Liwonde National Park
Today you will arrive into Lilongwe or Chika International Airport, and be met by a representative who will assist you through customs and immigration. You will then be escorted to your vehicle for the drive to Mvuu Lodge in Liwonde National Park. This has a driving time of around 4 hours from Lilongwe and 3 hours from Blantyre.
Liwonde National Park is considered to be the finest park in the whole of Malawi for game and accommodation. It is also said to be one of the top birding locations in Southern Africa. The park well deserves these accolades as it offers some of the most scenic game viewing, beautiful riverine surroundings and varied bird watching you could wish to find.
A great deal of the terrain is Shire River floodplains, much loved by the healthy population of Elephants in this park. They are best viewed during your boat safari on the Shire River, one of the many highlights of a stay at Mvuu Lodge.
Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is discreetly nestled along the banks of a quiet lagoon flowing off the Shire River. The lodge offers luxurious tented accommodation in 8 spacious 'Hemingway' - styled safari tents, with their own en-suite facilities for a maximum of 16 guests.
The dining room, which is high above the lagoon on stilts, is a breezy and relaxing place to spent time in-between activities. There is a natural rock swimming pool which is especially welcome during the summer months set amongst shady trees within earshot of hippos in the river.
Lake Malawi
This morning after breakfast you will be transferred by vehicle to Cape Maclear and the Kayak Africa base camp. This has a driving time of 2 – 3 hours. Upon arrival you will be given a safety talk and instruction on how to use the kayaks. You can then chose to either Kayak to the island (with guide accompanying) or be transferred by boat.
Accommodation on Mumbo Island consists of 5 tents each on raised platforms with incredible views of Lake Malawi. The tented bedrooms offer tasteful furnishing with "enviroloos" and al fresco bucket showers ensure every comfort is provided (superior tents are with private bathroom).
The facilities on the islands themselves are fairly basic/rustic but comfortable. You can do as much or as little as you like and there are hammocks on each balcony where one can relax between activities.
Each of the tents has its own shaded view-deck and hammock, and blend seamlessly into the lush foliage. There is a dining area and bar, all of timber, thatch and canvas, and adhering to the principles of eco-architecture. The Island lies within an exclusive concession area, in turn part of the Lake Malawi National Park, the first freshwater marine reserve in the world. With waters that are so crystal clear, the diving and snorkelling are among the best in Lake Malawi. Guests can relax in tranquil surroundings with delicious cuisine, lying in hammocks or gently floating in the waters; but for the more energetic there is a variety of activities: excellent sea kayaking, snorkelling and scuba facilities enable the active guest to interact with an impressive piece of nature: exploring the granitic islands in a freshwater Rift Valley lake; birders will enjoy the abundant Fish Eagles; and snorkellers can view enormous numbers of the Cichlid fish species; these small, colourful fish have adapted to so many variations that they are considered of comparable importance to the Galapagos finches in the study of evolution.
Likoma Island
This morning you will be transferred back to the Kayak Africa base camp at Cape Maclear for your road transfer to Lilongwe. The drive time is approximately 4 – 5 hours hours. Upon arrival at Lilongwe Airport, you will be required to pay a small domestic departure tax (approx $2pp) before boarding the 1 hour scenic flight to Likoma Island.
Upon arrival on Likoma you will be met by a driver from Kaya Mawa and transferred the short distance – about 10 minutes – to the Lodge.
Often appearing in the top 10 list of the world's most romantic destinations is the remarkable Kaya Mawa lodge – a place of truly unique character on the southern tip of Likoma Island, Lake Malawi. It is a wonderful way to experience the lake, its people and of course relax and enjoy lodge comforts!
Lake Malawi, which stretches nearly 600kms from north to south and up to 80kms in width, is Malawi's most prominent feature. It is Africa's third largest lake and arguably, the most beautiful. Likoma Island, situated in the far north of Lake Malawi, is the larger of two small islands very close to the Mozambique coastline. To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 sq km with one small dirt road and six vehicles, the local population survives largely by fishing, rice and cassava farming. The Island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves. The Lake is one of the finest fresh water diving sites in the world, so qualified divers won't want to miss this experience.
Kaya Mawa is situated at the head of a crescent shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. Translating as 'maybe tomorrow' in the local Tonga dialect, Kaya Mawa is situated in the stunning natural surroundings of beach, rock, and lake creating a lodge of distinctive character, imagination and special ambience.
Kaya Mawa's superb location, stunning accommodation and a wide range of activity options offer guests a memorable experience. The lodge was 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. All the cottages have private terraces with direct access to the water.
Activities at Kaya Mawa are plentiful and varied for guests to enjoy. Although many of the guests choose to make relaxation their main activity, there are other activities to keep guests busy.
Walking/Biking
Walking or biking around the island is one of the activities that one cannot miss. Guests can take leisurely strolls around the island and even stop off to swim en route. Likoma is 100% safe and the local population is legendary both for its friendliness and its curiosity-a simple unescorted stroll around the island perhaps with a knapsack full of cold drinks and a few snacks is a wonderful experience-you can stop off to swim en route, engage the locals in conversation and visit the cathedral and the lively market nearby .
A visit to the cathedral is one of the highlights. St Peters Cathedral, which was built at the turn of the century by Universities Mission to Central Africa is a remarkable building which measures more than 100 meters.
The crucifix above the pulpit is made out of a branch of the tree under which David Livingstone's heart is buried.
The choir stalls are caved out of soapstone with elaborate decoration. The sun shining through the large stained glass cast a beautiful light.
Swimming & Snorkelling
The waters are crystal clear throughout the year and the snorkelling is among the best in Lake Malawi — snorkels and masks are provided. The beaches are beautifully sandy and swimming is safe. Alternatively there is a rock swimming pool right by the bar.
Other watersports
Other water sports on the island include: diving, motorised water sports such as Waterskiing, tube riding and wake snaking, sailing safaris (the lodge has a small wooden skip for journeys around the island) and kayaking. These are subject to an additional fee.
Lake Malawi has over a 1000 species of fish, many endemic to the lake, more than all the freshwater species in Europe and North America combined.