thyolo/Satemwa Tea Estates Guest House - all meals included.

During our time at Setamwa we will experience a tea tasting session, visit the tea and coffee plantations factory, take a formal tour and walk throughout the estate exploring the Shire Highlands.

Day 7 & 8
Thyolo - Mulanje
Drive to Mulanje to the (CCAP) Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Self Catering Cottages - all meals included.

Mount Mulanje Massif (a spectacle set amongst tea plantations and rising up from the surrounding countryside) is a Global Biosphere Reserve, the region contains unique flora and fauna such as the Mulanje Cedar tree, a source of wood for the wonderful 'chip carved' furniture made by local artisans.

We will experience what ever is presetly happening at the CCAP orphanage. It's possible to arrange, for a small fee, some events with the children, giving you a chance to interact and gain some insight, into the lives of these children.

Day 9
Mulanje - Dedza Pottery
Early departure - lunch at Dedza Pottery - Overnight Dedza pottery Lodge - all meals included. Learn about the work of this world famous pottery and in the afternoon you will have time to explore and choose from a selection of local activities. Time for a sundowner up Dedza moutain in the evening before supper.

Day 10
Dedza to Luwawa / Chikangawa Forest Reserve
Overnight Luwawa Forest Campsite, Tented accommodation - All meals included.

The campsite near by the lodge is 5000 feet or 1650 metres above sea level and Malaria free, nestled in an ideally situated area of the Viphya mountains, in one of the most tranquil and beautiful scenic locations in the North of Malawi.

There are huge opportunities to explore beautiful woodland, highland plateau trails and rural Malawi life. The lodge can offer you something different to the typical African safari or beach holiday experience; such as Mountain biking around the lodge is excellent with hundreds of kilometres of forest trails to enjoy in a safe, cool environment with scenic splendor. Its a great place to get fit in the fresh mountain air.

Rock climbing, abseiling or repelling are one of the lodges specialties! This gives you a unique opportunity to rock climb in the North of Malawi. The lodge have trained instructors, guides, professional equipment and ten years of experience with a 100% safety record.

Many other sports are available including fishing, sailing, kayaking and canoeing on the Luwawa reservoir, Archery and more.... as our time is short we will discuss ahead what you wish to do and give a heads up so all can be arranged ahead of time.

Day 11
Luwawa - Vwaza Marsh
Depart Luwawa mid morning and drive to Vwaza / Kazuni camp. Tented accommodation. All meals and safaris included.

Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve on Lake Kazuni (on route to Nyika) is known for the shoreline birds, hippo and elephant sightings. (Perhaps elephants will wander through camp at the end of the day - we had an amazing encounter July 2008 watching a family of elephants bathing).

Day 12 & 13
Vwaza Marsh to Nyika National Park.
Depart Vwaza after lunch and drive to Nyika Chelinda Camp, overnight in self catering chalets, all meals and safaris included.

Nyika National Park offers an 'elevated' experience in this unique plateau with its sightings of rare roan antelope, good oppportunites to see leopard, the famous proteas, orchids and flowers, and miles of pristine undulating grasslands.

Day 14
Drive back to Lilongwe arriving back in the late afternoon - Overnight Sanctuary Lodge campsite on dinner, bed & breakfast basis.

Day 15, 16 & 17
Drive to South Luangwa National Park.
Wildlife camp - Tented accommodation a on fullboard basis and safari activities.

These days we will encompase game drives, walks and night drives enjoying the diversity the South Luangwa Park offers. South Luangwa National Park is known for the largest leopard population in Africa.

Day 18
Transfer by road from Wildlife camp to Luambe National Park. This a small National Park located between South & North Luangwa National Park. We will stay at the Luangwa Wilderness campsite - Tented accommodation - all meals and safaris included. This area is said to be that of South Luangwa 15 years ago before higher numbers of tourists came into the area. This lodge is the only one in the park so we will have the area literally to ourselves.

Day 19, 20 & 21
Drive to North Luangwa National Park
Delia Explorers - self catering camp - all meals included and walks. The North Luangwa National Park is known as one of the last wild frontiers in Zambia. Tourism started very recently in this park. The park was literally saved by the efforts of Mark & Delia Owens in their efforts to combat poaching. Walking Safaris are the draw here in this, the most remote of parks.

