Majete Wildlife Reserve is Malawi’s main ‘Big Five’ reserve and one in all its prime wildlife locations. Located in south-western Malawi, roughly 40 miles from Blantyre and three hours from Lake Malawi, Majete is without doubt one of the massive success tales in African conservation – an unlikely story of resurgence and restoration.
2023 marks 20 years since African Parks, a non-profit conservation group, signed an settlement with the Malawian authorities to take over the administration of the reserve. Prior to this settlement, Majete was uncared for and, after many years of poaching, almost devoid of wildlife – elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo, even warthog had been gone, and just a few antelope remained. Trees had been being felled in nice amount for charcoal, there was solely a handful of recreation scouts, and never one vacationer had visited the park within the earlier three years. The as soon as stunning Majete appeared doomed.
Jump ahead to 2023 and intensive conservation work has regenerated Majete. Africa Parks have reintroduced rhinos, elephants, lions, giraffes, cheetahs, and wild canine – in whole greater than 2,500 animals have been reintroduced. The animals have thrived and are breeding nicely, present estimates put the overall mammal inhabitants at over 11,000. By 2017, so profitable had the reintroductions been, that surplus elephants and different animals had been capable of be moved to assist repopulate Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, 200 miles away.
Majete has come a great distance prior to now twenty years. It’s nearly unrecognisable from its former dilapidated state. An unimaginable quantity of arduous work has turned the reserve into the one official Big 5 Game Park in Malawi (Big 7 when you embody the reserve’s wild canine and cheetah!). Not one rhino or elephant has been poached since they had been reintroduced, and Majete is totally reworked. This as soon as hopeless reserve is now one in all Malawi’s finest recreation parks, providing some great safari experiences and placing the nation on the map as an amazing wildlife vacation spot.
Wildlife
Visitors to Majete can stay up for some superb wildlife experiences, together with boat safaris on the magnificent Shire River (briefly unavailable), in addition to the standard safaris by car and on foot. Go seeking Majete’s magnificent wildlife on an adventurous safari! Most of the wildlife in Majete has been reintroduced, together with massive numbers of elephant, buffalo, zebra, sable antelope, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, nyala and waterbuck. Several lions and black rhinos have additionally been introduced in, in addition to wild canine and giraffe. The reserve additionally boasts someplace within the areas of 70 lions, and the biggest number of antelope species within the nation, together with larger kudu. The 2,000 or so buffalo transfer in enormous herds, and the Shire River teems with hippos.
Birds
Majete is house to over 300 totally different species of birds, together with 4 species of vultures and quite a few Bateleur Eagles. Other chook highlights embody the Boulder Chat, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Boehm’s Bee-eater, Cuckoo Hawk, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Rock Pratincole. There’s loads of selection to maintain even the keenest of birders entertained.
5 causes to go to Majete
- Majete is an unimaginable conservation success story – 20 years in the past, it was almost devoid of wildlife, however now it’s Malawi’s premier Big Five vacation spot with thriving animal populations and plentiful birdlife.
- It is the one reserve in Malawi the place Giraffe and African Wild Dog will be seen.
- Majete carries the very best focus of predators in Malawi. These embody Hyena, Cheetah, Leopard and Lion.
- Situated solely an hour and a half from Blantyre, that is the right reserve to go to in Malawi.
- All funds generated in Majete contribute in direction of the administration of the reserve. African Parks is a non-profit organisation – your contribution helps maintain this unimaginable story of hope and revival.
Best time To go to
Although Majete is open all 12 months spherical, climate situations differ significantly relying on the season. The finest months for wildlife viewing are July – October, the Dry season, when animals are drawn to the river and waterholes. It can nonetheless be very popular in October, which could be tough to bear. The surroundings is lush and inexperienced within the Wet season months, November – April, however animals are usually more durable to seek out and the roads change into tough to navigate.
How to get there
For those that need to drive to the reserve, automobiles can be found for rent in Blantyre. The final 12 miles is an all-season dust highway and will be pushed all year long, however a 4×4 car is advisable throughout the moist months. The journey takes about an hour and a half. For those that’d relatively fly, Majete has an airstrip, and charters will be booked with native suppliers.
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Majete lodging
Thawale Camp is a traditional tented camp in a primary location. The lodge is ready on the sting of a bustling waterhole that frequently attracts all kinds of wildlife, together with elephants and quite a few antelope. Situated throughout the reserve boundaries, the lodge is totally unfenced, giving visitors an actual expertise within the pure environment. There is a fundamental lounge and eating space and 6 tented chalets for lodging (together with 2 household chalets). There can also be a bio-swimming pool on website for visitors’ use. Note the lodge doesn’t accommodate youngsters below 3 and youngsters have to be supervised always.
Located throughout the reserved, the Game Capture Community Campsite is ready below a grove of timber, for shade and cooler temperatures. Accommodating as much as 25 in designated tent websites, in addition to as much as 8 visitors in shelters, this can be a nice base from which to discover the reserve. The website is open permitting wildlife to maneuver freely by means of camp, but it surely does nonetheless have a brief fence round it to cease elephants surrounding your tent.
The Research Campsite is positioned subsequent to the Mwembezi entrance gate. This camp is totally unfenced. The camp has 4 tented rooms, every with two single beds and en-suite bogs with scorching water. There is a shared kitchen, seating space, firepit and BBQ. Meals, drinks and actions should not included, however will be booked at reception. Reservations can solely be made 14 days upfront.
Mkulumadzi Lodge, run by Robin Pope Safaris and in its personal non-public concession space, has 8 stunning chalets positioned on the banks of the Shire River and provides actual luxurious in a incredible setting. All ages are welcome and the lodge is open from 16 March – 9 Jan.
Visiting Majete throughout your journey to Malawi is a chance you undoubtedly don’t need to miss!