| Liwonde National Park | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Malawi |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category | II (National Park) |
| Area | 548 km² |
| Location | |
 14 ° 50 ′ 0 ″ S 35 ° 20 ′ 0 ″ E | |
Liwonde National Park is a national park of Malawi.
Understand
Countryside
Liwonde National Park is located on the east bank of the Shire (pronounced "chi-re") river, at the southern end of Lake Malombe. The park is long, thin, and flat, with a few hills towards the southern tip.
Flora and fauna
To see the animals, the best time to visit the park is during the dry season, when they come to the river to drink. The animals living in the park are among others the elephant (Loxodonta africana), the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga), the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) (very rarely seen), the warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), the vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), baboon, impala, crescent cob, bushbuck, mongoose, crocodile and monitor lizard. In recent years, some lions have been known to make their home in the park, but they are unlikely to be seen.
A wide variety of birds can be seen all year round. Among them, of course, the African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), bird symbol of Malawi. Birds are in fact one of the main attractions of the park, for those who are a bit proficient in the area. The flora is dominated by the mopane (Colophospermum mopane), so named because the Tswana word "mopane" refers to the butterfly shape of the leaves. There are also spectacular baobabs.
Weather
| J | F | M | TO | M | J | J | TO | S | O | NOT | D |
Temperature diagram in ° C | |||||||||||
24.9 | 24.7 | 24.5 | 23.4 | 21.3 | 19.4 | 19.2 | 20.9 | 23.6 | 25.8 | 26.2 | 25.3 |
| 227 | 219 | 168 | 55 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 88 | 215 |
| Temp. annual mean in ° C 23.3 | |||||||||||
| Annual precipitation in mm 1037 | |||||||||||
| Legend: Temp. maxi and mini in ° C • Precipitation in mm | |||||||||||
Source:www.weatherbase.com | |||||||||||
Liwonde National Park is one of the warmest and wettest areas in Malawi.
To go
A boat runs regularly between Liwonde Town and Mvuu Camp and Lodge.
To get to the Mvuu camps and lodge, leave the M3 at Ulongwe village (about a third of the way between Liwonde and Mangochi). From there there is a dirt road of 14 km along to arrive at the edge of the park, and again 1 km for the river where you can leave your vehicle and get a boat to cross the river to camps and Mvuu lodge.
- 1 West entrance
bike taxis can be arranged fromUlongwe, but they are not for the lazy.
You can also come from the south (the turnoff is located just outside Liwonde town, heading east). This is the entrance to use if you choose to stay at Bushman's Baobabs. From the south entrance, you have to drive 30 kilometers inside the park to get to the Mvuu camps and lodge, and only about 3 km for Bushman's Baobabs. Educate yourself before trying to reach Mvuu this way.
- 2 South entrance
If you don't have a vehicle, it's best to call ahead to have someone from Bushman's Baobabs pick you up at the park gate which can be reached by bike or taxi. It is best to organize this before you reach the park as walking in the park is not allowed (for obvious reasons) and you might find yourself stranded at the gate, without a phone, without a bicycle taxi and at several kilometers from the nearest village.
Another possibility is to use the MV Mangunda a cruise ship that organizes daily excursions and overnight trips to the park. Based at Villa Liwonde in the town of Liwonde. It is a unique way to see the park and its animals.
Entrance fees for non-residents in Malawi are approximately 5 $ per day.
Circulate
To see
Do
The park offers very nice safari. You can either go by 4x4 for an 'ordinary' car safari, but you also have the option of going on a canoe safari, which is pretty cool and very relaxing, plus you can see the hippos up close (not too close, because they can be dangerous). Another possibility is to take a walking tour in the park, also a very nice way to explore this relatively small, but very beautiful park. All safari activities can, of course, be arranged inside the park, no need to book in advance. The guides are all very welcoming.
To buy
Eat
Bushman's Baobabs serves excellent food, for travelers looking for something other than the nsima, three course menu to suit all tastes, and the prices are very reasonable.
Liwonde Safari Camp offers a menu for breakfast and lunch and a tasty buffet in the evening.
Have a drink / Go out
The bar sells regular soft drinks and Carlsburg beers, as well as Pineapple Fanta and of course, local Kuche Kuche beers. The guide will take purchased drinks from a water cooler on a boat safari so that you can have a cool drink while watching the sunset over the Shire.
Housing
- Bushman's Baobabs (Ancient Chinguni Hills)
- 1 Liwonde Safari Camp
Camping 7,5 $, Dormitory 10 $, Single luxury tent 30 $ double 45 $. - 2 Mvuu Camp
- 3 Mvuu Lodge
- 4 Njobvu Cultural Lodge – The Njobvu Cultural Lodge is managed by the villagers and is an important source of income for the community. Benefiting from Liwonde National Park, tourism encourages communities to preserve their natural and cultural resources. A percentage of the funds are used to support a preschool. Visitors to the lodge get to experience real life in Malawi, sleeping in the village's traditional mud brick hut and can meet the villagers and their traditions.
Camping Communicate
Security
If you are staying in camps and at Mvuu Lodge, be very careful if you have to leave your accommodation at night, you may encounter hippos when they graze on the lawn in front of the cabins at night!
