Safari Nzuri's
Africa Voyages
Malawi
SGC's David Foot was one
of the first guides to conduct mobile safaris in this pastoral lake country,
using lodges and rest camps along the cool highlands of the Nyika
Plateau. Foot conducts his safaris by vehicle, foot and horseback. Indeed, Mr. Foot owns more horses than anyone
in Malawi. Nyika Plateau
National Park is Malawi's
largest, encompassing both high montane plateau and miombo woodland. There are extraordinary views here along
the high plateau and off its edge, and the plateau is renowned for its sweeping
vistas, endless sky and crisp mountain air. Much of the park is inaccessible by
vehicle-hence the value of Foot's horses. The park is known for its eland, roan,
reedbuck, bushbuck, zebra, duiker, hyena and leopard. It is also famous for its
wildflowers, including 130 species of orchid.
In 2006, Mr. Foot, in conjunction with John Coppinger
of Remote Africa Safaris, is also offering two truly exporatory
safaris to the source of the game-rich Luangwa River
on the Malawi/Zambia border.
Nyika Safari Company, David Foot’s
safari company, offers a variety of treks at different levels of service (all
costs listed below are 2006 costs based on double accommodations, shared:
Chelinda
Lodge and Camp
Mr. Foot’s Chelinda
Lodge and Chelinda Camp are situated in the centre of
Nyika National
Park at 2100m.
The lodge has an incredible panoramic view across the rolling hills whilst the
camp overlooks a troutstocked dam. Game drives and
game walks are conducted out of the lodge, and (an unusual experience in Africa game
parks) you are free to walk alone during daylight hours.
Chelinda Lodge.
- This sixteen bed lodge
opened in July 2001. Built entirely of timber, logs and stone in a
traditional log cabin style it has one of the best views in Africa.
- Eight individual log
cabins with a central dining area. Each cabin has two floors. The first
floor has an open plan bedroom and lounge with an ensuite
bathroom (shower and bath). queen sized beds and
wing back chairs in front of an open log fire. A front door leads on to a
small verandah. Upstairs there is a further living area including a
writing desk underneath the front windows.
- All the cabins are
connected by wooden walkways and are beautifully landscaped on the
hillside. The main building has a large dining room, a comfortable lounge,
reception area and curio shop.
- The catering is of the
highest standard and includes a full English breakfast, cold lunches and
three course dinners with coffee and tea at any time.
- All safari activities
are led by a professional safari guide.
Chelinda Camp.
Six ensuite
twin bedded rooms with a main restaurant, bar and shop. Each room has a
fireplace - it is important to remember that the Nyika
can be colder than anywhere else in Africa.
The catering is of the highest
standard and includes full English breakfast, cold lunches and 3 course dinners
with coffee and tea at any time.
Four Self contained cottages with 2
twin bedded rooms, a lounge with fireplace, kitchen and bathroom. Each cottage
has a cook, a fridge/freezer and is fully kitted out for self-catering. Guests,
however, are welcome to take their meals in the main restaurant on request.
1 1/2 kms
from the main camp there is a beautifully situated campsite with hot and cold
showers and flush toilets.
Both the lodge and camp have electricity (generator) and
water is safe to drink as it is pure mountain water pumped from the Chelinda River.
2006 rates for the lodge and camp (exclusive of horseback
riding [see below]) are $248/person/night for the lodge, and $120/person/night
for the camp.
Camp-Based Horseback Safaris
The Nyika
is suitable for riders of all levels of ability. The experienced rider has
plenty of opportunities for long trots and exhilarating canters, yet due to the
scarcity of dangerous wildlife a beginner can enjoy the freedom of riding in a
beautiful wilderness without the worry of having to cope with dangerous
situations and so gain confidence day by day.
Since 1993 twenty five horses
have been stabled at the Mbawala Stables, near to Chelinda Camp. The horses are all crossbreeds between 14-16
hands. They are responsive even tempered and well schooled - as well as being
great characters! They have often been described as "the best in Africa".
Safaris are limited to a maximum of eight
riders (except on special request) escorted by a professional guide who is not
only a capable horseman/woman, but also extremely knowledgeable about the flora
and fauna of the Nyika.
For travelers preferring the comfort of returning from a day on horseback to
a bit of pampering, Nyika Safari Company conducts
horseback trekking out of both Chelinda Lodge and Chelinda Camp.
Nyika Safari Company also conducts overnight
tenting safari of up to 10 nights called “Mpherembe
Trails.” At least two nights at the beginning and one night at the
end will be spent at Chelinda Lodge. In between you
will ride to traditional tented safari camps setup alongside mountain streams
in the North Rumphi, the Lutete and the North Rukuru valleys.
The large walk in tents have
made-up beds and hanging shelves and there is a traditional safari "bucket
shower" and long drop toilet. The camp is moved ahead every second day by
support vehicle with the camp staff.
After a long wonderful day in the saddle there is nothing
better than to arrive to such comforts!
- Available May-October
- One 7 night and one 10
night set departure date every month
- Tailor made safaris of
any duration (minimum 5 nights)
- Suitable for more
experienced and fitter riders
- Option of one/two nights
with pack horse on longer safaris
The 2006 rates for both Chelinda-based
and Mpherembe Trails horseback safaris are
$300/person/night.
Walking Safaris on the Nyika Plateau
- FULL
WALKING SAFARI. These safaris are led by a professional safari guide with
a camp crew going ahead by vehicle to set up a traditional tented safari
camp with walk in tents, fully made up beds, hot bucket shower and long
drop toilet. Excellent meals are cooked over an open fire by the camp
cook. The cost is US$300 per person per night.
