Day 1: Lilongwe
Most people arrive a few days prior to the official start day. This is to give them plenty of time to enjoy all that Lilongwe has to offer. Accommodation and activities can be arranged should you wish to arrive early or stay on in Africa after your tour ends. Please
contact us for assistance.
On the first day of the Mozambique Odyssey, you should meet at the Kiboko camp in Lilongwe. This will give you all a chance to meet your fellow travellers and get to know your guides. The meeting will cover all the aspects of the trip. Please bring with you to this meeting: your passport with relevant visa’s and evidence of medical and personal insurance. Please also bring the Local Payment. This must be paid to the tour leader prior to departure and must be paid in US$ Cash. You will camp in Kiboko.
A single entry visa is required for Mozambique.
If you are unable to attend the pre-departure meeting, please let us know at least one week prior to your departure.
Day 2 - 4: Lake MalawiYou depart Lilongwe at approx 8:00AM travelling east to the breathtaking Lake Malawi. Known throughout as the warm heart of Africa, Malawi is famous for its hospitality. You have three days at the lake to relax and explore the local shoreline fishing villages to gain an insight into rural life and culture. Nearby PADI dive schools offer scuba courses so you can dive the pristine coastline further north in Mozambique! You can also try optional sailing, snorkeling, windsurfing and water-skiing. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is included. Dinner is at your own expense on day four. Camping is at Mangochi, Nkopla Lodge or similar.
Day 5: Liwonde National Park
Departing at approximately 8:00AM it’s on to the beautiful Liwonde National Park on the Shire River, fringed by papyrus beds and raffia palms, and home to elephant, hippos, crocodiles and 379 bird species. During the afternoon, enjoy a guided game cruise on the river, which is included - the duration being approximately two hours. You camp overnight on the banks of the Shire River.
Days 6 - 7: Cuamba & MecontaYou break camp and prepare for departure – it will be an early start at approximately 7:00am. Your travels go east to Mozambique. Once you cross the border into Mozambique rural Africa greets you - the roads are tough, but the scenery and atmosphere incredible, and some of the best you have seen in all of Africa! You drive as far as Cuamba and your village bush camp, your first chance to sleep in the open African bush. This is a fantastic way to catch an authentic glimpse into rural African life, as you literally camp inside a village. You choose your village camps very carefully, liaising with the chief of each village.
Departing early you travel via Nampula and onto Meconta; where your second night's camp is at the beautiful Catholic Church at Meconta complete with well preserved murals. Bush showers and all the necessary equipment are supplied to keep this rugged yet exciting stretch as comfy as possible!
Days 8 - 9: Pemba
You arrive in the afternoon in Pemba and transfer to your hotel. You relax for two days in simple accommodation right on the beach. A PADI dive school and other optional water sports are available. The reef is within striking distance of Pemba's perfect beach, allowing safe swimming, snorkelling and diving. All your meals in Pemba will be to the your expense.
The Nautilus hotel has a number of sea facing, air-conditioned, thatched bungalows with two bedrooms, a small kitchenette and a bathroom. There is a restaurant at the Nautilus, which offers various seafood dishes as well as beef and chicken. In town there are various restaurants to choose from.
At the time of writing the new Wimbe Beach hotel in Pemba has just been completed with good options for meals and optional activities.
Days 10 - 11: Ibo Island
Today you travel north through awesome thick pristine bush to the coastal village of Quissanga. Here you board traditional dhows bound for Ibo Island, and the WildLife Adventures private waterfront camp. The camp is situated on the waterfront and has warm showers and clean ablution facilities and is very close to the main fort. Explore an ancient island where Muslim traders operated in the 15th C, before it became a major slave market and trading post for the Portuguese in the 18th Century. Historic buildings, three forts, and a beautiful old Catholic Church still remain. Ibo provides a chance to interact with the amazing rural people and exchange cultural differences. Traditional silversmiths still operate from the main fort, and you are free to wander about this beautiful island and explore. Optional crab and fishing expeditions, Mangrove excursions, snorkeling, swimming, and historical dhow cruises.
