The following should give you some additional information regarding the birding-spots included in our safaris. Please note that all our web-paged tours are examples that can be modified to suit your personal tastes.
Advantages of tailor-made safaris are that, not only are you free to choose the itinerary that suits you best, but also that the smaller the group the greater chance there is of everyone spotting that special bird!

South Luangwa National Park

To say it clearly: you would not come here, if it was for the birds only. But if you come to Africa and have not seen the South Luangwa NP before, you should take the chance and add the visit to this park to your birding trip to Malawi.
The main gate of this extensive park is situated about 170 km from the Malawian border and about 300 km from Lilongwe while the distance to Zambia´s capital Lusaka is about 700km. This makes Lilongwe the most suitable gateway to South Luangwa rather than Lusaka. For wildlife in general there is no question why one should go there: this is the best park in the area and one of the continent's "Big Five".
But why should a birder go to South Luangwa National Park? The most special species that the park holds can be seen in Malawi as well: Lillian´s Lovebird and African Skimmer. But: this park is home to more than 400 different species of birds. Especially for Pel´s Fishing Owl chances are better here than anywhere in Malawi. Chances are also good for Racket-tailed Roller and Dusky Lark. There are also a couple of birds that cannot be found in Malawi. And the raptors: Lappet-faced, Hooded and White-faced Vulture are only very occasionally seen in Malawi, they are more common here. 17 different species of Swifts and Swallows have been recorded at the bridge over the Luangwa River just past the entrance gate.
You will enjoy bird watching here and it will add a good number of birds to the ones seen in Malawi. There is a wide range of accommodation: Wildlife Camp and Flatdogs are on the more affordable site and of good value, while Kapani or Kafunta Lodge offer some more luxury. But these are only some of over 20 different lodges within the park or along the Luangwa River.

Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary

This small sanctuary is situated in the heart of Lilongwe between the Old and New Towns. Its riparian forest along the Lingadzi River holds quite a few species of special interest and is one of the best places in Malawi to see the rare White-backed Night Heron. Not uncommon are Half-collared Kingfisher, Long-tailed Wagtail and Hildebrandt´s Francolin. African Broadbill is more often heard rather than seen. Narina Trogon and African Finfoot are somewhat scarce here.
Mammals include Hyaena (rarely seen), Bushpig, Common Duiker, Clawless Otter, Slender Mongoose, Vervet Monkey and Chequered Elephant Shrew.
The sanctuary is accessible at any time and of interest at any time of year, though better from October through the rainy season.

Lilongwe Dambos

There are a couple of dambos within Lilongwe town. These are easily accessible and hold specials like Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Locustfinch, Moustached Grass-Warbler and Little Jacana.

Dzalanyama Forest Reserve

This forest reserve is located about 50 km from Lilongwe. Access is on a dirt road which can be rather difficult and even impassable during the rains.
The habitat of interest here is miombo woodland. Other habitats are dambos and some rocky hills.
This woodland offers the best miombo birding in the entire country.. The most sought after species in Dzalanyama include Stierling´s Woodpecker, which can be surprisingly common in places, Souza´s Shrike, Olive-headed Weaver, Shelley´s Sunbird and Spotted Creeper. Boulder Chat is found in the rocky areas.
The list of miombo specials that can be found here is impressively long. Just a few of them: Miombo Pied Barbet, Pale-billed Hornbill, Miombo Rock Thrush, Arnott´s Chat, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Red-faced Crombec, Southern Hyliota, Miombo Tit, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Barred Warbler, Böhm´s Flycatcher, Anchieta´s Sunbird, Black-eared and Stripe-breasted Seedeaters.
Best time to visit Dzalanyama is from August to October, when the birds still move together in parties, before they start breaking apart from October onwards. Accommodation is in the simple, but clean Forest Lodge. The chef prepares good meals.

