Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There's a central lodge for meals (the food is excellent) with plenty of comfortable
chairs to sink into, safari books for browsing and a stone terrace with outdoor fire pit.
Dinner can be combined with an 'under the stars boma night' with entertainment from the
local Gule Wamkulu dancers. The camp isn't fenced so expect regular visits from ele-
phants, buffaloes and other creatures. One hundred percent of the camp's revenue is
ploughed straight back into conserving and protecting Majete.
LION REINTRODUCTION: THE RETURN OF THE
KING
The return of the King begins in Majete Wildlife Reserve. Lions, due to poaching, have not been seen here since
the '80s, so four lions being donated by South Africa (two males from Pilanesberg National Park and two females
from Madikwe Game Reserve) are big news. Translocation will cost a hefty US$50,000, funded by Robin Pope
Safaris (
Click here
)
. Majete meanwhile, has been preparing for this moment over the last nine years, with US$12
million dollars spent on upgrading its roads, improving infrastructure, ring-fencing the park and restocking it with
thousands of animals (including leopards in 2011). Local poachers have even performed a
volte-face
and become
wardens.
In June 2012, veterinarians set out to capture the lions and place them in the
boma
(holding pen) at the same
time, so that they began their 30-day quarantine together. On arrival in Malawi one of the female lions died of hy-
pertension. Remaining lions Shire, Sapitwa and Chimwala, were officially released on 1st September, from their
boma,
and began to explore, form a pride and make their first kills. It's hoped that they'll breed and have cubs
within the next three to nine months. Watch this space.
Getting There & Away
Majete lies west of the Shire River, some 70km southwest of Blantyre. Follow the road to
Chikwawa from where signs will direct you to the reserve. By public transport, the nearest
you can get is Chikwawa.
LENGWE NATIONAL PARK
Lengwe
(admission per person US$10, per car US$3)
is Malawi's southernmost park. It's
flat and arid with plenty of driveable tracks among mixed woodland and grassy
dambo
(wetlands). The sparse vegetation means that animal viewing is good here; in the dry sea-
son animals congregate around the park's few permanent watering holes. Mammals in-
clude nyalas (at the northern limit of their distribution in Africa), bushbucks, impalas,
duikers, kudus, warthogs and buffaloes, as well as hyenas and leopards and the occasional
elephant (last seen 2009). There's also a large and varied bird population. The park has
