Malawi holiday reviews

Seeing so many animals, especially different types of antelope, and in their natural habitats. Liwonde: seeing sable deer, initially hidden in long grass but later, there was a beautiful male in the open, just posing for the cameras! Nyika: I specially hoped to see roan antelope and on the way to the Lodge, 2 came onto the track and I could get out of the car and photograph them, and the nearby herd. Flatdogs: so many special moments but one morning we were waiting for 8 elephants to cross the river and come out beside our vehicle. They didn't cross, but stayed at the edge of the water, interacting with one another. Two would entwine trunks and move on; then another two would have a similar encounter - and once the smallest tried to join in with two larger ones. This was a bachelor herd, either deciding what to do or working out hierarchies. I could have watched for hours - but it was onwards, and finding a leopard fairly close by . .

We had so many memorable moments from this trip we would need a much larger document but the ones that really spring to mind were wading across the Mkulumadzi river with our boots tied round our neck while keeping an eye open for the resident wildlife, feeding the Thick Tailed Bushbaby with peanut butter and jam at the lodge and watching 12 different species of mammal coming and going and interacting in broad daylight at one of the waterholes.

The highlights for us were the boat safaris at Mvuu. A peaceful way to see so much wildlife, especially the birds, and enjoy the wonderful views of the rivers and mountains in the distance and the big African skies.