• Big game on a small budget
• Relax on Lake Malawi's idyllic shores
• Encounter Zambia's incredible wildlife

Liwonde & the Shire River
After our first night in a nature sanctuary on the outskirts of Malawi's capital Lilongwe, we head south to Liwonde National Park. The lush vegetation, grunting hippos and lazy flow of the Shire River that feeds Lake Malawi, evokes every romantic notion of the old Africa. We spend our time here on game drives looking out for elephant, hippo, crocodile, sable antelope and warthog among many species, with excellent birdlife also to be seen. There's also the opportunity for boat safaris, night drives and game walks.

Magic of Lake Malawi
Following the course of the Shire River north, we reach the country's eponymous lake. Enclosed by sheer mountains and edged by endless palm-fringed beaches, Lake Malawi is a huge inland sea carved out by the Great Rift Valley. We begin with a three night stay at Cape Maclear, a forest-ringed peninsula with beautiful nearby islands and stunning sunsets. Here there's the chance to relax, walk to nearby villages, or take to the water snorkelling among the teeming tropical fish, or even enjoy a boat trip to secluded islands.

Gamelands of South Luangwa
After a night at Senga Bay further north on the lake, we turn west into Zambia and its premier National Park, South Luangwa. Lying on the valley floor between the meandering Luangwa River and the steep Muchinga Escarpment, Luangwa is one of the finest parks in all of Africa, noted for its high concentration of big game and variety of habitats - from shaded mopane woodland to lagoons and the banks of the Luangwa River. We take game drives in open safari vehicles and there's the opportunity to for night drives on the look out for nocturnal species.