South Viphya Plateau

The South Vyphia Plateau is situated about 200 km north of Lilongwe. There are several forest reserves on the plateau of which most are protecting miombo woodland. A very interesting area for bird watching is around the Luwawa Forest Lodge, about 12 km off the main road between Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
There are several different habitats in the immediate vicinity of the lodge. Patches of evergreen forest, grassland, bracken and briar, low canopy miombo, a vegetated dam and, last but not leaset, the beautiful flower-decked garden of the lodge itself.
The two specials of this area are the endemic sub-species of Scaly Francolin, best seen on a grassland drive along the edge of the pine plantation, andAnchieta´s Tchagra, which is sometimes seen skulking in the bracken and briar. Bertrand´s Weaver can be surprisingly common here. The forests, on the other hand, hold Chapin's Apalis, Whyte´s Barbet, Rameron Pigeon, Forest Double-collared Sunbird and African Broadbill. The garden of the lodge is one of the most reliable places in the country for White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Blue Swallow, Bronze and Coppery and Anchieta´s Sunbirds. The vegetation at the dam holds Broad-tailed and Little Rush Warblers and the grassland several species of Cisticolas as well as the occasional Wattled Crane and Denham´s Bustard and a good variety of raptors.
Other game in the area include Common Duiker, Bushbuck, Baboon, Serval Cat, rarely Leoppard and, more frequently: Wild Cat, sometimes seen in the immediate vicinity of the lodge.

Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve

If we talk about Vwaza Marsh, we clearly have to talk about to different places: the Kazuni Camp and the Kawiya Camp.
The Kazuni Camp lies about 100 km north of Mzuzu. The one-night stop we have planned on our tour examples is rather a stop-over night on the way to Nyika. The deciduous forest around Lake Kazuni holds quite a few specialists of that habitat and this is the only place in Malawi whereYellow-billed Oxpecker is seen frequently. Raptors are numerous. Red-winged Pratincole and a good number of water-related birds are always present.
Accommodation is in rustic safari style chalets, the chef prepares good meals. The tranquil and relaxed atmosphere of this remote and rarely visited park is special. Mammals in the area include Elephant in good numbers, Buffalo, Kudu, Sharpe´s Grysbock, Lesser and Greater Bushbaby, Four-toed Elephant Shrew which is quite common and, of course, a large population of hippos in the lake.
The Kawiya Camp.
Most of the park is covered in mixed mopane and miombo woodland, which is home to two highly interesting species, the White-winged Babbling Starling and the Chestnut-mantled Sparrow-weaver, not to be found anywhere else in the country. These birds are found in a part of the park that is far away from the lodge at Kazuni Camp. Even an early morning start from there will not guarantee that you get to see the birds.
This means: if you need to see those two species, a night must be spent at Kawiya Camp. To say it straight away: this is hard core camping. The camp is actually a scout camp and does not offer any type of facilities for visitors. There is a camping spot and a room where shower can be taken from a bucket, there is a tap with running water. Nothing else. If you do not mind a night bush camping and cooking your dinner with your guide over a fire (or a gas cooker) you should really consider going to this place. The list of birds that we have spotted here is nothing less than impressive: apart from the two mentioned, we have found Racket-tailed Roller being surprisingly common. So are Pale-billed Hornbill, Boehm's Flycatcher, Stierling's Wren-Warbler, Spotted Creeper, Miombo Pied Barbet, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird, Miombo Scrub-Robin, Miombo and Rufous-bellied Tits; not to mention all the more commonly seen species such as Meyer's Parrot, Crested Barbet, Orange- and Golden-breasted Buntings, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Tinkerbirds, Woodpeckers, Owls and raptors.
Some bird groups try a quick visit on their way from Kazuni Camp to the Nyika Plateau. Usually they do not see the Starling and the Sparrow-weaver, but therefore miss a lot on the way to Chelinda Camp...

