MALAWI May 2023

We were up early and met our driver at 6:30am. I am so glad Roberta did not have to make this drive. We drove about 3 hours to the border where the big, brand new customs buildings were. It took us only 15 min to get through, but the paperwork for the car and drive took 1 hour and 45 min. Zambia's roads are WORSE than Malawi's! It took an extra 30-45 minutes to slow down and avoid all the potholes. We arrived at the gate to South Luangwa National Park at 1pm, and waited for the Lidge car to pick us up, as the lodge is on the other side of the park and across the Luangwa River. They arrived in a big safari vehicle, and we drove all the way across the park, about 45 min. In the first 20 min. in the park, we saw hippos, elephants, zebras, impalas, and giraffes, and that wasn't even the safari yet! We came to the river where a small motorboat was waiting to take us across. It is a very short ride, but there are a lot of hippos in the river, so they were very watchful as we rode across to the Msandile Lodge. It is all very open to the outside- The Lodge building has a couple of seating areas, a dining table, a coffee station, and a bar. Dining tables are scattered out in front of the building, and lunch was waiting for us. After we ate, they took us to our chalet, which is open to the outdoors on 2 sides, looking out to the river, and concrete walls for the other 2 sides. They put up screened panels at night on the 2 open sided. So we a short time to get settled in and unpack, then it was time for a snack of coffee and cake, before setting out on our first game drive at 4. There are 6 other guests here, so it took 2 boat trips to get us all to the other side and back into the park to our vehicle. And we were off! Right away there was a pair of giraffes, then lots of impala and water bucks and a zebra right at the roadside posing for us. We saw a male lion napping, with at least a dozen safari vehicles driving up to him for pictures, then he woke up, and he posed too. The other drivers told our driver where they had just seen a leopard, and the sun was going down fast, so off we went. Found the leopard snoozing on a branch, surrounded by a few other safari vehicles. So on my very first safari, I saw a lion and a leopard! Amazing! We stopped for a drink and drank, then had almost an hours drive back to the river, then the boat to the lodge. Supper was waiting, we ate and then had to be escorted to our chalet by a guard with a flashlight, checking for animals, as the area where the lodge is, is a crossing area for hippos, elephants and something else. Do you can't wander around alone after dark. We went right to bed ate a long day.Read more