Malawi and Zambia: Lake Malawi, Liwonde and South Luangwa

1. Day 1: Arrive in Lilongwe

   Lilongwe Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) to a lodge or hotel in Lilongwe

   • Dinner
   • Stay in Lilongwe
   Day 1 details

   Fly into Lilongwe's Kamuzu International Airport (international flights are not included) and transfer to a lodge or hotel in the capital. If you land early, rest, or visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre or a craft market if the guide judges the day suitable. Canada's advice of 14 October 2026 warns of violent crime in Lilongwe, so we avoid walking after dark and use arranged transport. In the evening your guide, once appointed, meets the group for a briefing on the ten days: boat and game drives on the Shire river, time on the lake, a border crossing into Zambia, and walking safaris in South Luangwa. We also discuss malaria prevention and why we avoid freshwater contact. A welcome dinner is planned.

   Included

   • Airport transfer
   • Group briefing
   • Welcome dinner

   Free time: Free until the evening briefing

2. Day 2: To Liwonde

   Lilongwe to a lodge at Liwonde National Park

   • By boat
   • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
   • Stay in Liwonde
   Day 2 details

   We travel south toward Liwonde and the Shire river. We estimate about four hours on the road, plus stops, but this is our estimate and not a verified time. We aim to reach the lodge in the afternoon for a first boat cruise on the Shire, where hippos, crocodiles and a rich birdlife can be watched from the water. Fuel shortages are nationwide in Malawi, and Canada's advice of 14 October 2026 says to expect delays and keep the tank at least half full, so the vehicle operator must confirm fuel and a reserve plan before every departure. Liwonde is run by African Parks with Malawi's national parks department, according to the operator's published information (not re-checked for this itinerary), and black rhinos have reportedly been reintroduced there, but we cannot promise to see any. The lodge is expected to be on or near the river and is not yet chosen.

   Included

   • Road transfer
   • Shire river boat safari

   Free time: Free time at the lodge

   Activity: Lodge, fuel arrangements and board basis not confirmed.

3. Day 3: Boat and game drives at Liwonde

   Liwonde National Park: Shire river boat safari and game drives

   • By boat
   • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
   • Stay in Liwonde
   Day 3 details

   A full day in Liwonde with a morning boat safari on the Shire and an afternoon game drive, or the reverse. On the water, the guide watches for hippo, crocodile, elephant at the bank and birds such as African fish eagles and kingfishers. On land, we look for elephant, antelope and, if lucky, signs of the black rhinos that were reportedly brought back to the park in 2019, which are rare and shy. Sightings are never guaranteed and today's numbers are not verified. Wear neutral colours, bring binoculars and sun protection, and keep hands inside the boat; hippos are dangerous. We do not plan any swimming at Liwonde; hippos and crocodiles are in the river, and freshwater contact carries schistosomiasis risk in this part of Africa, according to CDC guidance. Easier option: one outing only. A night drive may be quoted if the park permits it.

   Included

   • Shire river boat safari
   • Game drive

   Optional experiences

   • Night drive (if permitted)

   Easier option: One outing only

   More active option: Both outings plus a short walk with a park guide

   Free time: Mid-day at the lodge

   Activity: Rhino sightings are not guaranteed.

   

4. Day 4: To Cape Maclear on Lake Malawi

   Liwonde to Cape Maclear

   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Cape Maclear
   Day 4 details

   We drive to Cape Maclear, a village on the Nankumba peninsula at the southern end of Lake Malawi, close to Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site (listed in 1984, according to UNESCO's published listing) known for its colourful cichlid fish. We estimate about three hours on the road from Liwonde, which is our own estimate and not a verified time. In the afternoon you have time to look at the lake from the shore, and the guide discusses the fishing communities here and the cichlids that make the lake biologically famous. Lake Malawi can carry the schistosomiasis parasite, which is why this itinerary does not include swimming or snorkelling; see the health notes. We stay two nights at a lodge on the lakeshore, expected to be simple but comfortable and not yet chosen.

   Included

   • Road transfer
   • Introduction walk on the shore

   Free time: Free afternoon

   Activity: Lodge and lake access not confirmed.

5. Day 5: Lake Malawi islands and a village walk

   Cape Maclear: a boat to the islands and a walk with a local guide

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Cape Maclear
   Day 5 details

   A morning boat trip takes us toward rocky islands in the lake, with a chance to see fish eagles and cormorants and the clear water, which we look at from the boat. The boat and the islands are operator-run and to be quoted, so the exact stops are not fixed. We do not plan to swim, snorkel or dive. CDC guidance names Lake Malawi as a transmission area for schistosomiasis, states that no vaccine or preventive drug exists, and warns against relying on local claims that a spot is parasite-free. We do not offer kayaking, because capsizing and splash exposure cannot be ruled out. In the afternoon a local guide takes us on a village walk, with a talk about fishing, boats and daily life on the lake.

   Included

   • Boat trip toward the islands (operator and price to be quoted)
   • Village walk with a local guide

   Easier option: Village walk only

   Free time: Free late afternoon

   Activity: No swimming or snorkelling is planned; operator not confirmed.