Nyika National Park

This park is without any doubt Malawi´s prime birding spot. And we believe that the three nights we plan on our trip is the minimum time that a keen birder should spend up here. Not only does the park come up with a large variety of habitats, but also offers the opportunity of moving around freely. Since there are no animals that are dangerous to humans, one is free to leave the vehicle at any time and to go on unaccompanied walks.
Te places of interest within the park are numerous. A couple of kilometres from the park entrance at Thazima Gate, there is some riparian vegetation that is said to be best in Malawi for Black-backed Barbet. From the gate you go uphill, passing miombo woodland. The driver always keeps an eye on birds that might show up, ready to stop at any time. After about 20 kilometres you reach the plateau where you leave the miombo woodland. After another 3 kilometres you get to a beautiful forest of Acacia abyssinica. This is a reliable spot for Brown Parisoma and White-headed Saw-wing. Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird might be found here or anywhere on the grassland and bracken and briar. Red-winged Francolin often crosses the road. The grassland on the plateau holds such specials as Wattled Crane and Denham´s Bustard. Mountain Marsh Whydah is commonly seen as well as Pallid Harrier (November to March). Blue Swallow, Augur Buzzard, Common Quail and Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk are also common.
The bracken and briar near the lodge hold Mountain Yellow Warbler, Baglafecht Weaver, Yellow-browed Seed-eater, Southern Citril and Ludwig´s Double-collared Sunbird.
A highlight of a visit to Nyika National Park is the forest birding in montane Evergreen Forest. There are several patches of this habitat all over the park. As anywhere else, forest birding needs patience, but there are good chances for some excellent birds: Nyika should be the most reliable place at all for Bar-tailed Trogon. White-chested Alethe is also not uncommon and can be found with some good luck. Chapin´s and Bar-throated Apalises, African Hill Babbler, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Green Moustached Tinkerbird, Fülleborn´s Boubou, Olive Woodpecker, Olive-flanked and White-starred Robins are all seen frequently.
More species of the Nyika Plateau, most of them are commonly seen, include Hildebrandt´s and Shelley´s Francolins, Rwenzori and Pennant-winged Nightjars, Streaky Seed-eater, Scarce Swift, Striped Flufftail, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Angola Swallow, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Dusky-Turtle Dove, Rameron Pigeon, Black-lored, Churring, Wailing and Singing Cisticolas and Slender-billed Starling.
Other game include quite large populations of Roan and Eland, Zebra, Reedbuck, occasionally Bushpig, Common Duiker. There are chances for Leopard and Serval Cat. The Evergreen Forests hold Chequered Elephant Shrew, Tanganyika Mountain Squirrel, Blue Monkey and, more frequently seen, Blue and Red Duikers. Accommodation is at Chelinda Camp in rustic chalets with an open fireplace in the sitting room. The experienced caretakers prepare solid meals.
The more luxurious Safari Lodge has been closed down in January 2008 until further notice.
Best time to visit Nyika National Park is from October through the rainy season until April or even May. The road access during the rains can be tough but so far we have always been able to manage.

Nkhata Bay Forests

The habitat of Nkhwadzi Forest Reserve is evergreen and transition forest with evergreen understory. Birding in these forests requires some patience to not only hear but also see the birds.The most sought after bird here is definitely the East Coast Akalat, which is not too difficult to be found. It all depends on weather conditions, of course, and on a good day it is possible to see the bird several times. Another species that is frequently seen is African Broadbill. Other specialists that can be found include Green TwinspotGreen Coucal, Narina Trogon (from October) and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo(December), but not as easily. Others are Eastern Nicator, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin African Goshawk.
Another good spot is a stretch of riparian forest in the vicinity of Nkata Bay. Lesser Seedcracker breads here and can be seen with some good luck. Other birds of interest include ,Palm-nut Vulture, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Finfoot, Half-collared Kingfisher and Green Coucal. Black Coucal, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (both in summer), Buffy Pipit and African Marsh Harrier occur in the surrounding dambo. In Nkhata Bay "town" there are slight chances for Bat Hawk. The erratic Green Twinspot has been seen near Nkhata Bay town.
Mammals in the forests include Sun Squirrel, Blue Monkey and Greater Bushbaby.
Accommodation is at Safari Cottage or Njaya Lodge, both offering excellent views over the lake. Excellent meals are served at the Harbour Café.

