LiwondeNational Park

Southern Africa's great conservation comeback story — where 700 elephants gather on the Shire River, where lions and cheetahs have been rewilded, and where Malawi's wild heart beats strongest.

THE LOCATION

Africa's great conservation comeback, on the banks of the Shire River

Liwonde National Park sits in southern Malawi, stretched along the Shire River and the eastern shore of Lake Malombe. Spanning 548 square kilometres of mopane woodland, floodplain, and riverine forest, it's home to one of Africa's largest concentrated elephant populations — and, since 2019, the full Big Five.

For wildlife photographers, Liwonde offers something no other park in southern Africa can match: boat safaris on the Shire that put you at eye level with hippos and elephants, soft riverine light for golden-hour portraits, and the return of lion and cheetah after decades of absence. Leopard, sable antelope, kudu, and over 380 bird species round out the list — but the elephants and the river are the headline.

We position you for the right moments — dawn boat drives when elephants come down to drink, golden-hour land safaris through the mopane, and night drives for leopard and hyena. With African Parks' rangers and our photographer-trained guides, you'll work Liwonde at the pace that gets the shot.

WHY LIWONDE

Six reasons photographers come back.

Exclusive Access

100%

01Exclusive Access

Exclusive park access. Just our vehicle.

Private vehicle and routes inside Liwonde, away from other operators. The kind of unique lighting, angles, and compositions you can't get in a busy park.

02Night Drives

Night game drives, lit by spotlight.

Spotlight-led night drives for the cats, civets, and porcupines that disappear during the day. Unique low-light, high-contrast frames you won't find on a standard safari.

03Boat Safaris

Boat safaris on the Shire River.

Eye-level with hippos, crocodiles, fish eagles, and elephants drinking at the bank. The Shire River offers angles you simply can't shoot from a vehicle

04Luxurious base at Mvuu Lodge.

.

Stay at Mvuu Lodge, set on the Shire River in the heart of the park. Five-star comfort, conservation-led service, and elephants drinking at the camp's waterhole.

05Photo Hides

Eye-level from purpose-built hides.

Photographic hides positioned at waterholes and along game trails for ground-level, eye-contact wildlife portraits. No vehicle noise, no movement — just patience and the right gear.

06Unique

Photographs no other safari can give you.

Exclusive access, boat angles, night light, and purpose-built hides combine into a Liwonde portfolio that looks like nothing else from Africa — different from every other safari you've done.