Destination Malawi!

Be one of the few to discover the secrets of Malawi — “The Warm Heart of Africa.” We offer a week-long adventure in Malawi where you can enjoy both game viewing and beach activities. This is a unique escape to a place where few tourists venture. On this trip, you'll visit Liwande National Park and Likoma Island on Lake Malawi.

Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is situated unobtrusively on the banks of a lagoon just off the Shire River. The river is a broad, languid waterway fringed by riverine forest, Borassus palms and inundated floodplains. As Lake Malawi's only outlet and the country's largest river it sets the stage for an awesome wilderness spectacle - the Liwonde National Park. Activities at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge revolve around boating trips on the Shire River and game drives. Nature walks and bike rides are also very popular. Enthusiasts will be able to participate in virtually non-stop birding around the lodge.

We want to share an excerpt from the most recent wildlife report from Mvuu, so you can get a sense of what a stay in this beautiful camp is like. A warm thank you to our partners at Mvuu for this great game update!

The drier it gets in Liwonde National Park, the more black rhino we seem to spot during our ever-popular game drives in the Rhino Sanctuary. Over the course of a week, we had the pleasure of seeing the horned herbivore on four different occasions. Most of the encounters took place close to one of the three active waterholes in the reserve. One young male which we found had just cut short his favourite pastime of wallowing in the mud and strutted his stuff in full view of the guests as he crossed the road only metres away from the vehicle. Many of the other guides at the camp and the lodge have had similar sightings recently.

We have also seen two male rhino fighting, and the long-lost male that escaped the sanctuary some months ago put in a personal appearance much to the delight of our guests and the accompanying guides. Samuel, one of our guides, was mock-charged by a big male one afternoon and he just managed to sneak in a snappy photograph before the boisterous boy beetled off into the bushes.

To our complete surprise and excitement, we had a very special sighting of lion between Namisundu and Kadunguzi (on the road to Mvuu Camp and Lodge). Other game sightings include immense numbers of elephant. In just one morning we spotted a total of 76 elephant drinking water by the western bank of the Shire River and on the same day we spotted a Pel's Fishing Owl perched up in the branches while on a boat safari.

The second half of our Malawi Surf and Turf safari lets you enjoy the charming Likoma Island, its beautiful beaches and pristine waters. The most important thing to understand about Likoma is that it is probably the friendliest place in Africa. Malawi is the 'warm heart of Africa', but Likoma is the center of the heart. You can wander off wherever you want, whenever you want; no maps or guides necessary. Just ask a Likoman the way home and they will probably escort you themselves.

Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the south-western tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. Here, time stops. You can forget your watch, or what day it is and just watch the waves and dig your toes into the sand. Enjoy sumptuous meals and spectacular sunsets while staying in this island paradise.

There are many things to do for active travellers. Snorkeling reveals the underwater beauty just outside your door. SCUBA facilities are available for a deeper exploration of the 9th largest freshwater lake in the world. This lake has some of the highest underwater biodiversity on the planet. Windsurfing, kayaking wakeboarding and fishing are all on tap as well.

For exploration and activities on the hoof, Kaya Mawa has recently taken delivery of three four-stroke quad bikes and a mini 4x4. The new vehicles were designed to keep emissions low by using smaller, cleaner engines than the usual Land Rover or Land Cruiser. They offer guests an easier and more efficient way of exploring the island, though you can still explore by bike. Having tackled the hills on the bikes myself, I can attest that the quad bikes hold great appeal!

Kaya Mawa also features in a new book called ‘Authentic Ecolodges’, which tips the lodge as one of the top eco lodges in the world. If you want to visit the warm heart of Africa, call us to book your adventure.

Mvuu photos courtesy Samuel Chihana and Frank Weitzer
Likoma Island photos courtesy Gretchen Healey