African Parks has signed an agreement with the Government of Malawi to manage and operate Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve for the next 20 years.
African Parks has already transformed Malawi's Majete Wildlife Reserve from a neglected, rarely visited reserve of few animals to a Big 5 destination.
Images : www.malawitourism.com
Liwonde National Park
Liwonde National Park, located in southern Malawi is 548 sq km in size and consists of woodland, floodplains, grasslands, and lagoon.
It supports the largest remaining population of elephants in the country as well as one of two populations of black rhino. Other mammal species include hippo, hyena, buffalo, warthog, several antelope species and more than 400 bird species.
Lions were once commonplace and the healthy populations of other large mammals will allow for the quick reintroduction of predators.
First actions for Liwonde include fencing the entire 130km perimeter of the park, implementing dedicated elephant patrols to push elephants back into the park to prevent conflict situations.
Restocking of locally extinct species including cheetah and wild dogs are planned within the next 3 years.
Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve
In a less mature state than Liwonde, Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve is located in the central region of Malawi and is 1,800 sqkm, lying within the miombo woodland zone.
It is a major catchment area for Lake Malawi.
Although a depleted park, it still has remnant populations of elephant, warthog, baboon, and various antelope species as well as 280 bird species.
If well managed, it has the potential to become an important area for elephant conservation in Malawi. Black rhino, lion, cheetah and wild dog once existed but are now all locally extinct.
Plans are in place for translocation of a large amount of wildlife including 400 more elephants and 600 general antelope species to the reserve.
African Parks is a non-profit organisation that takes on total responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks and protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.
With the addition of Liwonde and Nkhotakota the organisation now has a portfolio of 10 national parks and protected areas in Malawi, Zambia, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad and Rwanda.
The inclusion of the two protected areas also increases the land under their protection in Africa from 5.9 million hectares to 6.15 million hectares.
The facts
Much of Malawi is plateau, often reaching to 1,000m (3,000 ft), and the temperature in these highlands is moderate, with the hottest period occurring during the autumn rainy season and the coolest and chilliest in winter.
The hottest region in the country is the lower Shire River Valley well south of Blantyre. Temperatures along scenic Lake Malawi are generally warm, but with a cooling breeze, especially in the evenings. Winters (May till July) are dry.
The rainy season begins in mid-October to early November and generally runs until March.
Malawi is a country in Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the south and east, Tanzania to the north, Zambia to the west. Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, runs along most of its eastern border. It's often described as the "Warm Heart of Africa", referring to the friendliness of the people.
Entry requirements - you need a visa to enter Malawi as a visitor and can find details of the application process on the Malawi High Commission website; you're strongly advised to get a visa before travel; if you can't get a visa before travel, you can get a visa on arrival at any port of entry, however you may require a pre-authorisation visa letter from the Malawi Immigration Department; for more information check with the Malawi High Commission
Most visits to Malawi are trouble-free, but you should take sensible precautions to protect yourself from muggers and bag-snatchers. Most thefts from visitors take place around the main bus stations in Lilongwe and Blantyre.
There is a low threat from terrorism. See Terrorism
Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.
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Malawi's largest international airport is in Lilongwe, although there are also some flights from Blantyre to regional destinations. Most travellers connect via Johannesburg (South Africa), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) or Nairobi (Kenya).
The official languages of Malawi are English and Chichewa. English is widely spoken in urban areas and by the well-educated upper class, though outside of that, a few words in Chichewa will go a long way.
Chichewa is the first language of the majority of the population, and knowing Chichewa will get you by in most of Malawi though in some very remote areas, learning the local tongue might be essential. Locals always appreciate any attempts by foreigners to speak Chichewa and learning at least a few basic greetings would do well to ingratiate yourself to the locals.
Tumbuka is the first language for many people in the north of the country. Chiyao is spoken by the Yao people who live mostly in the Southern District of the country.
A multi-cultural country, Malawi has over a dozen indigenous ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. However, even in those areas, many younger people will be bilingual in the local language and Chichewa. In the northernmost region of the country, Chitipa district, two additional languages are predominant: Chindali and Chilambya. Many people in the rural areas of Chitipa outside of the boma, or towncenter, are not even familiar with Chitumbuka, the language of the northern region.
The local currency is the Malawi kwacha, symbolised MWK. The currency is freely convertible (but impossible to get rid of outside Malawi)
You can exchange Malawian kwacha into Zambian kwacha at the border, either at the banks or on the black market too.
Larger foreign bills are favoured and can get much higher rates. At times, it can be easier to not even go to the black market and simply make purchases with the foreign currency.
Credit card acceptance is improving. Visa and MasterCard are accepted by larger hotels, and some ATMs.
Visitors from most countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, European Union countries, Japan, Singapore, and South American Countries now require a visa to enter Malawi. A single entry visa on arrival is good for 90 days and cost US $75, a 7 day Transit visa cost $50.
29 countries need to get a visa in advance from a Malawi embassy at a cost of $100 for the 90 day visa and $70 for the 7 day transit visa. the visa on arrival has to be paid for in US dollars.