Malawi: Busy base

Update from our Malawi expedition volunteering with elephants, hippo, cats, pangolins and African biodiversity

Base camp at Vwaza is full of activity. A team of people, led by Robert (LWT’s chief of all things practical), has been busy for the last few days repairing and refurbishing the camp ready for our expedition, and they are working hard. Walls are being given a fresh coat of paint (cheerful yellow), the kitchen floor re-concreted, a new gas-powered fridge, termite-damaged wooden posts replaced and a thorough clean-out all round.

When the team finally stopped work last at night, the sounds of wildlife crept back in – the resonant grunt of a nearby Hippo, the raucous ugly call of the Hadida Ibis, the endless chirps of insects as a backdrop. The smell of wood smoke from the dying embers of the cooking fire pervades the camp as the night draws in.

The day begins early with the dawn chorus at 05:00, punctuated by the lyrical whistling call of the Tropical Booboo. A herd of Impala are silhouetted against the lake, standing alert under the thorn trees. A family of Baboons lurk on the edges of the camp, the bolder animals darting in closer in the hope of finding food. Against this backdrop, the builders are already starting work. As the day brightens, the baboons retreat into the bushes and the Impala, emboldened, wander into the sunlit riverside in front of base camp.

Update from our Malawi volunteer expedition including elephant volunteer Africa and lion volunteer Africa