Shire River Trail – Liwonde National Park Total distance: Approximately 38 km Price: USD 600 pp Day 1: The day starts with a half-an-hour drive from Mvuu Camp or Lodge (depending on where you are staying), to the Nafiulu Hills, located in the central east side of the park. The trail starts at the foot of these hills, from where the ascent yields sweeping views of the surrounding Miombo woodland. This part of the trail is quite rocky and challenging underfoot. Specialist game that could be found in this area includes klipspringers and a variety of other flora and fauna. Heading west from the hills, the trail leads to the banks of the Mwalasi River, a watercourse that only flows in the wet seasons, but leaves behind pools and waterholes which are frequented by the parks’ herds of sable and elephant. An approximate distance of 12 km is covered on this day. Day 2: This part of the trail which leads from the Mwalasi River to the Shire River, stretches for about 13 km and is on flat terrain all the way. Passing through the mopane woodland, into the expansive floodplains of the Shire, sightings of warthog, buffalo, as well as large herds of impala, waterbuck and kudu can be expected. The last few kilometres covered on this day will be right along the river bank, where wonderful sightings of birdlife, pods of hippos and crocodiles can be enjoyed. Day 3: The final day of the trail begins with an early breakfast, followed by a walk of around 13 km along the Shire River to Mvuu Camp, which is set in a grove of fever trees overlooking the river and surrounded by panoramic floodplains to the north and south. Notes: This trail which covers an approximate distance of 30km over the course of two and a half days, offers many interesting features and sights and hikers can expect to see a variety of the park’s resident species. The distance may vary depending on game movements and local conditions. The terrain is occasionally challenging and as this is essentially a bush walk, it will involve constant stopping to learn about tracks, habitats, birds and wildlife. The game that is seen en route is dependent on the time of year and the duration of the previous rainy season. A good, long rainy season will mean that there is surface water remaining in the floodplains, causing the park’s game, particularly its famous herds of elephant, to be dispersed well into the park’s interior and woodlands. A poor, short rainy season will mean that the woodlands will have less game and larger numbers of wildlife can only be seen closer to the river. Located within the tropics and on the floor of the Great African Rift Valley, Liwonde National Park is home to a wide diversity of habitats and an amazing variety of wildlife, birdlife and vegetation. The park’s single most well-known feature, the mighty Shire River flows from north to south through the park and into Lake Malawi, where it eventually joins the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Along the banks of the Shire is a mixture of expansive floodplains, grasslands and lagoons densely populated by thriving wildlife ranging from pods of hippos and crocodiles, to herds of elephant, impala, kudu, buffalo, waterbuck and warthog who frequent the river banks during the drier months. For the duration of the trail, guests are only expected to carry their own day pack with food, water, medication, a lightweight jacket and a camera. Any extra baggage will be carried between camps by porters, who will go on ahead of the group of hikers. The trail will be led by a well-trained field guide, who will be accompanied by an armed scout. Tel: (00 265) 1 771 153/393 E-mail (International) [email protected] or E-mail (Local) [email protected] Web: www.cawsmw.com Add: P.O. Box 489, Gable End, Area 43, Lilongwe, Malawi .