Zambia & Malawi Safari

This is the Africa of yore, of quiet plains and wild riverbanks, snorting herds of buffalo and motionless Leopard gazing from the grass. Join Apex on a 14-day journey beginning along Zambia’s pristine waterways and floodplains. Explore the region’s three great rivers—the Kafue, Luangwa, and Zambezi—in national parks known for their raw, remote wilderness. See great herds of giraffe, zebra, elephant, and antelope, and the magnificent predators that follow them, as well as hundreds of bird species, from boats, 4x4s, and on foot. Cap the experience with a stay on idyllic Likoma Island in the heart of Lake Malawi. Breathe in peace and expansiveness on this Zambia and Malawi safari.

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Days 3 & 4
• Day 5
• Days 6 & 7
• Day 8
• Days 9 & 10
• Day 11
• Days 12 & 13
• Day 14

• Thursday, August 21: Arrive Lusaka, Zambia

  Arrive in Zambia’s fast-growing capital city, a boom town with a young population and a heady mix of high rises, bars, restaurants, and lively markets showcasing vibrant Zambian culture. This evening, meet your fellow travelers and expedition leader at a welcome dinner at the hotel. Overnight at Latitude 15 Hotel.

• Friday, August 22: Lusaka / Kafue National Park

  Fly west to Zambia’s largest and oldest national park. Kafue covers 8,650 square miles of mainly dry “Miombo” woodlands, with seasonally flooded grasslands called the Busanga Plains at its northern border. Kafue is home to more species of ungulate than any national park south of the Congo Basin. Rare Blue and Yellow-backed Duikers occur in the thickets; Sitatunga, Red Lechwe, and Puku in the swamps; Roan, Sable, and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest in the Miombo woodlands. Kafue is one of the only places in Zambia to have Cheetah, and Leopard populations are healthy, as are those of endangered African Wild Dogs. Dinner and overnight at Ila Safari Lodge on the banks of the Kafue River.

• Saturday & Sunday, August 23 & 24: Kafue National Park

  Take two full days to explore Kafue. Game drives offer superb wildlife viewing. Head up to the Busanga Plains to see a veritable feast of Plains Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, buffalo, and antelope. These plentiful grazers provide sustenance to a thriving lion population, notable not only for the imposing black manes of the males, but also for being one of the few in southern Africa that regularly climb trees. Side-striped Jackals abound. Birdlife is prolific, with several rarities on offer: scores of Crowned and Wattled Crane gather in the marshes, while highlights of the open plains include Stanley’s Bustard, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Hartlaub’s Babbler, and Fülleborn’s and Pink-Throated Longclaw. Ila’s electric riverboat trips offer a good opportunity to glimpse the eagerly sought African Finfoot, Ross’s Turaco, and Böhm’s Bee-eater. Keep an eye out for Zambia’s one endemic bird, the distinctive Chaplin’s Barbet. Meals and overnights at Ila Safari Lodge.

• Monday, August 25: Kafue National Park / Lower Zambezi National Park

  After breakfast, fly to the wide, shallow, and meandering Zambezi as it flows through the southernmost part of the Great Rift Valley, to the border with Mozambique. Transfer to the lovely Chiawa Camp, located at the confluence of the Zambezi and Chowe Rivers, ideally situated for exploration of the 1,500-square-mile Lower Zambezi National Park via land and water. Once the private game reserve of the president, Lower Zambezi has long enjoyed protections that other parks didn’t have, and it remains one of the most pristine areas in Zambia. Dinner and overnight at Chiawa Camp.

• Tuesday & Wednesday, August 26 & 27: Lower Zambezi National Park

  Lower Zambezi slopes from the dramatic Zambezi Escarpment down to the Zambezi River, straddling two main woodland savannah eco-regions. Being remote and untamed, the chance for up-close encounters is especially high here. Activities are concentrated along one of Africa’s greatest rivers, where enormous herds of elephant roam the Winterthorn Forests en masse and cross the river’s deep waters to graze on small islands. ‘Island-hopping’ buffalo and Waterbuck are common. African Fish Eagles, African Skimmer, Long-toed and White-crowned Plover, and Rufous-bellied Herons abound. Lower Zambezi also hosts good populations of Lion and Spotted Hyena. Night drives reveal Leopard, porcupine, Serval, African Wildcat, civet, and genet. Enjoy two full days of game drives, walks, and boating or canoeing on the river. Dinners and overnights at Chiawa Camp.

• Thursday, August 28: Lower Zambezi National Park / Lusaka / Mfuwe (South Luangwa National Park)

  This morning, fly east to South Luangwa National Park, dubbed one of the world’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries. The park marks the end of the Great Rift Valley and centers around the Luangwa River, whose oxbow lagoons support one of the richest concentrations of game in Africa. Seasonal flooding makes much of South Luangwa inaccessible by road, thus ensuring its protection from over-tourism. Your home for the next three days will be Lion Camp, in a remote section of the northernmost reaches of the park.

• Friday & Saturday, August 29 & 30: South Luangwa National Park

  Known for its massive herds of Thornicroft’s Giraffe and elephants, and Africa’s densest Leopard population, South Luangwa is also a paradise for birders, with over 450 migrant and resident species found in the park, including many species of stork, heron, and crane. Tell-tale breeding hole pockmarks along the tall banks of the river signal the presence of the dazzling Carmine Bee-eater and Pied Kingfisher. While here, enjoy morning and afternoon game drives, as well as walking safaris, which in fact originated at South Luangwa. Look out for Cookson’s Wildebeest and Crawshay’s Zebra, near-endemic to the valley. Night drives through South Luangwa reveal an exciting supporting cast of normally-elusive creatures, including smaller mammals such as Honey Badger, genet, civet, White-tailed Mongoose, the taper-snouted Four-toed Elephant Shrew, and porcupine. Meals and overnights at Lion Camp.

• Sunday, August 31: South Luangwa NP / Lilongwe, Malawi / Likoma Island

  After breakfast, fly east to Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, then transfer to a smaller plane for a flight to Likoma Island, a small slice of Malawian territory in the Mozambican portion of Lake Malawi. The Universities’ Mission to Central Africa, whose creation was inspired by David Livingstone, set up a station here in the 1880s to fight the area slave trade. Owing to this history, Malawi kept Likoma when the lake was divided after World War II. Transfer to the island’s southwest coast and your beachfront resort in time for dinner. Stay overnight at Kaya Mawa.

• Monday & Tuesday, September 1 & 2: Likoma Island

  Enjoy two days exploring the white sandy beaches and vibrant communities of Likoma. On a walking tour to nearby Katundu, visit an artisan workshop dedicated to training and hiring local women to craft their hand-beaded textiles. Tour the awe-inspiring St. Peter’s Cathedral, built with local materials in 1903 by the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa. Browse a bustling local market. Enjoy a sunset cruise. Pick from your choice of activities run by the hotel, including snorkeling or diving in the crystal-clear lake, with over 1,000 fish species on show, including 350 endemic cichlids, like the colorful Utaka, Mbuna, and Aulonocara. Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are also on offer. Home to over 100 different bird species, Likoma is a delight for birders. Head to the beaches and nearby forests to see huge colonies of White-breasted Cormorants, Black-shouldered and Yellow-billed Kites, African Fish Eagles, and four types of kingfishers. Meals and overnights at Kaya Mawa.

• Wednesday, September 3: Lake Malawi / Likoma / Lilongwe / Depart

  This morning, transfer to the airstrip for a flight to Lilongwe, where you will connect with onward international flights back home.