Malawi Bush & Beach in Style

A short charter flight from Lilongwe brings you to an airstrip on the edge of Liwonde National Park, followed by a short transfer to a safari lodge tucked on the banks of a lagoon just off the Shire River.

The main lounge sits high above the water for long views upriver, and two wooden dining decks, one at ground level and one sheltered among the trees, look out over the lagoon and the river beyond. A wooden walkway crosses the lagoon to a swimming pool set between fever trees (wildlife wanders through here too), and continues to a yoga deck built from local jackalberry wood.

Over two nights, explore Liwonde National Park through early morning bush walks, game drives, boat safaris on the Shire River, sundowner drives, bush dining, and photographic hides. Watch for elephants, hippos, waterbuck, reedbuck, sable, and more than 400 bird species. Visit the park’s fenced sanctuary, where buffalo, zebra, roan, eland, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, and black rhino have been reintroduced. Community activities add insight into local conservation efforts.

A short flight and a final transfer bring you to a boutique lodge on the white sand beaches of Likoma Island, on Lake Malawi.

Its name, in the local Chichewa and Nyanja languages, means 'maybe tomorrow,' and the pace here follows suit. Built by local hands as Malawi's first resort run solely on renewable energy, the lodge has houses and rooms, each with its own character, built to fit naturally into the bay's rocks and sand. White-washed or exposed stone interiors open onto lake and beach views, and some rooms come with their own private deck and plunge pool, or a terrace, courtyard, and dining area.

Each day is yours to shape: stay on the sand, head out on the water, or spend the day on your private deck. Included activities are snorkelling, sailing, picnic lunches, kayaking, paddleboarding, and birding, with dinner by starlight and spa treatments overlooking the lake also on offer. For an optional charge, you can add waterskiing and wakeboarding, kitesurfing, diving, quad biking, fishing trips, and e-mountain bike safaris.

Transfer to the local airstrip for a charter flight back to Lilongwe, connecting with your onward or international flight.