Day 22 & 23
Transfer from Delia Explorers to Shiwa Ng'andu / Kapishya Hot Springs Lodge. This is close to Shiwa House and accommodation is on dinner, bed & breakfast.

Visiting Shiwa House; Shiwa Ngandu (also spelled Shiwa Ng'andu) is a grand English-style country house and estate in the Northern Province of Zambia, about 12 km west of the Tanzam highway and half-way between Mpika and Chinsali. Its name is based on a small lake nearby, Lake Ishiba Ng'andu which in the Bemba language means 'lake of the royal crocodile'. The house itself is also known as 'Shiwa House'. It was the life-long project of an English aristocrat, Sir Stewart Gore-Browne who fell in love with the country after working on the Anglo-Belgian Boundary Commission determining the border between Rhodesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kapishya is a quiet secluded 6 chalet lodge. It is situated on the Estate of Shiwa Ngandu (The Africa House) and is set along the banks of the Mansha river. The main attraction of Kapishya is its natural, sulphur free hot springs. The lodge is 32km off the Great North Road. Kapishya has a fully stocked bar and a restaurant serving high standard international cuisine.

There are various activities available at Kapishya and on the estate. Such as River floats, game drives, visits to the manor house, horse back riding and bird walks.

Day 24 & 25
Drive from Kapishya Hot Springs to Bangweulu Swamps
Shoe Bill campsite - all meals and activities included.

We will go to the tree hide at 'Fibwe' for sundowners, this is generally rated as Africa's best vantage point for observing Sitatunga antelope. Perched 18 meters high in a 'Mululu' African Mahogany tree, it gives a panoramic view over the Kapabi swamp. Visitors often see more than 20 sitatunga in a single visit and the record is 94! These elusive antelope are less active during the hotter hours of the day and are best seen at dawn and dusk when they emerge to feed. Visitors occasionally also see crocodile, bushbuck, waterbuck, buffalo and elephant from the platform. Many species of birds, including coucals, mousebirds, bohm's bee-eaters, ross's and schalow's louries are seen here.

Day 26
Bangweulu Swamps - Kasanka
Kasanka National Park - camping, all meals included and activities.

Starting just 50 kms to the North of Kasanka are the vast Bangweulu Wetlands. The area is divided into 3 main habitats, open water to the North West (near Samfya), huge swamps in the middle and around the southern and eastern fringes, seasonally flooded grass plains.

It is the swampy Lukulu river which are of interest to visitors. The area supports an incredible diversity of water-birds and plains-birds including the shoebill storks and home to massive herds of the black lechwe, an attractive species found only in the Bangweulu.

Elephant, buffalo, tsessebe, reedbuck, oribi and sitatunga are also adapted to life in this wetland environment. You don't have to be a birding fanatic to love Bangweulu.

Bangweulu is a great draw for birdwatchers attracting a profusion of waterfowl. Wattled crane, Saddle-billed stork, Spur-winged goose, Sacred Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-cheeked Bee-eater, Swamp Flycatcher, Pink- throated and Fulbourne's Longclaw, Denham's Bustard and numerous ducks live here.

The papyrus swamps along the Lukulu river are also the breeding ground of the shoebill, a massive grey, do-do like bird found nowhere else in the sub-region. Bangweulu is probably the best place remaining in the world to see shoebill storks in the wild, and at the right time of year no visitor leaves disappointed.

Day 27
Drive to Lusaka
Pioneer Camp Chalets.

Day 28
Airport transfer
Flight back home.
End of Services

Included
Land Cruiser 4 x 4
Driver/guides & cook
Accommodation (camping & budget lodges)
Meals
Activities as indicated in itinerary

Excluded
Bar
Flights
Park entrance fees (US$5 per person/day in Malawi parks and US$25 per person/day in Zambian parks)
Sleeping bag
Tips
Travel/medical insurance
Other excursions not mentioned above
Total entrance fees per person - US$275 each as per current rates

Please contact us for this tour price and other details

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