16 day small group participation accommodated & camping safari
OVERVIEW
From Lusaka, Zambia, to Lilongwe, Malawi, travel into the heart of the untamed continent. A varied and exciting excursion over ancient trade routes!
- Max 12 people
- Professional Safari Guides
- Transport in minibus/safari truck & 4WD
- 15 Breakfasts, 14 Lunches & 6 Dinners
- Entrance Fees
- 14 nights in chalets & 1 night camping
- Use of camping equipment (except sleeping bags)
- Canoeing on the Lower Zambezi
Highlights
- Lower Zambezi - canoeing
- South Luangwa NP – game drive and walks
- Mulanje Massif - tea tasting and hiking
- Liwonde – sunset river cruise
- Lake Malawi - snorkeling & island beaches
Limited Participation: An essential part of your safari is participation. From putting up your tent to packing the truck in the morning – it’s all part of your adventure. Your tour leaders will do all the meal prepartion but we do ask the clients to help (on rotation) with the washing up. There are some long travel days which means early morning starts so we all need to get involved to make the day run efficiently.
Itinerary
An exciting safari experience exploring the diversity of the lesser travelled South Eastern African countries. This tour is not for the faint hearted, and requires some patience; the travelling can be slow, some nights the accommodation is basic, however the journey offers amazing scenery and fantastic highlights, well worth the long travel days. We recommend malaria prophylactics. A safari for travellers with a sense of adventure.
DAY 01
DAY 02
DAY 03-04
DAY 05
DAY 06-08
DAY 09
DAY 10-11
DAY 12-13
DAY 14
DAY 15
DAY 16
DAY 01
LUSAKA [lodge —]
The group will meet in Lusaka, in Zambia, at 16:00 at the lodge. This evening, after the tour briefing, we have a group dinner at the lodge (own expense).
DAY 02
KAFUE RIVER [lodge BL-]
(B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner)
A long drive takes us across the rolling Miombo forested hills of southern Zambia and down into the lowlands and our lodge on the banks of the Kafue River. Being a major tributary to the Zambezi River it is the largest and longest river lying entirely within Zambia. We overnight on its banks and enjoy the sunset from the elevated deck.
DAY 03-04
LOWER ZAMBEZI CANOEING [1 x camping BLD, 1 x lodge BL-]
We paddle down the mighty Zambezi River, home of the tribal mythical god – Nyami Nyami. Canoeing past local riverside villages and magnificent scenery. We overnight at a wild campsite on Elephant Bones Island in the heart of untamed Africa. The following morning we continue our canoe safari through an area teaming with elephants, hippos and other wildlife. We will be collected by a motorboat, and are transferred back up river to our lodge.
DAY 05
LUSAKA – GREAT EAST ROAD [chalet BLD]
We head north to Lusaka the capital of Zambia where we stock up on supplies in the bustling shops and markets. Taking the Great East Road we drive this afternoon, passing small villages and street side markets, until sunset
DAY 06-08
SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK [chalet BL-]
Make our way down into “the valley” of the South Luangwa National Park. This remote region is one of Africa’s finest wildlife sanctuaries where elephants, hippo, lion and leopard abound. Our lodge, on the banks of the Luangwa River, overlooks the national park and you can frequently see hippos and elephants from the camp swimming pool!
We explore the game management area and the national park on a game walk and open 4WD game drives, one at night with spotlights, to see nocturnal animals. (In the green season, Dec – Apr, walks may not be possible in which case we’ll do extra game drives).
There is time on the last afternoon either to relax in camp or take another game walk, game drive or village visit activity (own expense).
DAY 09
KUTI [chalet BLD]
We cross the border at Chipata into Malawi and make our way to the Capital Lilongwe where we restock on supplies, before heading to Kuti Wildlife Reserve. This reserve is home to wide selection of big mammal species including giraffe, wildebeest & zebra. The sable herds are the pride and joy of Kuti, flourishing in this environment and reaching over 100 animals.
DAY 10-11
MULANJE MASSIF [lodge BL-]
We tour one of Malawi’s famous tea plantations in the Thyolo region before making our way to our lodge in Mulanje. Mount Mulanje’s bare rock flanks tower to almost 3002m, dwarfing all that surrounds it, and influencing cloud patterns in the area, making it an important source of rain water at the head of almost every river in this part of southern Malawi. Formed about 130 million years ago, the first European to see the Massif was David Livingstone in 1859, but archaeological investigation reveals evidence of human activity since the Stone Ages. We take a day walk on the slopes to see the streams, waterfalls and towering peaks..
DAY 12-13
LIWONDE [lodge BLD]
Ancient baobab trees and lofty palms provide the backdrop for this magnificent southern Malawi reserve. Covering 548 km² of the upper Shire River plains and valley slopes, Liwonde harbours Malawi’s largest remaining elephant population and the critically endangered Black Rhino. In the morning we’ll jump onto an open game viewing 4WD and with a knowledge local guide and explore the grassland and woodland habitats in search of leopards, elephants, hippos, antelopes and rare Lilian’s lovebirds.
