Overview
This is an exciting safari that includes wonderful destinations and allows you to explore the diversity of the lesser travelled Southern African countries such as Zambia and Malawi. The journey offers amazing scenery and fantastic highlights and is recommended for travellers with a sense of adventure.
Starting from Lusaka, your safari includes a canoeing trip on the Lower Zambezi opposite Mana Pools, an area renowned for its wealth of wildlife. Then to South Luangwa National Park to explore this wonderful game park on game drives and a bush walk. Now to Malawi where you will hike the Mulanje Massif, do a boat cruise and game drive in Liwonde and end at Lake Malawi where you can snorkel, swim and enjoy the amazing beaches.
Your safari ends in Lilongwe on Day 16.
Highlights
- Canoe trip & wild camping on the Lower Zambezi
- Bush walk and 4WD Game drives in South Luangwa National Park
- Hike the Mulanje Massif and visit the tea plantations
- Boat cruise & game drives in Liwonde National Park
- Kayaking & snorkelling in Lake Malawi
- Amazing landscapes & scenic sites
Itinerary
DAY 1
PIONEER CAMP, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
Chalet – Bed only
The group will meet in Lusaka at 16:00 at the lodge. This evening, after the tour briefing, we have a group dinner at the lodge (own expense).
Included : Bed only
DAY 2
GWABI RIVER LODGE, KAFUE RIVER, ZAMBIA
Ensuite Twin Room – Breakfast & Lunch
A long drive takes us across the rolling Miombo forested hills of southern Zambia and down into the Zambezi Valley lowlands and our lodge on the banks of the Kafue River. Being a major tributary to the Zambezi River it is the largest and longest river lying entirely within Zambia. We overnight on its banks and enjoy the sunset from the elevated deck.
Included : Breakfast & Lunch
DAYS 3 & 4
LOWER ZAMBEZI CANOEING TRIP
Wild Camping on Day 3 – Full Board
Gwabi River Lodge on Day 4 – Breakfast & Lunch
We paddle down the mighty Zambezi River, home of the tribal mythical god – Nyami Nyami. Canoeing past local riverside villages and magnificent scenery. We overnight at a wild campsite on Elephant Bones Island in the heart of untamed Africa. The following morning we continue our canoe safari through an area teaming with elephants, hippos and other wildlife. We will be collected by a motorboat, and transferred back up river to our lodge.
Included : Full Day Canoe Safari, Full Board on Day 3, Breakfast & Lunch on Day 4
DAY 5
CHIMWEMWE LODGE, GREAT EAST ROAD, ZAMBIA
Standard Room – Full Board
We head north to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, where we stock up on supplies in the bustling shops and markets. Taking the Great East Road we drive this afternoon, passing small villages and street side markets, until sunset. (A very long day of travel but allows us to get to South Luangwa sooner on day 6).
Included : Full Board
DAYS 6, 7 & 8
WILDLIFE CAMP, SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK
Chalet – Breakfast & Lunch
Make our way down into “the valley” of the South Luangwa National Park. This remote region is one of Africa’s finest wildlife sanctuaries where elephants, hippo, lion and leopard abound. Our lodge, on the banks of the Luangwa River, overlooks the national park and you can frequently see hippos and elephants from the camp swimming pool!
We explore the game management area and the national park on a game walk and open 4WD game drives, one at night with spotlights, to see nocturnal animals. (In the green season, Dec – Apr, walks may not be possible in which case we’ll do extra game drives).
There is time on the last afternoon either to relax in camp or take another game walk, game drive or village visit activity (own expense).
Included : Breakfast & Lunch, Bush walk, Game drives in South Luangwa National Park, Park Fees
DAY 9
WOODLANDS LILONGWE HOTEL, LILONGWE, MALAWI
Ensuite Twin Room – Breakfast & Lunch
We cross the border at Chipata into Malawi and make our way to the capital Lilongwe where we restock on supplies. The afternoon is free to wander the town or search the markets.
Included – Breakfast & Lunch
DAYS 10 & 11
KARA 0’MULA LODGE, MULANJE, MALAWI
Ensuite Twin Room – Full Board
We tour one of Malawi’s famous tea plantations in the Thyolo region before making our way to our lodge in Mulanje. Mount Mulanje’s bare rock flanks tower to almost 3002m, dwarfing all that surrounds it, and influencing cloud patterns in the area, making it an important source of rain water at the head of almost every river in this part of southern Malawi. Formed about 130 million years ago, the first European to see the Massif was David Livingstone in 1859, but archaeological investigation reveals evidence of human activity since the Stone Ages. We take a day walk on the slopes to see the streams, waterfalls and towering peaks.
Included : Full Board, Guided walk on slopes of Mount Mulanje
DAYS 12 & 13
AFRICA PARKS CHINGUNI CAMPSITE, LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK, MALAWI
Camping – Full Board
Ancient baobab trees and lofty palms provide the backdrop for this magnificent southern Malawi reserve. Covering 548 km² of the upper Shire River plains and valley slopes, Liwonde harbours Malawi’s largest remaining elephant population and the critically endangered Black Rhino.
The river Shire flows along Liwonde’s western border and we’ll board a river cruise safari in the hopes of finding hippo, crocodiles, elephants or any other game coming down to quench their thirst in the late afternoon.
Included : Full Board, Boat Cruise, Park entry
DAYS 14 & 15
BLUE ZEBRA ISLAND LODGE, LAKE MALAWI
Ensuite Twin Safari Tents – Full Board
Lake Malawi is the jewel of Malawi and one the Great Rift Valley lakes. We head to the Lake Malawi National Park where we take a boat to the secluded tropical Mumbo Island, near Cape Maclear. The rustic lodge is an idyllic paradise with kayaks and snorkelling gear available to explore the island and snorkel with the jewelled fish, the endemic Cichlids. The friendly people of Malawi make it the “warm heart of Africa”.
Wake up to the sound of the birds on your own paradise island. Roll out of bed and head down to the beach to soak a morning of sun and relaxation or take a kayak for a paddle around the island. Stop to snorkel and be amazed by the sheer variety of colour fish.
Included : Full Board, Park Fees, Boat transfers
DAY 16
LILONGWE – END OF SAFARI
We catch the ferry back to mainland where we climb back onto our truck and return to Lilongwe, sun-tanned, laid-back and ready to re-join life.
Tour ends at 11:00am at the Lilongwe airport.
Rates 2025
- Jan – Dec 2025 – EUR0 3,650 + USD 300 per person sharing
- Single Supplement EURO 780 per person
Inclusions
- Accommodation & meals as per itinerary
- Transport
- 2 Guides
- All Entrance & Park Fees
- Activities as per itinerary
