Itinerary - part 3: Liwonde and home
(Continued from Part 3 )
One of the best places we visited when we came to Malawi in 2008 was Liwonde National Park, and we were keen to return here this time. Previously we had driven up the long approach road from Liwonde town, along the east side of the river, and this drive had produced some of the most exciting birding. I had therefore hoped to head in that way again, but unfortunately we were advised that this route was impassable and so we had to take the shorter route through less birdy villages and cultivated land to the opposite side of the river, from where we were collected by river ferry and taken the short distance across to the camp at Mvuu.
Although you're not allowed to leave the camp itself without a guide (and that usually means without a group of other visitors), Liwonde offers a fantastic birding experience. Every day there are three guided events comprising a slightly flexible mix of guided walk, boat trip and jeep safari. One of these is usually a night drive, starting in daylight but returning through the park after dark for nocturnal birds and animals.
The down side is that because you're with a group of people who generally aren't as obsessed with birds as you are, you don't get to spend a lot of time with the less eye-catching species. Having said that the guides are attentive to individuals' wishes and they did make a good effort to find me some good birds.
African Elephant, Liwonde National Park, 25th May 2011
The night drive usually incorporates a stop for drinks at a river-side location where we can watch the sun setting. On our first day we had spent so much time looking at elephants and things that we hadn't reached the spot when the sun set - not that that stopped us enjoying it:
sunset at Liwonde National Park, 25th May 2011
It wasn't quite dark by the time we reached our drinks spot though, and these were the views we enjoyed while sipping our beers:
Waterbucks beside the Shire at Liwonde National Park, 25th May 2011
Next day started with a drive through the Rhino enclosure as some of the party were keen to see the reintroduced Rhinos. No luck with them (never easy) but it's a good place for birds so I wasn't complaining. This was followed by a boat trip after breakfast which produced a whole lot more birds and mammals:
African Elephant, Liwonde National Park, 26th May 2011
Another night drive in the afternoon/evening was followed next morning with a guided walk.
Sausage Tree at Liwonde National Park, 26th May 2011
Finally another boat trip after breakfast was productive, although the guide's best efforts to find me African Darter were not so productive!
Hippopotamus, Liwonde National Park, 27th May 2011
Nile Crocodile, Liwonde National Park, 27th May 2011
Some of the best birds at Liwonde are around the chalets at Mvuu Camp - like these for example:
Boehm's Bee-eater, Liwonde National Park, 27th May 2011
Livingstone's Flycatcher, Liwonde National Park, 27th May 2011
Instead of sparrows feeding round the tables, the restaurant at Mvuu plays host to much more colourful Southern Brown-throated Weavers.
Eventually though we had to tear ourselves away and returned to Susannah's house in Malosa for our last night in Malawi. Susannah would be heading home to the UK shortly and we had been warned that we might arrive during her leaving party. It was nevertheless a bit of a shock as we drove into her garden to find that we were driving into the middle of a much more formal function than I had expected with Susannah and various local dignitaries like the town's chief giving speeches. I hope we didn't interrupt the proceedings too much!
No photos of that, but here are her kittens...
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Susannah's cats, Malosa, 27th May 2011
Next morning we headed back to Blantyre for the flight home, finishing off another wonderful holiday!
All in all a total of 252 species of birds seen, including 50 I'd not seen before.
Click here for full details and photos of all the birds and animals seen...
Or here to return to the start of the itinerary
