Liwonde National Park
Liwonde begins with the river.
The Shire moves through floodplains, lagoons and woodland, drawing life towards its banks and shaping the days spent here. Follow it by boat, explore farther by vehicle and on foot, then return to Mvuu Camp or Mvuu Lodge beside the water.
River, floodplain and woodland
The river changes the way a safari feels.
The Shire is Liwonde’s defining feature. Its lagoons, floodplains and mopane woodland create a varied landscape best understood from more than one perspective.
Ways to explore
The way you move changes what you see.
Take to the river by boat, travel farther on day and night drives, walk with an experienced guide, watch quietly from the underground hide or slow down for Liwonde’s birdlife.
Two ways to stay at Mvuu
The same Liwonde. A different way to stay.
Camp and Lodge share the same experienced guiding team and core safari operation. Choose by atmosphere, accommodation, privacy and pace.
Mvuu Camp
Relaxed, generous and welcoming, with two scheduled activities each day and all drinks charged separately. From $305 per person per night.
Mvuu Lodge
A quieter stay for guests aged 16 and above, with local drinks and two scheduled activities included each day. From $465 per person per night. Retreat Suite from $630 per person per night.
The seasons
Liwonde changes with the season.
As the drier months progress, vegetation becomes more open and wildlife is increasingly drawn towards remaining water. The green season brings fresh growth, changing river levels, dramatic skies and abundant birdlife. The underground hide is open from August to November.
Time in Liwonde
Three nights is a beginning. Four lets Liwonde settle in.
Three nights provide time for boat safaris, game drives and a different view of the park on foot. A fourth night creates more flexibility around conditions, allows favourite activities to be repeated and leaves time to enjoy Mvuu without moving immediately into the next part of the journey.
Getting there and travelling onward
Well placed for the south, the lake and beyond.
Liwonde can be reached by road from Blantyre or Lilongwe, or by private charter as part of a wider journey. The boat transfer from Hippo View Lodge in Liwonde to Mvuu Lodge is an excellent way to enter the park and is available as an optional extra. Road and flight arrangements will be confirmed around your itinerary.
Journey inspiration
Journeys featuring Liwonde
Continue to Lake Malawi, the highlands or southern Malawi.
Explore journeysCommunity and conservation
A long relationship with this place.
CAWS began operating Mvuu Camp in 1993, six years after the family business was founded. Children in the Wilderness Malawi began with a camp for ten children at Mvuu in 2003. It now works through schools, Eco Clubs, youth programmes and scholarships, with CAWS continuing as a founding and operational partner.
“We enjoyed every minute of our stay... Should we ever come back into the Liwonde region, we would always choose Mvuu Camp again.”
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