Copyright © 2008 Africa Uncovered Ltd.
Days 1 to 3: Mvuu Wilderness Lodge Liwonde National Park
Arrive Lilongwe where guests are met and assisted through customs and transfer by air to Liwonde National Park. This 45 minute flight takes you south along the spine of the Great Rift Valley over the Dedza Mountains. You approach Liwonde National Park following the course of the Shire River where you may well see herds of elephant and sable on the floodplains as you descend to land at Mvuu.
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is situated in the heart of Liwonde National Park on the banks of a quiet lagoon flowing off the Shire River. The lodge offers comfortable tented accommodation in spacious ‘Hemingway’-styled safari tents, with own en suite facilities for a maximum of 10 guests. Each tent has its own private viewing platform and is discreetly hidden between the thick undergrowth bordering the lagoon. The lodge has a swimming pool, sun deck and al fresco dining platform overlooking the river and lagoon. Your stay is on a full board basis, including the game activities, which centre on game drives by day and by night in open vehicles, walks and boat safaris which are a unique activity at Mvuu. We explore the Shire River and lagoons – an excellent opportunity for sightings of elephants, hippo, crocodile and bird life. Birding is rewarding – specialities include Lillian’s lovebird, brown breasted barbet, osprey, palmnut vulture, Pel’s fishing owl and Livingstone’s flycatcher.
Also available is a viewing hide on a tributary of the Shire River and also some interesting visits by bicycle to the local school and surrounding rural communities.
Days 4–6: Kaya Mawa Lodge Likoma Island
After a morning game activity depart by light aircraft to Likoma, flying over Lake Malawi and the scenic waters of the Cape Maclear Peninsula and the rugged uninhabited coastline and stunning forests of Mozambique. Guests are met on arrival where a boat will be waiting to transfer you round the island to the Lodge.
Kaya Mawa Lodge Likoma Island
Likoma is the larger of 2 small islands situated in the far north of Lake Malawi and is well over on the east of the Lake very close to Mozambique. Its first contact with the outside world was with the English Missionaries of the Universities Missions of Central Africa, who had followed the original Scottish Presbyterian Missionaries into this part of Africa and chose Likoma Island as a suitable and safe place for a base .The island thus remained under the protection of the British and eventually became a part of independent Malawi in 1964.
To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 sq kilometres with one small dirt road and 2 vehicles, the local population survives largely by fishing, and rice and cassava farming. The island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves-the waters are crystal clear throughout the year and the diving and snorkeling is among the best in Lake Malawi. The feeling of being of another era is completed by the impressive Anglican Cathedral built in the early 1900s.
Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the southwestern tip of the Island at the head of a crescent shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. Translating as “Maybe tomorrow” in the local Tonga dialect the lodge is the brainchild of 2 eccentric Englishmen, Will Sutton and Andrew Came, who have used the stunning natural surroundings of beach, rock, island and lake to create a lodge of unique character, imagination and very special ambience. With no machinery available on the island Kaya Mawa Lodge is built entirely by hand, in partnership with the local community. It consists of seven stone and teak framed thatched cottages set into a granite headland. There is a honeymoon house tucked away on its own private island that is reached by boat.
Each cottage faces the lake and has a 7-foot by 6-foot mahogany 4 poster bed, a shower, a sunken stone bathtub and a loo with a view. All the cottages have private terraces with direct access to the water and some can only be reached by walkways built over the lake.
Day 7
Transfer back to the airstrip by boat (or walk if you are feeling energetic!) for flight back to Lilongwe. Guests are met on arrival and assisted with check in for your onward flight. Please note that you will pay an international departure tax (currently at US$30)
Included in the tariff at Mvuu are all meals, game activities, park fees.
Not included are drinks, and laundry.
Included in the tariff at Kaya Mawa are all meals, non motorized water sports activities and laundry.
Not included are drinks, diving and motorised watersports activities.
Notes
1.Package based on arrival into and out of Lilongwe.
2. Based on a minimum of 2 guests sharing.
3.Light aircraft baggage limit of 12 kgs per person excluding camera gear applies
4.All Wilderness Safaris booking conditions apply
5. Larger groups quoted on request.
6. Itinerary may run in reverse.
Copyright © 2008 Africa Uncovered Ltd.
