9-Day South Luangwa Safari and Lake Malawi Tour: Private Vehicle

Follow lions on foot in Zambia, then drift past cichlids on Lake Malawi’s shores

A 9-day private tour from Lilongwe combining three nights of game drives in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia (one of Africa's finest wildlife parks and birthplace of the walking safari) with four nights at Cape Maclear on Lake Malawi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your Malawian driver-guide stays with you throughout. Lodges, all meals, park fees, border help and airport transfers are included. The pace is yours to set.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to South Luangwa, Zambia

• Meet driver-guide at Lilongwe airport
• Drive to South Luangwa via border
• Arrive and settle at safari lodge

Day 2: Game drives in South Luangwa

• Morning game drive
• Afternoon game drive
• Evening around campfire

Day 3: Game drives and walking safari

• Morning game drive or walking safari
• Afternoon game drive or walking safari
• Evening at safari lodge

Day 4: Return to Lilongwe, Malawi

• Morning in South Luangwa park
• Drive back to Lilongwe
• Overnight at Lilongwe hotel

Day 5: Lilongwe tour and Cape Maclear

• Guided morning city tour
• Drive to Cape Maclear
• Check in at lakeside lodge

Day 6: Boat trip and snorkelling

• Boat to Thumbi West Island
• Snorkel among cichlid fish

Day 7: Village walk and beach time

• Walk through fishing village
• Relax on the beach

Day 8: Sunset cruise and wildlife

• Day at leisure by the lake
• Sunset cruise with fish eagles

Day 9: Departure from Lilongwe

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive to Lilongwe airport
• Drop-off for onward flight

The experience

You arrive at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe and your driver-guide meets you there. The drive west into Zambia takes six to seven hours, crossing the Mchinji–Mwami border with help from your guide handling the paperwork. You settle into a safari lodge near Mfuwe on the edge of South Luangwa National Park, one of Africa's great wildlife reserves and the place where the walking safari was born.

Three full days unfold in South Luangwa. Morning and afternoon game drives take you along the Luangwa River in search of lion, leopard, elephant, Thornicroft's giraffe, buffalo and hippo. If you want to step out of the vehicle, expert guides can lead walking safaris to track smaller wildlife and birds up close. Evenings you return to the lodge and sit around the campfire. After a final morning in the park, you drive back across the border into Malawi and on to Lilongwe for one night.

The second half shifts to the lake. A guided morning tour of Lilongwe takes in the Old Town markets, the Kamuzu Mausoleum, the World War I memorial and the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary. Then a four-hour drive brings you to Cape Maclear on the shores of Lake Malawi. Over four nights you board a boat to Thumbi West Island and snorkel among hundreds of colourful cichlid fish found nowhere else on earth; walk through the fishing village to see how local families live and work; spend afternoons on the beach; and finish with a sunset cruise where African fish eagles swoop down to take fish from the water. On your last morning, you drive back to Lilongwe for drop-off at the airport.

What’s included

• Private vehicle with a Malawian driver-guide for all nine days.
• eight nights' accommodation in safari lodges near South Luangwa, a hotel in Lilongwe and a lakeside lodge at Cape Maclear.
• all meals throughout.
• game drives in South Luangwa National Park and park fees for both Zambia and Malawi.
• a guided tour of Lilongwe covering the Old Town markets, Kamuzu Mausoleum, World War I memorial and Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary.
• boat trips to Thumbi West Island with snorkelling and a sunset cruise on Lake Malawi.
• border crossing help and airport transfers.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 72 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Anake taxi and tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're flying into Lilongwe without a car and want both safari and lake in one journey. Your driver-guide picks you up at the airport and stays with you the whole way, so you don't arrange transport between stops or navigate borders yourself. The route and the timing are set, and you move at your own pace within it.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What wildlife might I see on the game drives in South Luangwa?

South Luangwa's game drives target lion, leopard, elephant, Thornicroft's giraffe, buffalo and hippo along the Luangwa River. The park is known for its leopards and was the birthplace of the walking safari, so you can also join guides on foot to track smaller wildlife and birds.

Can I snorkel at Lake Malawi, and what will I see?

Yes. A boat trip takes you to Thumbi West Island and the Ilala Gap inside Lake Malawi National Park, where you snorkel among hundreds of colourful cichlid fish found nowhere else on earth.

How does the border crossing from Malawi into Zambia work?

Your driver-guide handles the paperwork at the Mchinji–Mwami border crossing, so you don't manage the formalities yourself. The drive from Lilongwe to South Luangwa takes about six to seven hours total.

What's included in the price?

Eight nights' accommodation in safari lodges, a Lilongwe hotel and a lakeside lodge; all meals; game drives and park fees in both countries; a guided tour of Lilongwe; boat trips to Thumbi West Island and a sunset cruise; your private vehicle and driver-guide throughout; and airport transfers.

Is this tour suitable if I've never been on safari before?

Yes. The tour suits all physical fitness levels. Your driver-guide is with you the whole way and can adjust the pace to what you want. You can do game drives from the vehicle, add walking safaris, or spend time relaxing at the lake.