Countries: Zambia , Malawi
Destinations: Lusaka , Lower Zambezi National Park , Petauke , South Luangwa National Park , Lilongwe , Mulanje Massif , Liwonde National Park , Lake Malawi
Group Size: 12
Duration (days): 16
Number of Adults: 12
Number of Children: 0
An exciting safari experience exploring the diversity of the lesser travelled South Eastern African countries. This tour is not for the faint hearted, and requires some patience; the travelling can be slow, some nights the accommodation is basic, however the journey offers amazing scenery and fantastic highlights, well worth the long travel days. We recommend malaria prophylactics. A safari for travellers with a sense of adventure.
Itinerary Outline
Day 1 : Lusaka
The group will meet in Lusaka, in Zambia, at 16:00 at the lodge. This evening, after the tour briefing, we have a group dinner at the lodge (own expense).
A land competing with the best when it comes to wild and action packed safaris, Zambia offers a world of exploration and adventure.
While sharing the mighty Zambezi River and Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe, Zambia also has some truly wild and spectacular destinations of its own. With some magical national parks offering great wildlife experiences, Zambia has developed a name for its excellent guides, and exciting safari activities.
Accessed by air via either South Africa or Kenya, or by road from Botswana or Zimbabwe, Zambia offers full safari itineraries, or can be a great combination with other East or Southern African countries.
In general, due to the remoteness of the parks in Zambia, fly-in safaris are popular, although mobile road safaris are available. A major highlight of a Zambian safari is the isolation of many of the luxurious camps.
Nestled in the heart of southern Africa, Lusaka, the vibrant capital of Zambia, beckons travelers with its unique blend of urban energy and natural beauty. Towering jacaranda trees line the bustling streets, casting a purple hue in the warm African sun. Markets brim with colorful textiles, handcrafted jewelry, and exotic spices, enticing visitors to explore local craftsmanship. The city's rich cultural tapestry unfolds through its museums, showcasing ancient artifacts and contemporary art that narrate Zambia's history. At dusk, the skyline glows with the silhouette of modern skyscrapers against a backdrop of fiery sunsets, offering a serene contrast to the day's lively activities. Lusaka welcomes adventurers seeking to discover the pulse of Africa with its warm hospitality and diverse experiences waiting around every corner.
Pioneer Lodge offers 11 individual thatched chalets and a beautiful 2 bedroom cottage each set within 25 acres of miombo woodland. You can walk around the property which is home to a variety of birds.
The chalets range from simple stylish comfort to higher levels of comfort, expected at any top Safari Lodge. All en-suite chalets have verandas with lovely woodland views and are very private.
Only 14 km (20 minutes) from the airport or shopping centres of Arcades and Manda Hill, Pioneer Camp is the ideal place to start and end when visiting Zambia.
At the centre of Pioneer Lodge is the open thatched bar/restaurant or ‘Chitenge’. This is for residents only and is open from 07h00 until 23h00 every day. Coffee and tea are always available here but, along with drinks from the bar, can be brought to your chalet if requested.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the dining area. Pioneer Camp is well known for the candle lit barbeque meals served in the evenings .
There is a recreational area with swimming pool, table tennis, billiards etc. A library of informative books about wildlife, fauna and flora of Zambia and other parts of Africa and holiday novels is also at your disposal.
The campsite and simple chalets share charcoal-heated showers (hot water at all times). The Safari Chalets with their private bathrooms and terraces are just a minutes’ walk from the Main Camp and offer a high level of privacy, facing out to offer a beautiful view of the Zambian countryside. The whole area is surrounded by an unobtrusive electric fence to ensure complete security.
Day 2 : Lower Zambezi National Park
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.
As the name explains, Lower Zambezi National Park is set along the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, which forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
On the other side of the river is Mana Pools National Park, which helps to create a large conservation zone in the Zambezi River valley.
Largely undeveloped, Lower Zambezi provides travellers with an action filled Zambian safari, with walking safaris, canoeing, boat cruises and fishing excursions all being available.
Gwabi River Lodge is only 2 hours drive from Lusaka and situated on the banks of the Kafue River.
Accommodation consists of 9 en-suite air conditioned chalets set amongst manicured lawns with beautiful views over the river. Each chalet accommodates two adults or up to four in a family arrangement. In addition to the chalets, there is also a large shaded camping ground overlooking the Kafue River.