Liwonde National Park

This is one of the three major birding spots in Malawi. More than 80% of the park are covered in mopane forest, but the more important habitats are riverine thicket and forest, palm savannah, flood plain and the water-asossiated habitats along the extensive Shire River.
The specials of the mopane woodland are Lillian´s Lovebird, S. Ground Hornbill andRacket-tailed Roller. The first one is difficult to be missed since it is also frequently found in the savannah, the Hornbill is fairly common, but the shy Roller is a real challenge.
The river holds plenty of specialists of that habitat and there are some real prices to be won: White-backed Night Heron roosts in the reeds, African Skimmer is often seen on sandbanks, sometimes in large groups up to a hundred or more birds. Dawn is also a good time to search for Pel´s Fishing Owl, one of Malawi´s most wanted species among birders.
When entering Mvuu Camp one will be welcomed by Böhm´s Bee-eater which is surprisingly common here. The second bird that you discover on the camp premises might be Collared Palm-thrush. The thickets on the lodge ground are well worth investigating: Livingstone´s Flycatcher is one out of many species that can be found here. The fig trees at the camp or in the savannah hold Brown-breasted Barbet. Western-banded Snake Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, Dickinsons´s Kestrel and Red-necked Falcon are only a few of many raptor species that can be found in the park.
Other species of interest include Brown-backed Honeybird, Long-toed, Spur-winged, White-headed and Lesser Black-winged Plovers, Dwarf Bittern, Brown- and Black-headed Parrots, White-faced Owl, Barred Owlet and Bronze-winged Courser.
The range of other animals is quite wide: The main attraction is the shy Sable Antelope, usually moving or resting in the mopane forest and best seen during the dry season after 16.00 when the herds go to the river to drink. Elephant is commonly seen. For the last two years two male Lions have been around, but were difficult to be found. Impala, Waterbuck, Bushbuck and Warthog are abundant; Kudu is very common. Reedbuck is best seen in the floodplain near Chinguni Hill. The river holds many Hippos, Crocodiles and Monitor Lizards. Banded Mongoose is quite common and night drives may produce Marsh and Bushy-tailed Mongooses as well as Porcupine and Bushpig or the more common nocturnal species like Blotched Genet, Civet or Greater Bushbaby. Lesser Elephant Shrew is fairly common. The so-called Rhino Sanctuary, a high protection area within the park, holds some 9 Rhinos that are very difficult to be seen. The sanctuary is also home to: Zebra, the only Liechtenstein´s Hartebeest in the country, Eland and Roan Antelopes.
There are different options for the accommodation: The beautiful and professionally run Mvuu Camp offers excellent Chalets near the Shire River and the even more luxurious safari tents in the Mvuu Wilderness Lodge. Advantage of the latter is that it is easier to organise boat safaris, walks and game drives for birders, while you may have to join non-birders on your activities when staying at the Camp.
The more un-expensive Chinguni Hills Lodge offers excellent morning walks, but no boat safaris. Instead they offer kayak safaris in the flood plain, birding on the premises is excellent. The range of accommodation at Chinguni Hills covers simple walk-in-tents with shared bathrooms, en suite rooms in the lodge and en suite walk-in-tents. Usually the meals are excellent.

