Southern Africa
Malawi, restored parks and a very large lake
Liwonde and Majete have both been transformed by conservation partnerships over the last two decades, and Lake Malawi gives you clear freshwater, snorkelling and island lodges.
We hold no photography of our own for this destination yet, so this page is set in type rather than dressed in pictures that are not ours. We also publish no fixed rate card here: it is quoted to order.
In short
One of the clearest conservation success stories in Africa, and almost nobody goes.
Liwonde and Majete have been restocked and now hold the big five between them. Numbers are lower than in Kenya or South Africa so sightings take more patience, but you will often be the only vehicle there.
The Shire river in Liwonde is game viewed from the water, with elephant and hippo on the bank. Walking safaris and boat safaris are both standard.
Then the lake: clear freshwater, hundreds of endemic cichlid species to snorkel over, and lodges ranging from simple beach places to island retreats. Allow at least four nights for it to be worth the journey.
Signature
Wildlife and lake time
Core areas
Liwonde, Majete, Lake Malawi
Best months
May to Oct
Gateway
Lilongwe or Blantyre
Why go
Four reasons travellers choose Malawi
01
Restored parks
Reintroduced lion, cheetah and rhino in parks that had been emptied. The recovery is well documented.
02
Lake Malawi
Clear freshwater, endemic cichlids, and island lodges reached by boat.
03
Boat and walking safaris
The Shire river from the water, and guided walks in both main parks.
04
Very few visitors
You will frequently be the only vehicle at a sighting, in peak season.
Practical
Getting there, and how we quote it
Travel and access
Flights route through Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Johannesburg to Lilongwe or Blantyre.
Internal transfers are mostly by road and are manageable.
Lake lodges range from simple to genuinely luxurious.
How we handle this destination
We quote Malawi to order rather than from a published rate card.
It pairs well with Zambia by short flight or road transfer.
Allow at least four nights on the lake, or leave it out.
How we work
Quoted to order, with the camps named
We do not publish a rate card for Malawi because the prices move by season and by availability, and a number on a page that we cannot hold is not useful to you. Send us your dates, your group and a rough budget, and we will come back with named properties, a routing and a total. For destinations outside our own operating area we work with vetted local operators, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Quoting
To order
Properties
Named before you pay
Office
Westlands, Nairobi
Registration
Kenya and TRA
Questions
Malawi Safaris questions
Can I see the big five in Malawi?–
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Between Majete and Liwonde, yes. Both have been restocked, though numbers are lower so sightings need more patience.
Is Lake Malawi safe for swimming?+
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The deeper, clearer island areas are generally considered low risk for bilharzia, while shallow reedy shorelines carry more. We will advise per lodge.
How do I get there from Kenya?+
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There are regular connections from Nairobi to Lilongwe, so Malawi adds neatly to a Kenya safari.
Kenya registered tour operator
TRA registered
Our own 4×4 safari vehicles
In-house driver guides
Westlands, Nairobi
Start planning
Send your dates, group size and rough budget, and we will build a Malawi itinerary rather than send you a brochure.