A lion’s eyes have always frightened me, hard and glassy, with the power to pierce even the thickest veil of darkness; It even scared me even more when I found myself looking directly at them on a night safari.
I was on a hunting trip in Majete, a wildlife reserve in southwestern Malawi. Distracted by the herd of feasting elephants, I thought I had missed the opportunity for a snack and dinner. But when the faintest glimmer of light remained in the sky, my guide and I decided to park our 4WD and take a walk to a viewpoint on the River Shire.
Emmanuel Kandiero, a conservation officer with the African Parks NGO, paused mid-mouthful of popcorn. “I think I can hear the lions…”
A few seconds later we were standing on a picnic bench, pointing our iPhone flashlights at either side of the massive, shaggy mane.
“Stay still and don’t run,” he instructed calmly, applying his childhood experience of growing up in the bush. I duly obeyed. Although, to be honest, there was nowhere to run and our only ammunition was two plastic gin and tonic bottles.
Confused by the Apple-generated light beams in front of him, the large big cat took a deep breath, meters away from my feet, and eventually walked off into the darkness of the night.
Three lions moved from South Africa to Majete in 2012, spawning a population now estimated at over 70, joining dozens of other species in a park once devoid of wildlife. During my stay last year, I came across black rhino tracks, encountered a group of wild dogs, and woke up to find a family of elephants gnawing on a marula tree outside my tent.
Majete is only one part of the success story of resurrection and renewal. But while the Mara’s lowlands teeter with crowds and prices continue to soar in the Serengeti, Malawi’s parks are largely overlooked.
But that may be about to change, with news that visa requirements are being lifted for British visitors, as well as visitors from 77 other countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and Ireland. This means saving £65 per person and spending less time queuing at the airport.
The move is part of a larger campaign to give the “warm heart of Africa,” as Malawi is sometimes called, the international attention it deserves.
“This monumental decision is not just about visas; it is about unlocking the untapped potential of our beloved Malawi and inviting the world to experience its wonders first-hand,” says Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule, who is already in talks on the launch of the airlines. direct flights. (Currently the best route from London is Johannesburg or Addis Ababa.)
Much of Malawi’s impressive transformation is down to African Parks, a non-governmental organization responsible for restoring some of the most depleted wildlife areas in Africa.
Starting with Majete in 2003, they have since taken over the management of many other reserves and parks in the country. They planned the largest elephant relocation in history between 2016 and 2017, moving 500 elephants to Nkhotakota Wildlife Sanctuary, where ivory poaching had previously decimated the 1,500 population by 90 percent.
The changes they made to Malawi’s other important park, Liwonde, were also remarkable. On my first visit in 2017, hippos yawned on the peaceful stretch of the Shire River and wildebeests flew happily across the plains. Seven years later, the arrival of lions and cheetahs added some drama to the idyllic landscape.
Wildlife in Malawi is not solely terrestrial. Lake Malawi, which is so large that it can be considered an inland sea, has more fish species than all the lakes and rivers in Europe and North America combined. Beyond diving and snorkelling opportunities, its sandy shores also enable bush and beach combinations in a landlocked country.
Kaya Mawa, run by Green Safaris on the island of Likoma near the Mozambique border, is the top choice. But barefoot, rustic, hammock-swinging lodges like Mumbo Island ($100 per person) and Makuzi Beach Lodge ($95 per person) offer more affordable alternatives.
In fact, the total cost of a dual-centre holiday is about half the price you’d pay in neighboring Tanzania and Zanzibar.
“Now is an absolutely perfect time to visit Malawi,” says Sam McManus, General Manager of YellowWood Adventures, who recently launched a tour to this destination.
“The game viewing experience in the country is now on par with some of Africa’s greatest safari destinations – at a lower cost, without the crowds, and yet with the authentic feeling of being on the road less traveled that we love.”
Shaped by landscapes from the dawn of time, it’s a place that still feels relatively raw and untouched. Plateaus and plateaus rise from the Great Rift Valley, and swollen baobabs thrive in the fiery red lands.
Thanks to conservation successes, community projects and a progressive government approach to tourism, Malawi is upping its game. Now is the time for travelers to give it the attention it deserves.
A 10-day Safari and Swim holiday in Lake Malawi costs £2,699 per person, excluding flights (yellowwoodadventures.com).