What’s the deal?

Don’t sacrifice one holiday for another when you can have them both. Have your cake and eat it too with this beach and bush holiday from Malawian Style. Spend the first leg of your holiday trekking across the African plains in search of wildlife and big game. After all, no trip to any part of Africa is complete without snapping a few safari pictures. Then make your way to the white sandy beaches of Mozambique to round your holiday off with fun in the sun and luxurious rest and relaxation.

Where is it?

This beach and bush combination holiday takes place in Malawi and Mozambique.

Places visited include:

• Blantyre
• Mwanza border post
• Gorongoza National Park
• Chitengo Restaurant
• Benguirra Island and Bazaruto Island
• Inhambane
• Vilanculos
• Pungue River

When is the best time to do it?

Summer is the best time to enjoy the beaches of Mozambique.

Sample Itinerary:

The below itinerary is only to be used as a guideline of what to expect from your Malawian Style beach and bush holiday. Itineraries are subject to change according to the particular holiday package chosen.

Day 1:

• Early departure from Blantyre arriving at the Mwanza border post by around 6:00am.
• Make our way through the border, hopefully by 7:00am.
• Continue to the Gorongoza National Park, this will be a long drive and arrival will be around min afternoon.
• Settle in to our chalet and relax after the day’s travelling.
• Dinner in the Chitengo Restaurant will be served between 7pm and 8pm.

Day 2:

• Another early start to our day for a morning game drive
• Tea and coffee is served at around 6:00am
• The game drive departs at around 6:30 and lasts for around 3.5 hours
• Enjoy a sumptuous cooked breakfast at the Hippo House roughly half way through the morning’s game drive
• Return to camp will be at around 10:00am
• Once back at camp, we have a few hours to spend at leisure
• Lunch is served at around 12:00pm
• In the afternoon we make a visit to the local community where we will have the chance to experience the daily life of local villagers. Many of the Chitengo employees live in this community themselves.
• The afternoon excursion kicks of with a leisurely half hour walk between Chitengo and the Pungue River. Along the way your guide will inform you all about the animals and birdlife of the floodplain.
• You will learn how the local people wisely use the precious water resource for daily life activities such as fishing, washing and swimming.
• Cross the river in a traditional wooden canoe called a Muadia.
• Once on the other side, we undertake another leisurely 20 minute walk to the Vinho village.
• Once we arrive in the village, you have the chance to interact with the locals, visit the local clinic and school and to rest beside an ancient baobab tree.
• We make our way back to camp after our village visit.

Day 3:

• Today we start out at 7:00am in the morning, taking a 2 hour drive to the foot of the mountain.
• Along the way we drive through Vila Gorongosa, banana plantations, pineapple farms and fields of maize.
• The hike begins from the foot of the beautiful Mount Gorongosa and will take between 1 and 1.5 hours to complete.
• Along the way, stop of at a nursery that forms part of the Gorongosa Restoration Project sponsored reforestation efforts.
• Next is a stream crossing and finally on to the waterfall, the highlight of the day.
• Spend time exploring the surrounding area around the waterfall, enjoy a picnic lunch and take a swim if you like.
• The return hike down the mountain and back to Chitengo should see us arrive back by around 3:00pm.
• Go on an evening game drive and have sundowners at the Lion House, returning to camp by around 5:30pm.
• You have a few hours to relax at your leisure until dinner is served in the evening.

Day 4:

• Tea and Coffee is served before the game drive at 6am
• The game drive departs at about 6:30am and lasts for around 3.5hrs
• Stop off at Hippo House for a scrumptious cooked breakfast
• Return to the camp around 10am.
• Pack up and start the journey to Inhambane, where Barra Lodge will be our based.
• The trip takes around 7 hours and arrival should be in the early evening.

Day 4 – 7:

• Spend the next 3 days at Barra in Inhambane
• Inhambane is one of Mozambique’s most beautiful destinations and Barra Lodge itself is a wonderful establishment.
• For the next 3 days the group will enjoy breakfast together before spending the days at leisure.
• There is a wide variety of activities to choose from including: diving, snorkeling with whale sharks, fishing or just relaxing on the beach.

Day 7-10:

• Head north, after breakfast, to Vilanculos which is the gateway to the world renowned Islands of Benguirra and Bazaruto.
• The drive takes around 3 hours.
• Arrival should be in time for lunch.
• You will be staying at the beautiful Archipelago Resort.
• Here you will find world class diving and snorkeling as well as fishing.
• Again, breakfast is included in your stay and you are free to enjoy the rest of the day as you please.

Day 10:

Today has a bright and early 6am start, heading back to Blantyre in Malawi.