Liwonde

Liwonde has Malawi's best game viewing in its most compact national park. Woodland, floodplain and marshland sit around the lazy Shire river - hippo, crocodile and drinking elephant. Fine scenery features grassland, thickets of fever trees, massive baobabs and tall borassus palms.

Many indigenous species thrive in the protected environment. Klipspringer and sable are notable among the antelope, with regular sightings of smaller cats genet and civet. The black rhino sanctuary has been very successful in breeding since trans-location from Kruger Park.

Larger birds on the river include osprey, Pel's fishing owl and night heron. Lilian's lovebird and Bohm's bee-eater are among many colourful species. Overall, varied habitats support excellent birding with 300 species.