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malawi lessons in the wild

ABOUT | MEET YOUR TEAM | ABOUT LiC | HIGHLIGHTS | TRIP OVERVIEW | YOUR IMPACT

Core: Sept 26 - Oct 1

Add-on: Oct 1 - 4

Core: 6 days, 5 nights

Add-on: 4 days, 3 nights

12 travellers,

2 guides

Moderate to Active

~10k steps per day

malawi lessons in the wild

SOSA has teamed up with Lessons in Conservation (LiC) for an immersive journey into the heart of Malawi's wilderness. Track wildlife on foot with expert guides, cruise the Shire River in search of elephants, and set out on a walking safari built for real adventurers. Along the way, you'll meet the students and communities LiC works with every day, and see conservation education in action.

meet your team

Because when you travel with SOSA, you travel with experts.

Scott Bradley

SOSA Director of Visual Storytelling

Scott leads SOSA's content production, creating the cinematic expedition films and social media stories that bring conservation to life, and on this trip, he's right there with you in the field. A graduate in Marine & Natural History Photography, he combines field expertise with creative storytelling to inspire curiosity, empathy, and action. Expect him behind the camera during game drives and boat safaris, and just as often next to you at dinner with a good story. Whether he's capturing the wildest corners of Liwonde or sharing a giggle in the field, Scott brings both serious skill and easy company to every day of the trip.

Dean Carlisle

Founder of Lessons in Conservation & Expert Safari Guide

Born and raised in South Africa, Dean’s passion for conservation began early. He spent his formative years growing up at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal before moving to White River, just 40 minutes from Kruger National Park. Raised in a family of keen naturalists, time in nature was second nature. Dean holds an honours degree in Zoology and gained hands-on conservation and safari guide experience working on various wildlife translocation and research projects across South Africa. These early experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to wildlife. Today, Dean is dedicated to educating Africa’s youth through Lessons in Conservation (LiC), empowering the next generation to protect biodiversity and champion sustainable coexistence. He lives by the motto, "conservation can't be what we do, it has to become fundamentally a part of who we are.

Sellah Malanga

Teacher, Veterinarian & Regional Manager at Lessons in Conservation

Sellah Malanga grew up in the village of Misuku in northern Malawi, surrounded by pine forests and green hillsides. Years later, she returned home to find her grandmother's village stripped by deforestation, a moment that planted the seed for her life's work. After training as a teacher and later in veterinary studies, Sellah found her calling combining her love of children, education, and the natural world at Lessons in Conservation (LiC). As LiC's Regional Manager, she coordinates conservation education teams, builds community partnerships, and brings hands-on programs, from boat rides to wildlife education and games, to children across Malawi. She's also become a leading voice for women in Malawi's conservation sector, opening doors for the next generation of female conservationists.

Why

Malawi?

Malawi is one of Africa’s best-kept safari secrets. Still largely unknown to the wider safari world, it offers the rare feeling of discovering somewhere genuinely undiscovered.

At the heart of Liwonde is the mighty Shire River, the outlet of Lake Malawi, flowing south towards the Zambezi and eventually the Indian Ocean. Even arriving at camp is an experience: after the road transfer, you cross the river by boat and arrive at Mvuu from the water.

The safari itself is wonderfully diverse, with game drives, walking safaris and spectacular boat safaris offering completely different ways to experience the wildlife and landscape.

But what makes Malawi truly special is its people. Known as the Warm Heart of Africa, Malawi is home to some of the most welcoming, hardworking and proud people you will meet anywhere in Africa. Their warmth is an unforgettable part of every journey.

And for us, there is something even more meaningful. Lessons in Conservation has worked with thousands of children across Malawi, building their confidence, connecting them with their natural heritage and helping them believe that their ideas can make a difference. When you visit Malawi with us, your safari becomes part of that story - bringing opportunity, inspiration and hope to the next generation.

experience highlights

Touchdown in Blantyre, Malawi → Mvuu Camp & Liwonde National Park → Bush Walk & Wilderness Tracking → Departure out of Blantyre → Optional Add-On in Lake Malawi

Epic Wildlife Encounters

Explore Liwonde National Park by game drive, boat, and water-level hide. Cruise the Shire River, one of Africa's great elephant corridors, and spot zebra, kudu, eland, waterbuck, warthog, and hippo from the water and the road.

