Day
1
Airport pick up and transfer to our guesthouse in Blantyre, the commercial capital of Malawi.
We will have a welcome dinner together at a nice restaurant in Blantyre (included),
a first opportunity for group and guides to get aquainted.
Here you will receive a briefing of the tour ahead and relax with good food and drink.
Overnight stay in a friendly Lodge just outside Blantyre.
Should your flight arrive in Lilongwe, we will arrange for your transfer to Blantyre at a small additional cost.
Day 2
Next day we visit the huge tobacco auction floors at Limbe (the manager will take us through the plant
explaining the importance of this plant to the Malawian economy) in Blantyre as well as other points worth
visiting in Blantyre such as the colourful market. Night in Lodge as in Day1.
Day 3
We leave in the morning and first visit mount Mulanje 50km southeast of Blantyre (a huge tall grey, misty mountain with cascading waterfall and a
clear pool below. It is a wonderful sight. It takes five days to climb to
the top but we will only climb up to a very beautiful spot in the
foothills that will give us a panoramic view and an idyllic picnic spot near the
waterfall.
Thereafter we get on our way to Lake Malawi, known in local folklore as
the lake of stars.
This drive is 200 km north passing through a colonial administrative town called Zomba with beautiful colonial buildings.
Day 4/5
On lake Malawi we will stay at Cape Maclear, right on the beach of lake Malawi.
We will enjoy the luxury of a very nice lodge sporting their own catamaran and various other watersport options such as surf boards, kajaks etc.
There we do snorkelling and take a cruise to the nearby island. Scuba diving and scuba diving lessons or any motored watersports are
optional. Lake Malawi has crystal clear waters and is free of the dreaded bilharzia parasite.
The water is so clear that you can see different types of fish of different colours and many aquatic life or lie on the lake
shoals and watch colonies of rock hyraxes or watch the fish eagle feeding in
spectacular style or you just sunbath or read your favorite novel.
While we will provide 3 meals per day, visits to nearby bars or
restaurants (you will not want that) are optional.
Day 6/7/8
In the morning of day 6 we start of to South Luangwa National Park
regarded by many experts as Africa's finest game reserve. It is a park of
exceptional beauty, untouched and undeveloped track of wilderness.
The abundance and variety of animals in this park will astound you. It offers excellent opportunities to see major carnivores like lion, cheetah,
wild dog, hyena and leopard feeding and also large numbers of buffaloes,hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, elephants,baboons, and numerous antelope
such
impala, kudu, puku, waterbuck etc.
THE VILLAGE STAY PROGRAM - A MAJOR ATTRACTION
Our accomodation during our visit to the Luangwa valley will be at a traditional village, where we will stay in the traditional huts as guests
of the village chief.
This is one of the major highlights of our trip. You will participate in
the life of a traditional African village, while being treated with the reverence and hospitality that the villagers extend to a guest from far
away foreign lands.
In the evening we will sit down and watch enchanting traditional song and
dance including possibly the female initiation ceremony or other
traditional ceremonies depending on the time of the year and a meeting with the
traditional chief.
You will have the opportunity to speak to the "village doctor"
(African traditional healer) who will explain the preparation and usage of various
traditional medicines and procedures.
From the village we will do our forays into the Park, including at least 1
night-safari to observe rarely seen nocturnal animals such as porcupine,
springhare and duiker.
We will also do walking safaris, photo safaris and game drives with professional wildlife guides.
Day 10/11
Day 10 is mostly spent on the road unfortunaltely. After the long drive to
Lusaka of 560 km where we will arrive quite tired, we relax the next
morning at the Guesthouse. We wil replenish our stocks in "civilisation
goods" and visit a few interesting places in the Zambian capital Lusaka. In the later
hours we can sample the nightlife in Lusaka and check out the pubs,
disco's and clubs under expert local guidance. (Restaurant meals for lunch and
dinner in Lusaka are not included as you will be free to venture out on
your own)
Day 12
On our way to the final destination Livingstone, we stop for one night at Lochinvar for bird viewing (there are over 470 species of birds in this
lagoon, from giant cranes to the small hummingbird. It is a wonderful
melee of colours).
Day 13/14
From Lochinvar we proceed to Livingstone / Victoria Falls on the 13th day
where we will arrive for lunch.
Dr. Livingstone, the first white man to "discover" the Victoria
Falls The town Livingstone is located directly adjacent to the Victoria Falls,
one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.
To the african people of the region they were known as "musiya o tunya" or "smoke that
thunders" for centuries.
We will stay in a well equipped camp (permanent tents or well appointed
grass huts) with all ameneties directly on the banks of the mighty Zambezi
and explore this major highlight of africa.
In the afternoon of day 13 we will walk and drive to see the falls from
the Zambian and Zimbabwean side as well as the adjacent game park. In town we will pay a visit to the Livingstone Museum, one of the richest
and most valuable collections of African cultural Artefacts, providing
insights in the pre-colonial and colonial and modern history of Zambia.
Further attractions include a railway museum with very impressive steam
engines on show as well as various curio shops and colonial buildings.
In Livingstone a variety of independent operators offer a wide range of
adventure activities such as
- Wild river rafting
- Zambezi horse safaris
- bungee jumping
- micro light flights over the falls
- abseiling
We have reserved day 14 for such optional activities at group members' own
choice. The expense for these activities is not included (because it may
vary greatly depending on the type of
activity)
For the same reason restaurant meals during this day are also optional.
In the evening we will get together again for a festive sunset cruise
(with sundowners of course) and dinner either on the cruise boat or in a nice
restaurant on the banks of the Zambezi. (included) This will be the opportunity to recapitulate the most exciting events and impressions of
our journey through Africa, exchange addresses and possibly let the the
evening end on a high note with some drinks at the bar.
Tour members will be shuttled to the Livingstone international airport or
Vic Falls international airport in Zimbabwe for their flight back . For guests who wish to stay on for a few days in Livingstone or continue
to other destinations in Africa we are happy to assist in making suitable
arrangements.
Tourinformation
The tour takes place with a minimum booking of 4 people.
Tour cost is inclusive park entries, accommodation, lake activities,
ground transport, professional
guides, wildlife safaris, cultural shows, full board exclusive of
restaurant meals where indicated.
The prices of the tours vary as the cost of accomodation is subject to seasonal factors.
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