Scenery on the seventeen day grand tour with the Ilala ferry
Safari & Wildlife · Lake & Beach · Mountain & Hiking

17 Day Grand Tour with Ilala Ferry

Duration17 days
From$1,650
DepartsBlantyre
GroupPrivate

Starts and ends at Cape Maclear, taking in Majete, Mulanje and Liwonde, with a passage on the Ilala — the lake steamer that has served Malawi’s shoreline since 1951.

  • Passage on the Ilala
  • Round trip from the lake
  • Big Five in Majete

Day by day

DAY 1 Arrive Cape Maclear
Transfer to the lakeshore and settle in.
DAY 2 Lake days
Swimming, snorkelling and the beach at Cape Maclear.
DAY 3 Islands
Boat trips out to the islands and the cichlid beds.
DAY 4 Board the Ilala
Join the lake steamer that has run this shoreline since 1951.
DAY 5 Ferry passage
A full day watching the lakeshore villages pass.
DAY 6 Disembark
Leave the ferry and transfer south.
DAY 7 Majete
Arrive at the reserve and check in.
DAY 8 Game drives
Morning and evening drives through Majete.
DAY 9 Walking safari
On foot with an armed guide.
DAY 10 To Mulanje
Transfer east to the massif.
DAY 11 Trek day one
Climbing onto the plateau.
DAY 12 Trek day two
High on the mountain.
DAY 13 Down to Liwonde
Descend and transfer to the park.
DAY 14 Liwonde
Game drives through the floodplain.
DAY 15 Shire River
Boat safari at sunrise.
DAY 16 Back to the lake
Return transfer to Cape Maclear.
DAY 17 Final day
A last morning on the water before departure.

Included

  • Accommodation throughout the tour
  • All meals while on tour
  • Private vehicle with a Malawian driver-guide
  • All listed activities and national park fees
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off

Not included

  • International flights
  • Malawi visa fees
  • Travel insurance
  • Drinks and personal spending
  • Gratuities for guides and lodge staff

Where this trip goes

Liwonde National Park Elephant, hippo and black rhino along the Shire River Cape Maclear Snorkelling the cichlid beds of a UNESCO World Heritage lake Mulanje Massif Sapitwa Peak, 3,002m — the highest point in Central Africa Majete Wildlife Reserve Malawi's Big Five reserve, restored from empty

Similar trips

Buffalo in Majete Wildlife Reserve Safari

Majete Day Safari

1 day Majete · Shire River

An early morning game drive through Majete Wildlife Reserve for antelope, elephant and birdlife, a picnic lunch, and an optio…

From $150 per person · est.
The Ilala ferry close up on Lake Malawi at Senga Bay Lake

Senga Bay Day Tour

1 day Senga Bay

A lakeshore drive to Senga Bay for beach time, a fresh chambo lunch at a local restaurant, and optional kayaking or snorkelli…

From $110 per person · est.
Elephant swimming in the water at Lake Malawi Lake

3 Day Cape Maclear Tour

3 days Cape Maclear

Three days inside Lake Malawi National Park — village walks, island boat trips, snorkelling over the cichlid beds, a hike to …

From $570 per person