Conservation Education with Local Experts

Join LiC's Malawi-based team for lessons at the local education center, then welcome the students themselves onto a game drive or boat safari, a firsthand look at how conservation education takes root in the community.

A Walk Into the Wild

Set out on foot into the Liwonde bush with guides trained in walking-safari technique. Track fresh signs, read the terrain, and experience the wild at footstep pace, a quieter, closer kind of encounter no game drive can match.

Riverside Camp Life at Mvuu

Five nights at Mvuu Camp, a mix of stone and canvas chalets perched along the Shire River. An impressive thatched dining and lounge area frames the river between two large baobab trees, and dinners are sometimes held under the stars in a specially built boma.

trip Details & Pricing

📍 Malawi, Africa

Trip details

  • Core itinerary: September 26 - October 1, 2027
  • Add-on itinerary (unhosted): October 1 - 4, 2027

Cost per person

  • Core itinerary: $X,XXX USD
  • Add-on itinerary: $X,XXX USD

Includes

  • Private, dual occupancy lodging (twin beds)
  • Full board meals throughout
  • Daily activities as specified 
  • All internal road transfers
  • Expert guiding
  • National park entry fees
  • Wifi

Excludes

  • International flights to and from Malawi
  • Premium beverages
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Gratuities
  • Optional Lake Malawi Add-on

Reserve your spot with a 25% deposit

Pre-Register for 2027

trip itinerary

Day 1

Arrival & Transfer to Mvuu Camp

Meet the group in Blantyre in the early afternoon before a five-hour road transfer to Mvuu Camp in Liwonde National Park, arriving in time to settle in before dinner and orientation.

Day 2 - 4

Mvuu Camp & Liwonde National Park

Mornings and afternoons alternate between game drives and boat safaris along the Shire River, with a full introduction to LiC's work on day two. Day three brings a morning of hands-on conservation lessons at a local school, and day four turns it into an excursion, with the schoolchildren joining you on a game drive and short boat safari of their own.

Day 5 - 6

Walking Safari & core departure

Set out on a walking safari with guides trained in walking-safari technique, with the chance to track elephant and other wildlife on foot. The day wraps with one more boat cruise and a final team dinner together at camp. The next morning, guests ending the trip here transfer back to Blantyre for an afternoon flight to Johannesburg.

Looking to extend your time in malawi?

Add-on: Lake malawi

After the bush, unwind on the water.

Trade the bush for three nights on the shores of Lake Malawi. Spend your days snorkeling and kayaking among the lake's famously colorful cichlids, and your evenings watching the sun go down over the water — then head home on a final flight out of Blantyre. Go solo, or bring a friend from the group along.

We've pre-planned this Add-On so it's ready to book straight onto your trip. It's independently run — SOSA staff aren't on-site for this portion — but we handle the coordination: booking, routing, and logistics, so there's nothing to figure out on your own.

Dates: October 1 - 4

+ $x,xxx

[Add-on pricing, dates, and camp-out inclusion to be confirmed once resolved with Dean.]

Explore the journey

about

Lessons in Conservation

LiC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards across Africa. Through free, interactive conservation education programs delivered in schools and communities, LiC connects young people with the natural world around them, fostering awareness of wildlife, ecosystems, and the importance of sustainable coexistence.

YOUR IMPACT

Fundraising support is vital for LiC’s mission

Fundraising support is vital to LiC's mission. It enables the team to expand their reach to more schools around Liwonde National Park, provide educational materials, train volunteer educators, and ensure that conservation knowledge is accessible to children who might not otherwise have exposure to it. By joining us in Malawi with LiC, you're helping nurture a culture of conservation, empowering young people to protect Malawi's unique biodiversity for the future.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about SOSA experiences or, visit our FAQ Page - and if you can’t find the answers you’re looking for, send us a message by filling out our experience inquiry form!

DISCLAIMER

Please note daily schedules and activities are likely to change dates and times due to the nature of working with wildlife, weather and operations. While we strive to offer an unforgettable wildlife experience, sightings of specific animals or species are subject to their natural behaviors and cannot be guaranteed. Animal placement, veterinary medical emergencies, and program schedules can potentially cause delays or conflicts in schedule. SOSA will do its absolute best to make sure you are able to participate in this category.