The river Shire flows along Liwonde’s western border and we’ll board a river cruise safari in the hopes of finding hippo, crocodiles, elephants or any other game coming down to quench their thirst in the late afternoon.
DAY 14
LAKE MALAWI [lodge BLD]
Lake Malawi is the jewel of Malawi and one the Great Rift Valley lakes. We head to the Lake Malawi National Park where we take a boat to the secluded tropical Mumbo Island, near Cape Maclear. The rustic lodge is an idyllic paradise with kayaks and snorkelling gear available to explore the island and snorkel with the jewelled fish, the endemic Cichlids. The friendly people of Malawi make it the “warm heart of Africa”
DAY 15
LILONGWE [lodge BL-]
Wake up to the sound of the birds on your own paradise island. Roll out of bed and head down to the beach to soak a morning of sun and relaxation or take a kayak for a paddle around the island. Stop to snorkel and be amazed by the sheer variety of colour fish. Later we catch the ferry back to mainland where we climb back onto our truck and return to Lilongwe, sun-tanned, laid-back and ready to re-join life
DAY 16
LILONGWE – TOUR ENDS [B–]
Tour ends at 08:00am at the hotel
Dates & Prices
This group meets at 16:00 at the lodge. Most flights into LUN arrive mid-day. We recommend that you fly into Lusaka airport (LUN) in Zambia on the day the tour starts.
The tour ends in Lilongwe, Malawi at approximately 08:00am at the hotel.
If you would like to book any pre-tour or post-tour accommodation, please indicate your required airport transfers and the number of nights required when you submit your enquiry below.
| Start Date | End Date | Tour Code | Language | Departure Status | Price | Trip Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-01 | 2023-07-16 | ZMa16 | German | Guaranteed | €3,280.00 | Limited | BOOK NOW |
| 2023-09-09 | 2023-09-24 | ZMa16 | German | Guaranteed | €3,280.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
| 2023-09-23 | 2023-10-08 | ZMa16 | English | Guaranteed | €3,280.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
| 2023-10-07 | 2023-10-22 | ZMa16 | English | Guaranteed | €3,280.00 | Waitlist Only | BOOK NOW |
| 2023-10-21 | 2023-11-05 | ZMa16 | German | 2 to Guarantee | €3,280.00 | Available | BOOK NOW |
| 2023-11-04 | 2023-11-19 | ZMa16 | English | €3,280.00 | Available | BOOK NOW | |
| 2023-12-02 | 2023-12-17 | ZMa16 | English | €3,280.00 | Available | BOOK NOW | |
Information
Overnight
Meals
Transport
Age Policy
Best Time to Visit
Overnight
 | Overnight: 13 nights on safari we stay at chalets, tented lodges and guest houses with en suite facilities. On Mumbo Island 1 of the tented rooms share a bathroom – rooms will be allocated by guides. The accommodation can be rustic or even basic, these may be the only option. |
 | 1 night “camp wild” without fences in the wilderness on an island in the Zambezi (Sunway will provide tents, mats and chairs, but you will need your own sleeping bag). |
Meals
 | Meals: 15 breakfasts, 14 lunches and 6 dinners are included. Of which, 9 breakfasts are provided by the lodges. The remaining included meals are prepared by the Sunway crew, prepared at the vehicle and enjoyed around the campfire or at the truck. |
Transport
 | Transport: Due to sometimes demanding road conditions you travel in a Sunway Safari truck with 12 seats or Landcruiser station wagon. Potholes, speed humps(!) & rain damaged gravel roads are characteristic of the areas we travel through and can make driving slow and bouncy. However we pass through road side villages and thus have opportunity to witness the local lifestyle. |
Age Policy
We accept children 12-18 with accompanying adults on scheduled tours (for private groups we can accept younger children).
If the clients are older than 65 years, then we require a medical certificate too (stating client is fit and healthy to embark on a multi-day tour covering long distances etc)
Best Time to Visit
The best time to travel to Zambia is traditionally during the autumn – winter – spring months (April – November). This is typically the dry season when days are clear and warm but can get cold during the evening. If you’re interested in wildlife viewing, then this is the best period to visit. Wildlife congregates at the dwindling water points, the wildlife is generally more active, and the vegetation is sparse allowing for easy game viewing.
The peak summer months (December – March) are characterised by hot, sunny days and spectacular afternoon thunder showers. During the summer months the countryside is lush, with plentiful wild flowers and new floral growth. For birders, this is prime birding season, all of the migrant species return to take advantage of the abundance of insect and plant life. The summer months provide the avid photographer with amazing colours and spectacular scenery. During the times of increased rainfall, malaria becomes more of a risk, so preventative measures are essential. Please bear in mind that all of our tents have built in mosquito nets, and all accommodation establishments used along the route do provide mosquito nets if required.
Booking Form
Please note: This is merely a provisional reservation. One of our Safari Experts will be in contact with you to confirm and finalise your chosen reservation. PLEASE do not book any flights or make ANY travel arrangements until we have confirmed your reservation.
A 20% deposit secures your space and then the balance is paid 60 days prior to departure. If you have any queries, contact our Safari Experts today on 0203 4759929.