Zomba Plateau

Zomba town is only 50 km south of Liwonde National Park and the Plateau is another 20 km uphill.
Zomba town is home to one of the most wanted species in Malawi: the beautiful White-winged Apalis. Chances to see this bird are best in the vicinity of the Botanical Garden, where there still exist some remnants of evergreen forest. Since the Apalis usually keeps to high canopy it is usually better heard than seen.
The plateau is a vast area of mainly grassland and exotic pine plantation. More interesting for the birder are the patches of evergreen forest. Quite a few species, not found in northern Malawi, occur in the forests on the plateau: Green Twinspot, Black-headed and Yellow-throated Apalises, Livingstone´s Turaco, Olive Bush-shrike, Placid and Olive-headed Greenbuls and especially Thyolo Alethe as well as Red-faced Crimsonwing, White-eared Barbet and Orange Ground-thrush.
Other animals include Sun Squirrel and Chequered Elephant Shrew.
Accomodation is either in the luxurious KuChawe Inn Hotel or the rustic Forest Lodge in beautiful setting with a more personal athmosphere. Both come up with excellent meals.
Birding on the plateau is good year-round.

Thyolo Mountain

If one reads about the forest on Thyolo Mountain, the first thing to learn is that most of the forest has been destroyed in the nineteen-nineties. Of course, this is true and it is sad to see the mountain from a distance nowadays with its dry soil and bare rocks, where not even cultivation is possible anymore. But one can also see from a distance that on the northern part of the mountain there is still some forest. This forest is on the premises of a tea plantation and at the moment well protected. And: it is well worth visiting this forest, since it still offers excellent birding opportunities. This is the only place in the country for Green-headed Oriole and one out of two for Green Barbet. Other species of interest include Bar-tailed Trogon, Grey Cuckooshrike, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Thyolo Alethe and African Broadbill.
Sun Squirrel and Blue Monkey are found in the forest, there should be Chequered Elephant Shrew as well. We have seen Egyptian Mongooses and would expect other Mongooses species to be found within the tea fields.
The tea plantation offers some excellent accommodation in a colonial style bungalow about ten minutes drive from the forest. The caretaker usually serves good meals.
Birding here is good year-round.

Mulanje Mountain

Not far from Thyolo and also on the premises of a tea plantation is another evergreen forest that offers interesting birding. From a distance you see the impressive Mulanje Massif emerging into the sky. You pass the rather small town of Mulanje and move around the massif and then get a splendid view on the Ruo Gorge that cuts into the mountain. In the gorge there is some forest that ascends and changes from lowland forest over sub-montane to montane forest.
This forest nowadays seems to be the best spot to see Thyolo Alethe. If you need to see this bird you should decide to spend a night at the colonial style bungalow of this tea plantation, similar in style to the one at Thyolo Mountain. Apart from the slightly better chances for the Alethe, birding here is similar to that at Thyolo.If you want to visit only one of these two places you may decide to go to Thyolo for the reason that Green-headed Oriole and Green Barbet are not found here.

Lengwe National Park

This park is situated in the lowland area of Malawi´s very south. Its altitude is just above sea level compared to about 475 meters of Lake Malawi. This naturally results in a difference of habitat to most parts of the country and, of course, in having some different species of birds.
The main habitat of Lengwe National Park is thicket. And the most interesting birds are specialists of this habitat: Crested Guineafowl is found here, the only place in the Malawi where this species can be seen nowadays. Böhm´s and Mottled Spinetails, Böhm´s Bee-eater, Livingstone´s Flycatcher, Narina Trogon, Black-and-White-Flycatcher and Grey Sunbird all live here. Rudd´s Apalis and Woodwart´s Batis have been recorded, but it is unlikely to see them anymore. Thick-billed Cuckoo might be seen near its brood host Retz´s Helmet Shrike.
Other animals include the beautiful and rare Nyala Antelope at its most northern natural distribution, Buffalo, Kudu and Blue Monkey.
Accommodation is at the Italien run Nyala Lodge. This means excellent meals and the chalets are also very good.
In the rainy season the dirt roads within the park often get impassable, but still good birding spots are in walking distance of the lodge. From September you have to expect high temperatures at low humidity.