Sunway Safaris Zambia & Malawi Livingstone Trail

Explore the diversity of the less travelled countries of Zambia & Malawi.

With its mix of accommodation and camping, this is one of our more adventurous safaris. It is not for the faint-hearted and you will need to have some patience and flexibility as travelling (due to road conditions) can be slow and some nights the accommodation is more basic.

However, the adventure is worth the rewards with amazing scenery and fantastic highlights including paddling down the Zambezi, outstanding game viewing in South Luangwa, Kuti and Liwonde, Malawi’s highlands and of course the magnificent Lake Malawi.

Tour Details:

Tour Code: ZMa16
Tour Name: Zimbabwe & Malawi Livingstone Trail - Affordable
Duration: 16 days
Touring Style: Small Group
Grade: Accommodated - Affordable

Price From: NZ$4735 per person (twin share)
Local Payment? Yes. US$300 payable on day 1 of your safari
Starts: Lusaka, Zambia
Ends: Lilongwe, Malawi
Includes: Entrance Fees, Accommodation & Meals as per itinerary, Transport, Professional Guides

Highlights:
Kafue River, Lake Malawi, Liwonde, Lower Zambezi Canoeing, Mulanje Massif, South Luangwa National Park

Gallery:

Itinerary:

DAY 1 2020 Departures| LUSAKA

The group will meet at 4pm at the lodge. This evening after our tour briefing we will have a group dinner at the lodge (own expense)

DAY 2 | KAFUE RIVER

A long drive takes us across the rolling Miombo forested hills of southern Zambia and down into the Zambezi Valley 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 3 - 4 | LOWER ZAMBEZI CANOEING

WWe 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 teeming with elephants, hippos and other wildlife. We will be collected by a motorboat and transferred back upriver to our lodge.

DAY 5 | LUSAKA - GREAT EAST ROAD

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 reaching the small town of Petauke.

DAY 6 - 8 | SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK

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 9 | KUTI

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 a 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

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 rainwater 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

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. The River Shire flows along its western border, allowing us to enjoy a boat safari, and we’ll game drive in our tour vehicle through the grassland and woodland habitats in search of leopards, elephants, hippos, antelopes and rare Lilian’s lovebirds.

DAY 14 - 15 | LAKE MALAWI

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 16 | LILONGWE - TOUR ENDS

Leaving the shores of Lake Malawi we return to Lilongwe, sun-tanned, laid-back and ready to rejoin life. Tour ends @11:00am.

Inclusions:

MEALS
15 x breakfasts, 14 x lunches, 7 x dinners

TRANSPORT
Safari Truck, 4WD Landcruiser, Canoe, Boat

ACCOMMODATION
12 nights on safari we stay at chalets, tented lodges and guest houses, with en suite facilities.
3 nights camping (Sunway will provide tents, mats and chairs, but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag).
Of which 1 night we “camp wild” without fences in the wilderness on an island in the Zambezi.

INCLUDED ACTIVITIES

Canoe Safari on the Zambezi River
South Luangwa, 1x game walk & 2x open 4WD game drives
Kuti Wildlife Reserve game drive in the tour vehicle
Tea Plantation Tour
Guided day walk on the slopes of Mulanje Massif
Liwonde Game Reserve – boat cruise and game drives in the tour vehicle
Lake Malawi – boat transfers, kayaking and snorkelling gear

Pricing:

01 Jan – 31 Dec 2022
NZ$4735 per person twin share + local payment US$300
Single Supplement NZ$483

01 Jan – 31 Dec 2023
TBC – departure dates are confirmed, please see below.

Tour Dates 2022

Bold dates are guaranteed departures; all other dates are guaranteed from 4 clients.
BTa this tour can be combined with the BTa13 or BTa14 to create a Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi safari

30-Jul-22 14-Aug-22
24-Sep-22 09-Oct-22
08-Oct-22 23-Oct-22
05-Nov-22 20-Nov-22
19-Nov-22 04-Dec-22

Tour Dates 2023

BTa 18-Mar-23 02-Apr-23
BTa 27-May-23 11-Jun-23
BTa 17-Jun-23 02-Jul-23
BTa 15-Jul-23 30-Jul-23
BTa 29-Jul-23 13-Aug-23
BTa 26-Aug-23 10-Sep-23
BTa 23-Sep-23 08-Oct-23
BTa 07-Oct-23 22-Oct-23
BTa 04-Nov-23 19-Nov-23
BTa 18-Nov-23 03-Dec-23
BTa 02-Dec-23 17-Dec-23

Request an Information Pack or Check Availability

Not the right tour for you?

Try the 16 day Zimbabwe and Botswana Game Tracker or get more off the beaten track on a 20 day Zimbabwe, Zambia & Malawi Expedition.

Sunway Safaris Zambia & Malawi Livingstone Trail – 16 days