The main area includes a dining/bar area and swimming pool with meals enjoyed either inside or out on the deck.
For bird watchers there are over a hundred species of birds to find. Gwabi River Lodge lends itself to supporting local communities as all staff are from local villages and speak proudly of their local history and socio-culture. For those who enjoy fishing or just want to game view down the river, there is a fleet of boats for hire. Clients may use our launch site for their own boats. Canoes are also available for hire and up to three day trips downstream can be arranged. All activities are offered at an additional cost.
Day 3 : Lower Zambezi National Park
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.
Sunway Wild Camping Lower Zambezi
Wild Camping – we camp wild on an island for 1 night while canoeing on the Zambezi River. Wild camps have no facilities; we will need to take our own water and all equipment. Wild camping can be very enjoyable but please remember that we leave no trace of our stay and take all rubbish away with us. Toilets will be of the “dig and bury” variety. Sunway supplies all the camping equipment, except for your sleeping bag and pillow, which you need to bring. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres and putting them up or down takes only 5 minutes. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest. You will need to bring your own towel. No Wifi.
Day 4 : Lower Zambezi National Park
This morning we continue our canoe safari through an area teeming with elephants, hippos and other wildlife. We will be collected by a motorboat and transferred back up river to our lodge.
Day 5 : Petauke
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 reaching the small town of Petauke.
Chimwemwe offers chalet accommodation, from single to presidential suites, as well as camping sites. Chimwemwe means joy in the Chewa language. Our lodge is built to give local and international guests a homely welcome in a recreated Zambian village environment.
Our gardens are the best in Petauke and offer excellent background photographic scenery for wedding and conference group photos. The Lodge has a conference room that can cater for up to 70 people. Chimwemwe Lodge is well situated for travellers going to and from Chipata or Mfuwe.
Day 6 - 8 : South Luangwa National Park
We 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).
The concentration of wildlife along the Luangwa River is extraordinary, and has earned South Luangwa National Park the reputation of being one of the world's greatest wildlife sanctuaries.
The vegetation of the Luangwa valley changes dramatically between the wet and dry seasons, and this change makes the park a wonderful place to visit at anytime of year, although access to some areas becomes limited during the peak of the wet.
As one the founding locations for guided walking safaris, South Luangwa is still one of the best parks in Africa to experience exploring the bush on foot.
The Wildlife Camp is situated in the Southern section of the Luangwa Valley. The Valley is in the Eastern Province of Zambia and forms the tail end of the Great Rift Valley.
Situated in unspoilt surroundings on the banks of the Luangwa River, the Camp has a variety of accommodation on offer from campsites and self-catering to fully catered chalets. The Camp has been designed around a 'rustic-original' theme whilst keeping comfort in mind. The self-catering option provides you with all the necessary kitchen utensil requirements plus fridge, freezer and bedding. There is also a cook on hand to prepare meals if required as well as the availability of a laundry service on request.
Whether guests choose to languish in the well stocked bar-cum-dining area that overlooks the park, or 'bush-out' at the campsite, the Camp ensures that one gets back to nature for an unforgettable bush experience. The Wildlife Camp operates under the auspices of the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia for the benefit of the local community.
Day and night game drives are conducted in open vehicles, tracking down the variety of game to be seen in the South Luangwa National Park. Walking safaris are offered to experience Africa and its wildlife on foot in the park where this type of safari was born.
Day 9 : Lilongwe
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.
Malawi is beating faster now and the legendary welcome is there for all who wish to experience the unrivalled combination of Lake, Landscape, Wildlife & Culture in one of Africa's most beautiful and compact countries. Described as the "Warm Heart Of Africa", this relatively little known gem of this diverse continent has so much to offer; wildlife, culture, adventure, scenery, and of course the third largest lake in Africa. A year-round destination, some even go as far to describe Malawi as the most attractive country in sub-Saharan Africa! This may seem to be an extravagant claim for such a relatively small country but the truth lies in the unique combination of attractions that Malawi has to offer. Where else will you find such a genuinely warm welcome in a country at peace with itself? Where else can you experience such a diverse scenic kaleidoscope in such a small area? Here you have central Africa's highest mountain, vast high plateau with seemingly limitless views, forests and unspoilt game parks and, the jewel in the crown, Africa's third largest and most beautiful lake truly an inland sea.
