Mkulumadzi

Mkulumadzi Lodge sits where the Mkulumadzi River meets the Shire, inside Majete Wildlife Reserve in southern Malawi. You reach it on foot, crossing a suspension bridge over the Mkulumadzi River — the lodge is on the far bank, shaded by giant leadwood and wild mango trees.

Majete covers seventy thousand hectares of miombo woodland, granite hills, and riverine forest. After decades of heavy poaching, a sustained conservation programme has returned elephant, buffalo, black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, sable, eland, zebra, nyala, waterbuck, and Lichtenstein's hartebeest to the reserve. It is now a fully functioning Big Five reserve, and black rhino sightings — from a viewing hide positioned over a waterhole — are among the most reliable on offer anywhere in Malawi.

The lodge has eight chalets on the riverbank, each with a private viewing deck, indoor lounge, ensuite bathroom with both bath and outdoor shower, air conditioning, a fridge, and tea and coffee. Two of the eight are configured as family chalets; there is no minimum age for children. The main area has a restaurant for indoor and outdoor dining, a bar, a pool, and a raised viewing deck over the river. Elephants and hippos move along the bank regularly.

Guides run game drives each morning, with longer excursions into the far reaches of the reserve available on request. The star-sleep deck — a raised platform with a double bed, cotton linen, mosquito net, and lanterns — takes a maximum of two guests and is bookable on a first-come basis from May to October. Cultural visits to a nearby village and community centre are also available. The lodge is served by Majete Airstrip.