   

6. Day 6: Back to Lilongwe

   Cape Maclear to Lilongwe

   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Lilongwe
   Day 6 details

   We return to Lilongwe, a long road day. We estimate about five hours on the road with stops. Fuel supply may cause delays. We arrive in the late afternoon and settle at a lodge in Lilongwe, to be chosen. The evening is free, and you can pack for the border tomorrow, which is a long day. Lilongwe is also where the Zambia arrangements are finalised: the guide checks passports, any visa needs, yellow fever certificates where relevant and the Zambian vehicle. We keep the evening low-key. Internal flights are not part of the plan and would be quoted separately if you want them. Dinner is not included. Keep a small bag with water, snacks and sun protection within reach during the drive.

   Included

   • Road transfer

   Free time: Free evening

   Activity: Fuel supply and lodge to be confirmed.

7. Day 7: Across the border to South Luangwa

   Lilongwe to the Mchinji and Mwami border, then Chipata and South Luangwa

   • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
   • Stay in South Luangwa
   Day 7 details

   This is a long road day with a border. We leave early from Lilongwe for the Mchinji border post, exit Malawi and enter Zambia at Mwami, near Chipata. Allow generous time for formalities, since crossing hours and procedures are not confirmed and will be checked before departure. From Chipata the road continues to Mfuwe, the gateway to South Luangwa. We estimate six to seven hours in total with the crossing, which is our own estimate and not verified. Canada's Zambia advice flags major road safety issues, including on the Great East Road, so we plan to arrive in daylight. Mfuwe is not a border: the route uses Mwami. Your passports, any visas and yellow fever certificates, where they apply, and vehicle papers are checked at both posts, and the Zambia leg needs its own entry arrangements. We arrive at a riverside camp by evening.

   Included

   • Border crossing at Mchinji and Mwami
   • Road transfer to South Luangwa

   Free time: Free evening at camp

   Activity: Crossing hours, visa fees, vehicle arrangements and camp not confirmed; to be quoted.

8. Day 8: Game drives and a walking safari

   South Luangwa National Park: game drive and a guided walk

   • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
   • Stay in South Luangwa
   Day 8 details

   South Luangwa is known for walking safaris, which, as we understand park rules, are led by a trained guide with an armed scout, and for night drives, offered by licensed operators where permitted. We plan a morning walk if permitted and quoted, with a talk on tracks, birds and insects, and a late-afternoon game drive that may continue into the night if permitted and quoted. Leopard sightings are sometimes reported on night drives, but a leopard sighting is not promised. The park's hippos, elephants and giraffe are other highlights. Park fees are as published by the park and are shown in the quote. The camp is expected to be simple, close to the Luangwa River, and is not yet chosen. Walking is only possible when guides and rules allow. Easier option: game drives only, without the walk. Bring a headlamp, binoculars and warm layers for night drives.

   Included

   • Guided walking safari (if permitted and quoted)
   • Game drive and night drive (if permitted and quoted)

   Easier option: Game drives only

   More active option: Longer walk with the guide

   Free time: Mid-day at camp

   Activity: Walking and night driving are subject to park rules.

   

9. Day 9: A second day in the park

   South Luangwa: game drives and a chosen activity

   • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
   • Stay in South Luangwa
   Day 9 details

   A second full day, shaped by what you saw yesterday and by what the guides see in the field. The choices might include a longer walk, a morning drive to the river, a visit to a village or school if the camp offers it, or a quiet day at camp. Late in the dry season, animals often concentrate along the shrinking river, and the guides may stay near it. Wildlife in the Luangwa Valley includes elephant, lion, hyena and many birds, but none can be guaranteed. Dust, heat and early starts are part of the day. The afternoon is for rest, with a final game drive at dusk. A farewell dinner is planned at camp. Meals are taken at camp, and the guide adjusts the timing to heat and to what the animals are doing.

   Included

   • Game drives and a guided activity

   Optional experiences

   • Village visit (if offered)

   Easier option: One drive only

   More active option: Longer walk

   Free time: Mid-day at camp

   Activity: Activities depend on the camp.

10. Day 10: Departure from Mfuwe

    South Luangwa camp to Mfuwe Airport

    • Breakfast
    Day 10 details

    After breakfast we transfer to Mfuwe Airport; the time depends on which camp is chosen and has not been confirmed. Onward flights from Mfuwe, whether to Lusaka or elsewhere, have not been checked and would be quoted if you want us to arrange them, so we do not state days or times. Do not book your onward flight until we have agreed an airport arrival window with you. If you need to connect to an international flight, leave a generous margin of at least a day. An extra night at the camp is not included and would need a separate quote. Check passports and any exit paperwork the night before, keep your camera batteries charged, and remember that luggage allowances on small aircraft can be stricter than on international flights, so ask us before you pack.

    Included

    • Airport transfer

Wildlife and weather: May to October is the dry season. Days are warm to hot, nights can be cool, and heat builds toward the rains. Canada's Zambia advice says secondary roads deteriorate badly in the December to April rains, which is why the proposal avoids the wet months. Wildlife, rhino and leopard sightings cannot be guaranteed.

• Lilongwe1 night
• Liwonde2 nights
• Cape Maclear2 nights
• Lilongwe1 night
• South Luangwa3 nights