MALAWI SAFARI HOLIDAYS

Population:
19.9 million

When to go:

April - November

Capital:

Lilongwe

Location:

Southeastern Africa (landlocked)

Currency:

Malawian Kwacha

Fun fact:

Lake Malawi is 585 km long by 80 km wide (364 miles long by 50 miles wide)

Bio:

Although it is not the top of everyone's list of African countries to visit, Malawi is known as the 'Warm Heart of Africa' and once you interact with the friendly and welcoming Malawian people you will realise why.

While the country has so much more to offer than just the safari experience, the wildlife in this little jewel of a country should not be underestimated. Largely the success of Malawi as a safari destination now is due to the conservation organisation African Parks.

Take, for example, Majete Wildlife Reserve in the south of country. Prior to African Parks involvement in 2003 most of the wildlife had been hunted and it hadn't received a single tourist in three years. Investments were made in the infrastructure and over 3,000 animals reintroduced over the last 20 years. It is now thriving and home to the Magnificent Seven (elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard, cheetah and wild dog).

Malawi is best explored by having your own local guide to take you between the wildlife reserves, tea estates, mountains, forests and of course Lake Malawi.

It is still a very affordable country to visit and can be as luxury as needed or more adventurous in style including hiking, boating, canoeing, sailing etc. Malawi is often combined with its neighbour Zambia either to further the safari experience or to visit the famous Victoria Falls.