Although only 580 sq km, Liwonde is perhaps the most popular of all the game parks. It is about 160 km north of Blantyre and only rather more than half that distance from the hotels on the southern Lakeshore. Additionally, game viewing is enhanced because the River Shire flows along its western border, allowing boat safaris as well as the usual ones on foot or in 4x4s.
Wildlife includes quite large numbers of elephants, and the river attracts countless hippos and crocodiles. Antelope include kudu, sable and bushbuck. There are leopards and hyena and the occasional visiting lion. The black rhino has been re-introduced. Birdlife is exceptionally varied. The river attracts fish eagles and weaver birds build their nests in the thin woodland. Pel’s fishing owl is often seen at dusk along the river’s edge.