- FULLY
SERVICED TREK. These treks are led by a safari guide and porters carry the
food and camping equipment. Camping is in small dome tents with sleeping
mats and sleeping bags. Cooking is done on an open fire and participants
are expected to assist in setting up tents, collecting firewood and
preparing the meals. The cost is US$100 per person per night.
There are numerous trekking routes around the plateau and
these can be tailor made to participant’s wishes (i.e. route, duration etc).
- LIVINGSTONIA
TRAIL. This is by far the most popular hiking trail on the Nyika and can also be done as a fully serviced trek.
The route runs from Chelinda in the heart of the
plateau to the famous Livingstonia Mission on
the Khondowe plateau on the eastern edge of the
plateau overlooking Lake Malawi.
It is a two night/three day hike
with approximately six hours walking per day. The first day traverses the high
plateau grasslands as far as the Phata Stream where
camp is made. The second day is a steep descent through the Mwenembwe Forest
to the boundary of the national park at Chakaka Village.
Camp is made here but hopefully by the middle of 2003 the construction of the Chakaka Village Lodge will be completed for hikers to stay
in. This is a community tourism project supported by the Nyika
Safari Company with all revenues from the lodge going to the local community.
The third day is along the steep sided North Rumphi
valley through Malawian villages where the people eke out an existence from the
steep slopes. There is a final ascent to Livingstonia
and accommodation either at the Stone House (built in 1903 by Robert Laws the
founder of the mission) or at Lukwe Camp overlooking
the Manchewe Falls, the highest in Malawi.
- CHELINDA
TRAILS. These are a number of different treks that can be tailor made to
participants’ wishes. Particular places of interest to trek to are Chisanga Falls (a series of spectacular waterfalls
dropping 500 feet off the western escarpment), Domwe
Peak (the highest on the western escarpment with wonderful views into
Zambia), Jalawe Peak (with possibly the best
view in Malawi), Nganda Mountain (the highest
point of the plateau at 8660 feet, Fingira Rock
(a stone age site) and the valleys and hills of the northern wilderness – Chipome, Kawozya and Mpanda.
- FULL
PLATEAU TRAVERSE. During 2003 the Nyika Safari
Company developed a hiking trail that traverses the park starting (or
finishing) at the Livingstonia Mission and
finishing (or starting) at Bolero
Village on the southern side.
The trail will be 6 days/5 nights via Chelinda
with the option of extra nights at Chelinda. The
start and finish of these trails are points of access to public transport
for those without their own transport.
The Source of the Luangwa
Safari
John Coppinger of Tafika Camp (Remote Africa Safaris) has for many years been
obsessed with reaching the source of the Luangwa River
– a river he has worked alongside for twenty years. This river (that many know
as a shallow, meandering, wildlife paradise) rises in the Mafinga Mountains
on the border of Zambia
and Malawi. In
November 2002 John finally made it to the source (a tiny clear water pool high
in the Mafingas) and, in conjunction with David Foot
of the Nyika Safari Company, are now offering the opportunity
to others to reach the source of this famous river on a “SOURCE OF THE LUANGWA
SAFARI”.
John and David are offering two departures in 2006 starting
in Lilongwe (Malawi)
on 4 June and 15 October 2006
and ending back there two weeks later on 18 June and 29 October 2006.
The safari will take in the Vwaza
Marsh Game Reserve and the Nyika
National Park in northern Malawi
before a two night hike to the source of the Luangwa.
David will lead this section of the safari before the safari continues into the
Luangwa Valley
in Zambia, first
stopping at Mwaleshi Camp in the North
Luangwa National
Park and ending at Tafika
in the South Luangwa National Park.
The exact itinerary is:
4-5 June 15-16
October Kazuni
Safari Camp, Vwaza Marsh (2 nights)
6-8 June 17-19
October Chelinda
Lodge, Nyika
National Park (3 nights)
9-10 June 20-21
October Source of the Luangwa Hike (2 nights)
11 June 22
October Chelinda Lodge, Nyika National Park
12-14 June 23-25
October Mwaleshi,
North Luangwa National Park
(3 nights)
15-17 June 26-28
October Tafika,
South Luangwa National Park
(3 nights)
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Rates
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June Safari
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$5670
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October Safari
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$5670
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Single Supplement
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$1795
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These rates are fully inclusive of all accommodation, meals,
safari activities (except horseriding on the Nyika), drinks, laundry, park entry fees and all domestic
air and road transfers starting and finishing in Lilongwe.
This safari would suit anybody who would like to visit these
great game parks and in particular perhaps those who already know and love the Luangwa Valley.
However participants will have to be fit and used to hiking as it is an 800 metre ascent to the source and camping will be rough and
simple on top of the mountain. In June there will be a wonderful clarity of
light in the mountains of Nyika and the Mafingas so ideal for photography whilst in October gameviewing will be top class being late in the dry season
and there will be the added attraction of the wildflowers of the Nyika as well as the migratory and forest birds in the
highlands of the Nyika and the Mafingas.
On the exploratory trip to the source four Sharpe’s starlings were seen – a new
record for Zambia!
All transfers between the national parks will be by private
air charter and numbers of participants on the safari is limited to eight.
In addition to these two fixed departures the Nyika Safari Company is offering tailor made safaris to the
Source of the Luangwa that can
fit in with any other safari itinerary.
The 5 night itinerary will be:
Chelinda Lodge 2 nights
Source of the Luangwa Hike 2 nights
Chelinda Lodge 1 night
The cost is:
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RACK
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2 persons
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1650
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4 or more persons
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1450
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Single Supplement
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260
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