The Woodlands Lilongwe previously known as the Sanctuary Lodge is a boutique hotel built in a river fronted nature reserve in the heart of Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi, 'the Warm Heart of Africa' and land of the 'Lake of Stars! Under New Management, the hotel offers luxurious accommodation in lilongwe in a pristine indigenous natural woodland of miombo trees spread over 9 hectares. Individual chalets offer secluded and exclusive accomodation each with its own private veranda set in a protected wildlife park with a prolific birdlife as well as monkeys, bush pig, buck, porcupines, bush babies and crocodiles. The Woodlands Lilongwe hotel is the perfect place to work or play for guests and visitors alike. It's an idyllic location for business meetings, lunches, dinners, wedding receptions, birthday parties, or simply meet for a casual drink after work.
Day 10 - 11 : Mulanje Massif
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 Age. We take a day walk on the slopes to see the streams, waterfalls and towering peaks.
Kara O'Mula Resort is an eco-resort located at a pristine site at the foot of the magnificent Mulanje Mountain. It is 12kms from the Likhubula Falls and the Dziwe la Nkhalamba natural pool, which is a further 2 or so kms.
Get to Kara O’Mula Resort in Mulanje from Blantyre via the scenic rolling green tea fields and natural woods through the Thyolo road; or via the 19km shorter Robert Mugabe Highway/Midima Road
Kara O'Mula Resort has 27 accommodation rooms ranging from single bed, double bed, to family rooms. Spacious terrace chalets are spread out on the lower slope on the edge of the mountain reserve boundary within a few meters of each other with vantage views of the great Mulanje Mountain, the surrounding tea estates, the Thyolo Highlands and mountains across the border with Mozambique
Day 12 - 13 : Liwonde National Park
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. In the morning we’ll explore the grassland and woodland habitats in search of leopards, elephants, hippos, antelopes and rare Lilian’s lovebirds in our safari truck. 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.
Mvuu Camp overlooks a broad stretch of the Shire River (pronounced Shiree) in Liwonde National Park. The camp is a clever mix of stone and canvas chalets and specially-designed family tents, which total 14 units. An impressive thatched dining and lounge area is situated between two enormous baobabs, and dinners are sometimes held under the stars in a specially constructed boma. A custom-built education and conference centre has facilities for up to 40 delegates or smaller corporate and team building functions.
Day 14 : Lake Malawi
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”.
Explore Lake Malawi, Africa’s third largest lake as well as the second-deepest in Africa and the ninth-largest in the world. It’s the Jewel in the Warm heart of Africa’s tourism crown with its cool, clear blue waters, paired with its golden sands. It’s the calendar lake as it is 365 miles in length from north to south and 52 miles wide. Occupying about 20 percent of the total surface area of Malawi, the lake covers an area of 29,600 sq km, most of which is located within the State of Malawi. Lake Malawi is also known as the lake of stars, as lights from the lanterns of fishermen on their boats can be seen, that resemble stars in the sky from a distance. Beautiful and astonishing golden beaches around Lake Malawi attract a lot of activities such as Snorkeling, Scuba diving, Beach soccer, Kayaking and Sailing, Boat trips, Water-skiing, Sailboarding, Beach volleyball, Stargazing, Sand festival and many more experiences to explore.
Lake Malawi has its own National Park, the Lake Malawi National Park. The park was created to protect the lake’s endemic fish species and is Malawi’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to UNESCO Lake Malawi is no ordinary lake as it’s a home of an incredible diversity of life, with over 350 species of endemic cichlid fish.
Mumbo Island is a pristine and deserted tropical island, and the undisputed jewel of the Lake Malawi National Park.
Mumbo Island has never been populated, and is still in its natural state with a thick covering of miombo woodland and ancient fig and baobab trees.
The waters around the island are clean and calm, and allow all guests – irrespective of fitness or experience – to enjoy sea kayaking, snorkeling and SCUBA diving. The island’s only mammals Spotted-necked Otters – are remarkably playful and regularly join guests for a snorkel or swim.
Day 15 : Lilongwe
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. Later 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.