Liwonde National Park.

This past weekend I took a trip up to Liwonde National Park. The park is north of Blanytre and not very far if you have access to a car. I was stuck with a more rudimentary method of transport however, so it took me a few hours on an overpacked minibus and another half hour or so on the back of a bicycle.

  

We did one game drive through the park where we were able to see elephants. In general though, the park was really lacking animals. They say this is due to a lack of funds and poaching by the park rangers and local people.

We did a second outing via canoe on the Shire River from where we were able to get very close to groups of hippos. They barely budged when they saw us. They stand in the water with just their eyes and ears poking out while they eat the vegetation on the bottom of the river. Despite their calm, herbivore nature they actually kill many people here. It sounds like this is an accident when people walk at night time and the hippos do not see them. 

Overall, it was a relaxing weekend and I would not have minded scraping Blanytre and remaining at the park for the rest of my stay in Malawi!