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Lake Malawi Holidays Packages Likoma Island and Safari Liwonde Majete

Lake Malawi, Self Drive Holiday & Vacation: Safari + Liwonde + Zomba + Blantyre

Classic Lake Malawi (self drive holiday)
Lake Malawi Self Drive Holiday Vacation Safari Liwonde Zomba Blantyre
11 NIGHTS FROM:
$4,250
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights + car hire quoted separately
VCM12B
• Lake Malawi Self Drive Holiday
• Blantyre
• Thyolo Forest Reserve
• Tea Estates
• Zomba Plateau
• Shire River
• Safari, Liwonde Park
• Lake Malawi
• Snorkelling & Swimming
• Self Drive Holiday Vacation Safari

This wonderful Lake Malawi self drive holiday & vacation starts in Blantyre & travels to the tea plantations of Thyolo in the foothills of Mount Mulanje & the Zomba Plateau, before continuing to Liwonde National Park on the Shire River for an exciting safari. Finish your holiday relaxing on the shores of Lake Malawi, where you can swim, snorkel, canoe and sail in crystal clear waters.

Day 1
You will be met at Blantyre Airport and driven 1.5-hours in your hire car, travelling southwards to the tea producing region of Thyolo (pronounced "Cho’lo").
 
Situated in the foothills of Mount Mulanje, these tea estates have been cultivated for over 100 years. After being briefed on your vehicle, relax at your hotel where the trimmed tea bushes give the appearance of a neatly kept but vast garden.
Day 2
This morning you can enjoy Tea Tasting at a tea factory, followed by a guided walk around the estate. Here you can gain insight into the colonial lifestyle, with balance of day at leisure,
 
Alternatively take a day trip to Mount Mulanje.
 
Note: There are no tea tastings on weekends.
Day 3
Today drive 3-hours through the towns of Limbe and Blantyre, travelling down the majestic Chikwawa escarpment to Majete Wildlife Reserve in the Lower Shire Valley.
 
Majete is a virtually undiscovered gem. It is one of Africa's huge conservation success stories, as large mammals have been successfully re-introduced here in recent years. Check into your game lodge in this pristine 70,000 hectare sanctuary and enjoy discovering its wildlife on an afternoon game drive.
Day 4
Today is devoted to game viewing in Majete Wildlife Reserve where vegetation is diverse - ranging from undulating miombo woodlands with beautiful grassy glades and granite-topped hills in the west, to mixed acacia, leadwood and dry marula savanna scattered with baobab trees and patches of ilala palm in the east. The Shire River forms part of the eastern boundary, with all watercourses in the picturesque valley having a fringe of lush riverine thicket.
 
In Majete you can hope to see elephant, black rhino, buffalo, sable antelope, hartebeest, kudu, suni, eland, klipspringer, zebra and elusive leopard, as well as many other smaller species. Lion have also recently been re-introduced to Majete, making it once again a "Big-5" reserve. Game drives typically take place in the early morning and late afternoon, when game viewing conditions are at their best. Walking safaris are also available, as well as game viewing by boat.
 
Birding in Majete is also superb, with year round residents including Bohms bee-eater, African hoopoe, Green wood hoopoe, Scimitar billed wood hoopoe, Lizard buzzard, Dark chanting goshawk, Pel's fishing owl, Red-throated twinspot, Palmnut vulture, White-headed vulture, Osprey, Cordon bleu, Little bee-eater, Rock pratincole, Spotted eagle owl, Green-backed heron, Black-crowned night heron, Eygptian goose, African darter, Great white egret, Brown-hooded kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, White faced duck, African jacana, Brown-crowned tchagra, Western banded snake eagle, Pied kingfisher, Brown snake eagle and Martial eagle.
Day 5
After some early morning game viewing in Majete, drive 3-hours to the magnificent Zomba Plateau.
 
Rising over 6,000 ft (1,800 m) this huge plateau is covered by wild vegetation as well as cedar, pine and cypress trees. The top of the plateau is criss-crossed by mountain streams, with tumbling waterfalls and lakes.
 
There are driveable tracks right round the top of the plateau, from which the views were described in colonial times as "the best in the British Empire".
Day 6
At leisure to relax on the Zomba Plateau and the enjoy spectacular views over the surrounding countryside.
 
There are many walking trails on the plateau and bird watching is outstanding. Fly-fishing for trout is possible in season and horse riding can also be arranged.
Day 7
Today leave Zomba and drive 3-hours to Liwonde National Park situated on the plains of the Upper Shire River.
 
Drive through Liwonde town and along the lakeshore road to Ulongwe, continuing along a dirt road to the park. On arrival sign in with a ranger, who will radio for a boat to collect you for the 15-minute ride up the Shire River, where you should see hippo, crocodile, elephant and buffalo. Arrive at your lodge in time for a late lunch and in the afternoon relax and enjoy the wonderful birdlife.
Day 8
Wildlife viewing in Liwonde National Park centres around the Shire River, with game viewing by boat and on land.
 
There is a wide variety of game in this park and you should get good sightings of elephant, sable antelope, warthog, impala, kudu, waterbuck, buffalo and many other species. As there are no lions in Liwonde you can substitute a walking safari, bike ride or canoeing down the river for one of your game activities. For an extra fee there is the option of rhino tracking - a 3-hour guided walk into rhino territory with armed scouts and guides to see the valuable work they are doing to combat poaching, ending with a delicious bush meal.
 
Bird watching is also outstanding, with over 400 recorded species. Specials include the Green coucal, Bat hawk, Palm-nut vulture, Pel's fishing owl, Brown-breasted barbet, Livingstone's flycatcher, White-backed night heron, Lilian’s lovebird, and Böhm's bee-eater. You can also hope to see Pied kingfisher, Black heron and other waterbirds during boat rides on the river, as well as Red-necked falcon and Rufous-bellied heron. In the woodlands you can see some localised species such as the African openbill and Long-toed lapwing. Liwonde is also great for birds of prey such as the Bateleur, Martial eagle and Snake eagle.
Days 9 To 11
At leisure to relax on the shores of beautiful Lake Malawi, an enormous inland sea with a surface area of over 11,000 square miles (30,000 square km).
 
Enjoy lazy days snorkelling, canoeing and sailing in crystal clear waters, which hold more species of freshwater aquarium fish than any other body of water on earth. Bird watching is also outstanding, so keep an eye out for the African fish eagle - Malawi's national bird.
 
Note: Water shoes are recommended for wading into the lake.
Day 12
Drive 3.5-hours to Lilongwe Airport for your flight home.