Liwonde and Lake Malawi

Day 8, 30/10/16 From South Luangwa NP to Lilongwe We leave Mfuwe and South Luangwa NP heading for Malawi. After about an hour and a half we reach Chipata and soon after the border. Customs formalities take us about 40 minutes and we enter Malawi, a storm is brewing on the horizon and before reaching Lilongwe we are right in the middle of the first downpour. In Lilongwe we camp at the Woodland camp site (10 USD per person), which also has a restaurant serving specialities of Indian cuisine.

Day 9, 31/10/16 Lilongwe to Liwonde, Mvuu lodge camp site We leave Lilongwe and head for Liwonde NP, we arrive in the early afternoon and after a first visit we reach the Mvuu Lodge camp site, located about 30 km from the entrance gate. Along the way two large herds of buffalo, elephants and antelopes. The camp is on the river bank and here too the elephants don't take long to show up, in the evening they pass a few metres from our tents and we are a little anxious having left a bag of mangoes and bananas in the car. After knocking down the fence that separates the pool they calmly go on their way. Day 10, 1/11/16 Liwonde At dawn we have organised a boat safari on the Shire River, a tributary of Lake Malawi that flows into the Zambezi. Many hippos, crocodiles, elephants and antelopes. We see an eland and sand antelopes for the first time.

In the afternoon we complete the visit in the northern part of the park with a series of close encounters with groups of elephants. Night at the Mvuu Lodge camp site, again in the company of elephants and warthogs. Day 11, 2/11/16 Liwonde to Cape Maclear, Chembe lodge campsite, dinner at Cape Maclear lodge We leave Liwonde heading for Lake Malawi and a first stop at Cape Maclear. A village with a relaxed atmosphere located at the tip of the promontory that juts into Lake Malawi. Lunch at Banapaya in a Rasta setting and camping at the Chembe lodge camp site. In the evening a strong easterly wind picks up and forces us to reinforce the tent pegs. Day 12, 3/11/16 From Cape Maclear to Nkhotakota In the morning a boat trip to Thumbi Island, with Mama Afrika, a small sailing catamaran.

The lake waters are crystal clear but the risk of Bilharzia, which exists throughout Lake Malawi and especially in the Cape Maclear area, makes us give up any desire to dive in. Near Thumbi Island, which lies within Lake Malawi National Park, we can nevertheless see several cichlids of various colours. These freshwater fish are often sought after for aquariums. On our return we continue north along the lake and reach Nkhotakota, where we stay at the Pottery Lodge, a few km south. A magnificent beach of fine white sand and a very relaxing setting. At the lodge there is a ceramic factory at work and most of the utensils and furnishings are made from ceramic produced on site. Nkhotakota Pottery Lodge, 15 USD per person x camp.

Day 13, 4/11/16 Nkhotakota to Livingstonia, Mushroom farm After a hearty breakfast at the Pottery Lodge with jams and homemade bread we continue our journey along the shores of Lake Malawi, a short stop at Nkhata Bay with a visit to the local market and then through Mzuzu we reach the village of xxxxxxxx and the turn-off for Livingstonia, a winding 15 km road climbs up the vertical walls of the Rift Valley escarpment with spectacular views over Lake Malawi below, we reach the Mushroom farm a few kilometres before Livingstonia where a Californian couple has opened a farm dedicated to permaculture and a camp for backpackers, the farm supports a series of community projects and everything is based on sustainability, Vietnamese-style latrines for reusing excrement as compost, solar power, reuse of waste water.

Three friendly big dogs keep away the baboons that clamber up the escarpment trying to invade the camping area. The view from the tents and pitches is spectacular although unfortunately a blanket of haze prevents seeing the full immensity of the lake. Vegetarian dinner at the mushroom. Day 14, 5/11/16 Livingstonia to Luwawa (Viphya plateau) Unfortunately the time that is starting to run short does not allow us a visit to the nearby Nyika mountain park. A visit to the Manchewe Falls at the entrance to Livingstonia, made up of two branches that plunge into a 125-metre chasm in the Rift Valley below, which are the highest in Malawi.

A visit to Livingstonia with its Victorian-style houses built here by Presbyterian missionaries around 1870, giving rise to the first mission on Lake Malawi which they named Livingstonia in honour of the famous explorer who a few years earlier had been the first to travel through these areas. We continue on the dirt track towards Rumphi, long stretches in single file wrap us in a cloud of dust, the road, still being rehabilitated, although longer than the other is certainly in better condition and winding along the ridges gradually descends into the valley in an area devoted to tobacco growing. After Mzuzu we climb back onto the Viphya Plateau, a huge artificial pine forest that unfortunately over vast areas is completely devastated by fires. Along the route there are still numerous fires burning.

We therefore take the left turn for the Luwawa Forest Lodge, located a few km after the village of Luwawa on a dusty track about 10 km from the main road. The nearby dam and its little lake make the area lush. The country-style lodge offers dishes based on very well prepared local produce. Day 15, 6/11/16 From Luwawa to Lusaka. A long transfer stage awaits us to get closer to Victoria Falls, the final destination of our trip. We therefore cover 880 km for an overnight stop in Lusaka at the Pioneer lodge tented camp 80 USD per tent. Located about fifteen km from Lusaka at the end of 6 km of dusty track, the Pioneer gives the impression of a camp in the middle of the bush, making you forget you are near a big city, and being also just a few kilometres from the airport it is an excellent solution for a first or last night.