The Responsible Safari Company - African Safaris in Malawi and Zambia
African Safaris In Malawi & Zambia
Experience the Beauty of Safari
Beach and Bush, Cross Border Safaris, Malawi and Zambia.
An African Safari for us is about staying in beautiful eco-lodges which blend naturally into the local surroundings, having lunch under the shade of an acacia tree in the heat of the day, gazing over vast open plains at sunset or sitting around a camp fire at night looking up at the African skies. It is here that you will truly appreciate Africa's beauty.
Malawi has nine National Parks and Wildlife Reserves and holds the romantic appeal of offering a safari experience in peacefully idyllic surroundings and an opportunity to enjoy some of the more specialist wildlife in Africa today. Due to its diversity, a Malawi safari offers an eclectic mix of adventure and specialist options; with its famous boat safaris on Liwonde's Shire River, bush walks in Nyika National Park, hiking and mountain biking on Mulanje Mountain and the great Zomba Plateau. Additionally, with some of the highest concentrations of bird life on the continent and an abundance of plant and vegetation, there is a variety of specialist safaris to suit every taste.
South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is a few hours drive across the border and offers exceptional safari experiences. The Luangwa River attracts huge herds of elephant and visitors can expect to see a wide diversity of birds and mammals including lion, buffalo, crocodile, girraffe and zebra. A safari in South Luangwa National Park can include 4 x 4 game drives, walking safaris or the exclusive bush camp experience.
At least once per week, my daughter asks; `When are we going back to Malawi?` We’re saving our money; we will be back! Fullem Family May 2009.
Northern Malawi
Nyika National Park
Malawi's first and largest National Park, Nyika extends over 3200 sq km across a large stretch of Northern Malawi. With a healthy population of Elephant and Buffalo and one of the highest densities of Leopard in Central Africa, Nyika offers some attractive big game opportunities. With lush mountain vegetation, Nyika is also home to a large number of eland, roan and duiker antelope as well as zebra, warthog, bushpig, hyena, jackal and civet cat.
Due to the scenic beauty of the great plateau, Nyika is also a popular wilderness area for adventure activities such as trekking, mountain biking and fly fishing. Visitors to the area can also expect to see some of the 400+ species of bird as well as butterfly and amphibian species not found anywhere else in the world.
Vwaza Wildlife Reserve
Due to the mainly marshy vegetation, Vwasa Wildlife Reserve offers plentiful bird viewing for the ornithologist, with more than 300 recorded species as well as herds of thirty or forty elephants and the famous hippo population in Lake Kazuni Vwaza provides an attractive option for the northern circuit.
Central Malawi
Ntchisi Forest
Ntchisi Forest is just a couple of hours drive from Lilongwe and ideal for a three night stay. A small picturesque forest lodge provides excellent accommodation, delicious food and various activities within the area.
Ntchisi Forest offers spectacular views down to Lake Malawi and boasts one of Malawi's last remaining rainforests ideal for hiking and mountain biking. The rural communities surrounding Ntchisi offer visitors an opportunity to interact with local villagers and take part in Malawian cookery lessons as well as volunteering their skills on local development initiatives.
Southern Malawi
Lake Malawi National Park
The world's first freshwater National Park and a World Heritage Site, Lake Malawi National Park offers crystal clear warm waters and sandy beaches against a stunning backdrop of high mountains. Designated to protect the diversity of tropical fish, some not found anywhere else on earth, the Park encompasses the popular Cape Maclear as well as the Lake and its Islands stretching 100 metres offshore. The Nankhumba Peninsula, the centrepiece of a miniature archipelago of twelve islands, offers spectacular scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities while on land the park is home to an extraordinary concentration of species of bird, plant and animal including baboons, antelope and hyrax as well as fish eagles, cormorants and hammerkops.
Liwonde National Park
Liwonde is perhaps Malawi's most popular, as well one of the smallest game parks at only 580 sq km. Providing stunning game viewing attracted through the large River Shire flowing along its western border, Liwonde is home to large numbers of elephants as well as countless hippos and crocodiles. Lions, leopards and more recently, the black rhino are all evident as well as a healthy antelope population, including kudu, sable, impala, bushbuck, duiker and oribi.
Majete Wildlife Reserve
40 miles south of Blantyre in the Lower Shire Valley, Majete has seen a recent influx of trans-located game as well as an improvement of much of the Reserve's infrastructure. With a healthy population of elephant, buffalo and a small number of Black Rhino as well as many waterbuck, sable antelope, nyala, zebra, hartebeest, kudu, and many more species, Majete offers a quieter alternative to game viewing with over 2000 animals roaming a 14,000ha Sanctuary.
Lengwe National Park
Lengwe, south of Majete, extends 900 sq km in size and provides good game viewing with an interesting variety of bushbuck, impala, duiker and kudu as well as the beautiful striped-back Nyala. Buffalo and lions are also evident as well as warthogs, monkeys and baboons.
Areas of National Interest
Mount Mulanje
Mulanje Massif stands as the highest mountain in Central Africa and is one of the most picturesque areas in Malawi. Set amid tea plantations at the southern base of the country it is a popular trekking and hiking attraction. Mulanje Mountain stands as a rugged island above the expansive tea-growing country of Thyolo and Mulanje districts, and offers visitors stunning scenery, wonderful hiking opportunities and adventure treks for all abilities.
Zomba Plateau
Zomba Mountain is one of the most popular areas in Malawi for walking, hiking and horse riding and is noted for its stunning scenery and bird life. A good variety of mammals are present with Leopards, bushbuck, klipspringer and red duiker as well as the notorious monkey and baboon populations.
Zambia
A destination routed in the Big Game Hunters of the past
Zambia's Safaris need no introduction! As raw and wild as you will find on the continent, it provides Africa's Big Game in outstandingly rugged settings. The country's most prolific park, South Luangwa, is a morning's drive from Lilongwe, making it an ideal add-on to any Malawian Safari for those seeking a higher concentration of Africa's larger game.
South Luangwa National Park
Rated as one of the world's top Game Reserves, South Luangwa provides an outstanding abundance of Africa's Big Five. Providing some real off the tourist trail safaris and a minimal scattering of tourism developments, it offers a great wilderness option in combination with Malawi's Parks, Cultural heritage and Inland Lake.
Planning a Safari
Planning a Safari to Africa can be a complicated procedure and there are a number of things that need to be considered. When the best time to travel is in terms of climate and wildlife, what kind of safari you would like to experience, how long you want to spend and what combination of activities you would like to take in.
As such we would be delighted to hear from you and to recommend a comprehensive list of information to tailor make the best safari itinerary options to suit your taste.