10 Days / 9 Nights

Day 1 Fri: Arrive Lilongwe – Zomba Mountain
Arrive in Lilongwe and meet your guide for the spectacular 4-hour drive south along the Great African Rift to Zomba. Time permitting, we will take a tour of the town before ascending to our lodge. ZOMBA FOREST LODGE (D)

Day 2 Sat: Zomba Mountain
Options include walks around the plateau, birding, and visiting some of the viewpoints which fringe the edge of the plateau. A round trip along the rim is about 11 miles, and can easily take the best part of a day with constant stopping at points of interest. In the hotter months there are some great swimming spots. (BLD)

Day 3 Sun: Zomba / Mulanje Mountain
We take a scenic drive through rolling tea fields to Mulanje Mountain, South Central Africa’s highest mountain – a huge block of granite rising above a largely flat and featureless plain. Hiking is unrivalled up the numerous peaks and along marginal plateaux, which are intersected by deep-forested ravines lined with the Mulanje cedar which attain heights of 150ft. LUJERI LODGE (BLD)

Day 4 Mon: Mulanje Mountain
Today you could choose to do some gentle walking along the foothills of the mountain and a tour of the nearby tea factory. (BLD)

Day 5 Tue: Mulanje Mountain / Liwonde National Park
Depart for Liwonde though the village-strewn Phalombe Plain and into the Great African Rift Valley to Liwonde Town. Travel by boat up the Shire River to our tented camp. MVUU WILDERNESS LODGE
(BLD)

Day 6 & 7 Wed: Liwonde National Park
Liwonde National Park is considered to be the finest in Malawi and one of the best birding locations in Africa. Boat safaris, game drives, and nature walks enable us to experience a wide range of game, including large numbers of sable antelope, hippo, impala, and waterbuck. Huge crocodiles and serval are also fairly common. Possible opportunities to interact with the locals include a bicycle ride to Nanthomba and Kafulafula Schools, a visit to the local Women’s Handicraft group or a tour of the various agricultural projects in the area which we support. (BLD)

Day 8 Thu: Liwonde / Mumbo Island
Today we will depart for the Cape Maclear Peninsula, stopping en route at the bustling town of Mangochi for a look at the museum. The lake is home to over 2,000 species of brightly colored algae feeding fish from the cichlid family. Mumbo Island Camp (BLD)

Day 9 Fri: Mumbo Island
Today can be as active or as relaxed as you wish with options to swim, snorkel, kayak, go birding or just stroll. There are short easy walks from the camp which take you to several points of all points of interest on the island. (BLD)

Day 10 Sat: Mumbo Island / Depart Lilongwe
Travel by boat and road to Lilongwe for your departure flight. (B)