Day 12: Island Exploring
You will explore by traditional Arab Dhow one of the beautiful surrounding local islands. Travelling through the mangroves you will step back in time and observe a way of life that has not changed for thousands of years. Local fishermen catch prawns and giant crabs in these mangroves. Brilliant bird life abounds with storks, egrets and herons roosting in the mangrove trees. Excellent snorkelling opportunities, great beaches and a chance to travel and explore the remote coral coast surrounding Ibo. Overnight camping on the island shores, or return to Ibo Island. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 13: Return to the Mainland
There is no set schedule for the boat transfer as the departure and arrival times depend on the tide and sailing conditions. Your night’s camp is a bush camp in a Mozambican rural village. This is a wonderful way to catch a glimpse of rural life, as you literally camp inside the village. Cultural exchanges abound and these camps are always a highlight. You choose your village stops very carefully in conjunction with the chiefs of each village.
Days 14 - 15: Ilha de MozambiqueHeading south you travel to Ilha de Mozambique, a World Heritage site. The Portuguese landed in 1507 and are an integral part of the island's history. The old governor's palace, a 17th century Jesuit Monastery, and the fortress of Sao Sebastiao, constructed early in the 1500's, still remain. You stay at Chocas complex in view of the island and its stunning beaches. On the morning of day 15 you will be dropped off at the bridge to Ilha De Mozambique, where you may cross on foot and explore this fantastic island – a pickup time can be arranged with your guides to return you to Chocas. (The passage of heavy vehicles over the bridge has been prohibited). You will overnight in Chocas complex or similar.
Day 16: Mocuba
Departing at approximately 7:00am you proceed to Mocuba for your last night of bush or village camping en-route to Malawi. Again the scenery is stunning and the local people very friendly and hospitable.
Days 17 - 18: Mount MulanjeA short drive to the border and after completing the border formalities you pass into Malawi through tea estates and head for the base camp at the foot of Mount Mulanje. The following day is free to explore the mountain with its cedar trees, streams and waterfalls. It is possible to hire a guide for the day to ensure that you won’t get lost – there is no set rate and it will be up to you to negotiate – approximate cost is about USD5 for the guide, your WildLife Adventures guides will be available to assist you with this.
Day 19: LilongweDeparting at 8:00 am, you travel to Lilongwe for your last night and a final meal in town before the end of your great odyssey!
Day 20: End of Tour
After breakfast, end of services. Airport transfers and additional accommodation can be arranged.
Note: This is a 21 Day Camping Tour that covers Lake Malawi and Northern Mozambique
Departing and returning to Lilongwe
Drop us an enquiry to find out dates of our scheduled departures.
Includes:
Itinerary as specified, fully equipped safari vehicle, services of tour leader and camp courier, all accommodation, all camping and catering equipment and National Park entrance fees. Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) Dinner (D) where specified. Meals not shown will be to the clients account. Occasionally breakfast and lunch may be combined into a brunch where necessary e.g. mornings with early game drives.
Excludes:
Airfares, travel and medical insurance, personal spending money, visas, passports, vaccinations, personal taxes (including departure and border taxes) all optional activities, unscheduled or optional national / game parks and other activities, gratuities, sleeping bag if required, restaurant meals and all other items of a personal nature. All drinks, even on days with full board basis.
Notes:
Many of our tours, though not all of them, will require a kitty or local payment, that goes that goes into a communal fund to pay for campsite fees, food, and game park entrance fees.
Those tours that do not have a kitty are usually the shorter tours within one country where prices are more fixed and can be included in the tour cost. The tour leader manages the kitty and it covers all the local expenses the tour encounters on a day to day basis for all the passengers and crew. The kitty is paid to the tour leader at the pre-departure meeting or on the morning of departure. In almost all cases it must be paid in US$ cash – this is the easiest currency to change for local currency in Africa and the tour leader has no method of accepting your kitty by travellers cheques or credit cards.
It’s best to buy US$ from your own country before leaving home, as US$ cash is hard to obtain in Africa. The local payment applicable to this tour is
US 300. Please note single supplement applies.
This also be split into 2 shorter modules, namely Pretoria to Vic falls, or Vic Falls to Pretoria. This is a 21 Day Camping Tour that covers Lake Malawi and Northern Mozambique, departing and returning, Lilongwe.
Drop us an
enquiry to find out dates of our scheduled departures.
