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Write a User ReviewA Story of Success
Majete, in southern Malawi, is beautiful with its gentle rolling hills, lush miombo woodlands and majestic Shire River forging its way to the Zambezi. But if you’d have visited 20-odd years ago, you’d have seen very little wildlife – it had almost been poached out. Now, thanks to the efforts of the NGO African Parks, which manages the reserve, it’s home to around 12,000 animals, including the Big Five. Animal relocations, improved security and better standards of living, education and employment prospects for local people have all contributed to making this one of Malawi’s best safari destinations. It’s a small park, about 700km2, with good roads and signage for self-drivers. Although there aren’t many places to stay, they do cover all budgets from community campgrounds to the luxurious Mkulumadzi Lodge. I visited in the wet season and although the verdant vegetation and hilly landscape meant that the wildlife was tricky to spot, it was still worthwhile and we did in fact see several nyala: rare antelopes with strange devil-like faces.
A Rewarding Big Five Reserve
Arriving late at the park in our own vehicle, we were keen to get to the lodge for check-in, but this wasn’t meant to be. Just a few hundred meters from the entrance gate we were met by a few young elephant bulls having a sand bath in the middle of the road. As much as we enjoyed watching them, we had to push on as it was getting dark, but any attempt to move our car forward was met by flapping ears, low grumbles and even a mock charge. Long after dark and well outside of permissible self-drive hours, we finally enjoyed our welcome drinks by a log fire in a stunning bush lodge. Majete is a Big Five destination and the excellent five-star lodge offers an experience comparable to private reserves in southern Africa.
Resurrected Star of the South
On my most recent visit to Majete, in May 2024, elephants were plentiful and I saw lions on a daily basis. I also undertook a longer afternoon drive to the little-visited south, where I encountered three large herds of buffalo, which are less easily seen on the main northeastern road circuit. I missed out on cheetah, leopard
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and African wild dog, but did see tracks of the latter close to camp. I was impressed by the variety of antelope: the handsome nyala and similar but smaller bushbuck are both common, and I also had good sightings of eland and sable. Birding was generally quiet, but I saw African golden oriole and white-headed black chat regularly in the camp, and was also treated to an excellent view of the gorgeous racket-tailed roller.Although an overnight safari (ideally at least two nights) is recommended, Majete is close enough to Blantyre to be visited from there as a day trip. Boat trips and bush walks had been suspended on my most recent visits, but will hopefully resume in the not-too-distant future. Overall, Majete ranks as one of Africa’s great post-millennial conservation success stories.
Malawi’s Big Five Reserve
An easy 70km drive from the southern city of Blantyre, Majete is one of only two Big Five reserves in Malawi, having seen its fortunes turned around and over 3,000 animals reintroduced since African Parks took over in 2003. Indeed, the elephant population grew to well over 400 by 2017, allowing the NGO to move 200 elephants to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve as part of its historic ‘500 Elephants’ translocation. Not only is this Malawi’s premier wildlife-watching destination, but its miombo woodland and savannah alongside the Shire River are reasonably accessible, with 2WD-fit roads leading to and through part of the reserve. Accommodation ranges from a campsite to lodges in and around Majete, and a museum at the gate covers the conservation projects.
Majete: Wilderness Restored
Proclaimed back in the 1950s, Majete was plundered by the surrounding communities for decades before the arrival of the African Parks non-profit in 2003. By then poachers had wiped out many of the large mammal populations, including elephants and lions. Money and expertise were pumped into the depleted park, providing a much-needed catalyst for its resurrection. An ambitious restocking project ensued, with the reintroduction of over 3,000 herbivores, including Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable antelope, eland,
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buffalo, zebra, black rhino and elephant. The return of lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog has completed the park’s miraculous rebirth.Within a few short years, Majete has been transformed from a denuded wilderness area into one of Africa’s greatest conservation success stories – not to mention one of Malawi’s premier wildlife safari destinations.