Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Activities
If you have your own 4WD or high-clearance vehicle you can tour the park's network of
tracks independently. If you're staying at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge then wildlife drives are
included.
Mvuu Camp's night drives (US$30 per person) take you past flashing crocs' eyes,
ninja-quiet elephants and grunting hippos, finishing in a romantic sundowner by the Shire.
Dawn walks (US$20 per person) are magical as you wander the savannah with a guide
learning about trees and wildlife tracks (occasionally hiding behind a tree as a bull ele-
phant appears!) Finally, you can't visit Mvuu and not take a boat safari (US$30 per per-
son). Don't be alarmed if an aggressive male guarding a brace eyes your boat then ducks
under the water to make a charge for you; the rangers at the tiller are brilliantly adept at
moving away at the last minute.
Bushman's Baobabs offer wildlife drives, village walks, boat trips and kayaking excur-
sions, all for around US$25 per person. Alternatively, Hippo View Lodge in Liwonde
town operates wildlife-viewing boat trips along the Shire River.
Near the park's Makanga Gate,
Njobvu Cultural Village
( 0888-623530, through
Mvuu Camp reception 01-542135;
www.njobvuvillage.com
; r per person US$16, r incl
full board & activities US$50; )
offers visitors a rare opportunity to stay in a traditional
Malawian village, sleeping in traditional mud-brick huts (with or without a mattress -
your choice!). During the day you are invited to take part in the villagers' daily lives, vis-
iting traditional doctors, the village school and eating local food such as
nshima
. All pro-
ceeds go directly to the community.
LIWONDE RHINO SANCTUARY
The
rhino sanctuary
(
www.wilderness-safaris.com
;
admission US$3)
is a fenced-off area within the park, deve-
loped for breeding rare black rhinos. It has since been expanded to protect a number of mammal species from
poaching. At the time of research 10 black rhinos were living in the enclosure along with populations of Lichten-
stein's hartebeest, Cape buffalo, Burchell's zebra, and eland and roan antelope. Organised in conjuntion with Wil-
derness Safaris at Mvuu Camp, you can go on three-hour hikes with scouts (US$45, leaves at 5.30am) searching
for the rhinos in the 48-sq-km reserve. Prior to your departure you'll need to learn some basic sign language back
at Mvuu Camp, as speaking around the intensely shy and nervous rhinos is counter productive.
