Notes on love, lions and light

Central African Wilderness Safaris, one of Malawi's long-standing tour operators who also runs the iconic Mvuu Lodge in Liwonde National Park, has released its latest newsletter, bringing us up to speed on everything that's been happening lately. We're excited to share the newsletter below in our own words.

Where does the time go?! This month seems to have flown by, but as always, we trust you are well and can't wait to welcome everyone in need of a rejuvenating stay in a home away from home. We hope you all were able to connect with your loved ones this Valentine's Day and that your hearts are full of gratitude for your relationships - friendships, family or otherwise.

February was truly blanketed with rain, with plenty of downpours this month and the long delays for the green season quickly forgotten. Unfortunately we have experienced flooding in Mvuu this month due to heavy rainfall, but everything is under control and our doors remain open!

The beginning of this month brought a special encounter with a bull elephant in the Shire. One of our most experienced guides, Chifundo, accompanied guests on a boat safari to watch an elephant grazing calmly among the river grasses, an unforgettable experience they will never forget. Moments like this, and their increasing frequency, confirm the unique character of Malawi as a safari destination and how magical the country can be. For the second year in a row, Malawi has been named one of the best countries to travel to by Lonely Planet, demonstrating the promise of Malawi as a tourism destination.

Wildlife in Liwonda has improved significantly in recent years with the movement of lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and black rhinos, among several other remarkable animals, into the park. Guests' expectations are often exceeded, and with the Big Five just one animal short, Liwonde poses serious competition to other game reserves on the continent, especially with Mvuu's competitive price range. Likewise, the Nyika Plateau offers a uniquely cool climate and Scottish Highlands-style landscape, as well as typical African animals - a suitable choice for those looking for an unusual safari.

In tandem with its excellent wildlife and thriving natural environment, Malawi is unique in the friendliness of its people, which is why the country is often referred to as the “warm heart of Africa”. A psychology study tracking the "help index" in several countries found that in Lilongwe, Malawi, 100% of unknowing participants helped a blind man cross the road. In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day, we ask you to embrace the good nature of this country and selflessly help others. In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

The beautiful colors of the green season are in full bloom as colorful flowers appear throughout the Nyika Plateau and Liwonde National Park. For this reason, we recommend taking part in a walking safari at this time of year, where you can slowly walk through grassy terrain and learn about all the beautiful flora and fauna that comes with springtime in the bush. Remember to stop and look down from time to time, allowing the little things to spark joy.

“The moment a person pays close attention to anything, even to a blade of grass, he himself becomes a mysterious, amazing, indescribably magnificent world” - Henry Miller.

The pride of lions in Liwonda remained close to Mvuu this month. Hear what our guide David has to say about their recent escapades...

“It seems that this pride has settled forever in our camp here in Mvuu. A male and female with two cubs were seen on the evening of February 22 and at dawn on February 23. They were very close to the camp before moving towards gate number one. All night the pride called for another female, but we suspect that this female has cubs and is hiding somewhere, since she did not respond to them. We expect the pride to grow rapidly if this female eventually participates.”

We like to get regular updates on our guides' chat - here are some paw print updates we received yesterday morning (from left to right: cub, lion, lioness).

It's exciting times to have lions so close to Mvuu almost all year and we'll keep you posted on what's next!

We couldn't end this month's newsletter without mentioning an organization doing invaluable work in Malawi. So, this month we decided to shine a spotlight on Watts of Love, a global non-profit organization spreading sunshine across the African continent and beyond.

Watts of Love has a global solution to eradicate darkness and change people's lives for the better in the form of distribution of sunlight. As an organization, Watts of Love has distributed more than 70,000 lamps in 50 countries. Watts of Love's first light distribution in Malawi was in 2019, and since then they have distributed 15,000 lights across the country. Here they are concentrated in the Nkhotakota area, but last year expanded to the Dedza and Blantyre areas.

Watts of Love recognizes the social, economic and environmental importance of solar lighting in countries like Malawi. Solar lanterns are replacing dangerous, expensive and environmentally damaging kerosene lanterns and represent a symbol of opportunity in some of the poorest households around the world. It is recommended that the funds saved on fuel be reinvested in the purchase of livestock, starting a business or educating children, and the plan is drawn up together with the recipients. The work of Watts of Love has been proven to have a positive impact on people's self-esteem and economic freedom, as well as lifting families out of poverty in just one generation.

Alongside these positive social impacts, Watts of Love has played an unlikely role in mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the Nkhotakota Wildlife Sanctuary. In this region of Malawi, they introduced their financial literacy program that teaches families how to reinvest funds that would otherwise be spent on kerosene or candles to increase their family's wealth, and they have provided families with their innovative and patented solar light. This light, especially its strobe function, was found to be a game changer in preventing elephant attacks. Before this, elephants trampled houses, interrupted activities and, in the worst cases, claimed lives. Thus, their work at the grassroots level has truly made a difference in society and deserves recognition. We are thrilled to welcome the team to Mvuu where they can enjoy a well-deserved break for reflection and relaxation in the bush.