The Majete Wildlife Reserve is located in the south western part of Malawi with an increase of wild animals that were in the first place depleted due to the many poachers who hunted down the animals for different reasons. It is one of the reserves in the country that still offer tourists the real wilderness of Malawi that has not been untouched by locals after the rejuvenation of the Reserve. The Reserve if filled with a lot of animals and a large number of birds that habitate within the Reserve and these can be viewed when you visit the area.
The Reserve is located just a few kilometers away from Blantyre and for all those that want to take a few minutes away from Blantyre, this is the perfect place to visit especially during day. there are several activities that tourists can visit the reserve can do and these include trekking around the reserve, game drives, birding, walking safaris I the area. This is also the perfect place for all to see the famous big five.
The Majete wildlife reserve is known to have risen from the ashes to where it is after the re-introduction of animals like the elephants were brought in the year 2006, the lions in 2012 and the black rhinos were the first to be brought into the reserve in 2002. The Majete wildlife reserve has also helped in improving on the standards of living for the locals living around it through employment opportunities.
The reserve is always open every day from 6:00am to 6:00pm for every one irrelevant of the age. The fees that are paid differ depending on who that is tourists pay twenty dollars, residents pay ten dollars and Nationals get to pay four dollars in order to gain entry into the Majete wildlife reserve.
Visit the Heritage Centre
The heritage Centre is located within the reserve and it is a small museum where you will be able to learn more about the animals that are in the reserve, the culture of the people who live around the reserve, and get to see some of the old paintings that are hanging within the museum and after that you can get to have a well cooked meal at the nearby Mwembezi restaurant. The Heritage Centre is also used as an education Centre for the children as well as adults about how the animals in the reserve can be taken care of and what to expect from it.
Game drives through the Majete wildlife reserve
Game drives through the Majete wildlife reserve are mostly done during the dry season in the months of April to November and this is because during the dry season, many animals can be seen looking for water at the different manmade water holes in the reserve which makes it easy for tourists to spot the animals. Some of the animals that can be seen in the Majete wildlife reserve include elephants, lions, zebras, buffalos, the sable antelope, impalas, leopards, the black rhinos and many more other wonderful animals.
Birding in the Majete wildlife reserve
The Majete wildlife reserve is filled with about 300 bird species some of which have also been re-introduced into the reserve. The best way for one to see the birds is by taking a walk through the Majete wildlife reserve. The best time for tourists to go for birding at the reserve is during the wet season because this is the time when many of them can be seen in their natural habitats including the migratory birds that fly in from the neighboring countries. Make sure that you carry all the necessary equipment so that you enjoy .your birding sessions and some of the bird species that you can see when you visit the Majete Reserve include the white backed vulture, the Bohm bee-eater, the Bataluer, Livingstone fly catcher, the African fish eagle, the Palm nut vulture and many more others species.
But since the major activities carried out in the Majete wild life reserve are game viewing drives, it is much better if tourists who want to go for birding book private birding drives or walks around the park so that they get to see the extent of the bird species that are located in the reserve without being rushed by the other tourists who would want to go for game viewing.
Trekking through the Majete
Majete wild life reserve offers tourists some of the best trekking routes due to its landscape. Since there are no longer poachers around the reserve, trekking around the reserve will give you a chance to view the beautiful nature that is provided by the different types of vegetation in form of trees and grass, the animals and bird species that habitate within the reserve.
Visiting the local communities
The local communities around the Majete are filled with locals who are welcoming to all visitors that go to their villages. They have many projects from which you can choose as a volunteer project for example the education project. These have improved on the living standards of the villagers due to the development that is taking place around them. A visit to the local communities will also leave you with enough knowledge to understand more about their local values, culture, customs and other traditional practices that they carry out.
Before you travel to the Majete wild life reserve, you will need to know about the health requirements that are needed and some of them include a typhoid shot, polio, hepatitis B and yellow fever card will be asked before you are allowed to get into the country. There is a borehole within the reserve where you can get drinking water because it is safe but if you want to feel safer, then you do not need to worry because bottled water that is sold around for all those that do not want to drink from the borehole.
When to visit the Majete wild life Reserve
The Majete wild life reserve can be visited for the whole year but the right time to visit is always majorly dependent on what you want to do when you get to the park. The right time for all those that want to visit the park for game drives is during the dry season which runs between the months of April to October and for all those that want to visit the Reserve for birding should visit during the wet season which runs from November to march.
There are vehicles that can be found in Blantyre that will take you to the Majete wild life Reserve for a small fee and the journey is roughly about an hour and half but you should get a 4by4 car to drive especially during the rainy season. Although there are if you can afford to fly to the reserve, an air strip is available but you will need to first inform them first so that they prepare for your landing.
Accommodation facilities in the Majete wild life reserve
When it comes to accommodation facilities in the Majete wild life reserve, you will have a choice to choose between campsites, tents and family rooms that are found in the wild life.
The Majete reserve lodge
The Majete reserve lodge is another accommodation facility that you can use when you visit the reserve and it is well known for their mouth-watering meals and their good customer care services. They have self-contained rooms with all the privacy that you need but you will need to book in advance in order to avoid inconveniences especially during the peak seasons.
The community campsite
The community campsite is located near the gate at the reserve with a grass thatched bar and visitors are allowed to cook for themselves where necessary. The rooms are self-contained with hot running water, a dining area with solar power running the camp.
The Thawale lodge
The Thawale lodge is divided into two that is the family chalet and the twin chalets. The twin chalet tents are six in number and have an en-suite bathroom, a clear view of the water holes in the park, and with the way that they are spaced from each other, you get all the privacy that you need.
The Family chalet accommodation at the Thawale was constructed using bricks and the rooms are grass thatched giving it a local Malawian look. The chalets are self-contained and the visitors are offered well prepared meals from breakfast to dinner. This is one of the best accommodation facilities in the Reserve and they also provide you with private parking space.
When you visit the park, the money that is paid as your entrance fee helps in developing the communities that surround the reserve and it also helps in keeping the animals safe by providing water through manmade water holes and the general up keep. Contact our website for more information about Majete.
