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22-day Malawi Birding Adventure This diverse birding adventure starts in the south of the country and ends in the north, minimizing driving distances. We begin our birding around some of the high, forested mountains not too far from Blantyre: famed Thyolo (after which the elusive Thyolo Alethe was named), the impressive Mount Mulanje ( Malawi’s highest mountain) and the Zomba Plateau (where one of the many highlights is always White-winged Apalis). We then spend two nights at the wild Liwonde National Park, where tons of big game lurks (including Africa’s Big 5), along with a huge diversity of birds including some sought-after species such as Pel’s Fishing Owl and even African Pitta. Breaking the intense birding for one full day, we spend time relaxing (and doing a little birding) around the southern part of Lake Malawi (one of Africa’s great lakes). We can rent snorkelling equipment to observe the amazing fish (cichlid) diversity of the lake. We then head to the phenomenal Dzalanyama Forest Reserve, which is dominated by endemic-rich Brachystegia (miombo) woodland, where roving bird parties can include the likes of Stierling’s Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied and Mashona Hyliotas, White-tailed Blue and Bohm’s Flycatchers, Miombo Pied Barbet, Red-capped Crombec and a whole host of others. We then bird the Viphya Plateau and Vwaza Marsh, for birds such as White-winged Babbling Starling, Scaly Francolin and as always a plethora of others. We then bird one of the top sites in Malawi, Nyika Plateau, with its cool, green, rolling grasslands, beautiful forest patches and dryer woodlands. We except to see a very large number of bird species here! We end our Malawi birding adventure at Nkhata Bay, in the north of Lake Malawi (where yet more special birds, such as East Coast Akalat and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo lurk), before flying home. During this magnificent tour, we expect to see a huge number of bird species, lots of Africa’s big (and small) mammals, and extremely diverse scenery, in a poor but very friendly country. We also run a shorter (2-week) version of this tour, and can custom-make other Malawi tours to suit your exact needs. Itinerary Day 1: International flight arrives in Blantyre, O/N Satemwa Tea Estate, Thyolo Day 2: O/N Satemwa Tea Estate, Thyolo. Day 3: O/N Likhubula Forest Lodge (basic), Mount Mulanje. Day 4: O/N Kuchawe Inn, Zomba Plateau Day 5: O/N Kuchawe Inn, Zomba Plateau Day 6: O/N Liwonde National Park Day 7: O/N Liwonde National Park Day 8: O/N Cape Maclear Day 9: O/N Cape Maclear Days 10-12: Fairly long drive from Cape Maclear to Dzalanyama. O/N Dzalanyama Forest Lodge, Dzalanyama National Park Day 13: Fairly long, but nice, drive to Viphya Plateau. Luwawa Forest Lodge, Viphya Plateau Days 14-15: Vwaza Marsh Days 16-19: O/N Chelinda Camp, Nyika Plateau National Park Days 20-21: Makuzi Beach Lodge, Nkhata Bay Day 21: Early departure for Lilongwe for international flight home.
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Itinerary: Duration: 22 days Limit: 4-6 Date: 26 November - 17 December 2009, 2010, 2011 Start: Blantyre End: Lilongwe Price: US$4828 per person sharing (but dependent on group size and exchange rate) Price_Includes: Meals Accommodation Guiding fees & local guide 4x4 transport All taxes Price_Excludes: International flights Park entrance fees ($5 per person per day) Personal Insurance Alcoholic Beverages Gratuities Laundry Personal expenses such as gifts Airport departure fee $30 per person All other activities not mentioned in tour itinerary
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated March 2010 |
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