Merry Christmas! I hope you had a wonderful one filled with lots of laughter, good food and plenty of presents. Today we will hear from the team in Malawi on how jolly their day was at all our 3 properties. A little insight to what a green safari Christmas looks like.
Steph over to you at Kuthengo first:
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year down at Kuthengo Camp! A safari getaway may not be the most traditional way to celebrate Christmas but rest assured, the team pulled out all the stops to transform Kuthengo Camp into a festive retreat in the middle of the African wilderness.
The usual earthy bush tones of the camp were given a pop of colour, with wreaths of bright green holly, red baubles, and glittery tinsel. We also put our own spin on the Christmas tree – by swopping the usual fir tree for a hand-made baobab replica.
In the kitchen, chef Dickson was whipping up a storm with festive favourites like mince pies, Christmas pudding and a selection of mouth-watering cookies which went down a treat with our guests!
Unlike Christmas in the Northern hemisphere, which is typically cold and often white, Christmas at Kuthengo Camp which is in the heart of Liwonde National Park is a vibrantly green and rather hot affair, accompanied by some phenomenal evening thunderstorms.
On clear nights, the stars clutter the African skyline, illuminating the majestic baobabs that flank the entrance of Kuthengo Camp, which are our inspiration for our not-so-traditional Christmas Tree!
The build up to Christmas is always one of great excitement at the camp…and in a blink of an eye, Christmas Day has come and gone but plenty of fun was had all round. The team are now gearing up to ring in the New Year in the wild and wish you all the very best for 2022!”
Conrad at Pumulani over to you:
“In Pumulani’s secluded little corner of Lake Malawi, Christmas was a festive affair indeed. The run up to Christmas brought some much-needed rain but also ample opportunity for guests to make the most of their time at the beach.
Over the years Pumulani has become a popular Christmas destination for many weary after a long year. And when the big day finally arrived, it lived up to all expectations. Think Chef Frank’s glazed gammon and roasted butternut & beetroot salad served on the beach under the large Sycamore tree. Think carols sung by the local Catholic Church Choir. Think dramatic thunderstorms followed by blue skies and silly games in the pool. Think sunsets and stargazing. Think snowmen built out of beach sand and snorkeling in crystal clear waters. Jealous much…? That’s the idea!
*Sadly, but due to the obvious reason, we could not get the full choir to Pumulani as has become tradition here over the past years.
And now all that is left to say is: Happy New Year!”
And finally, over to Sarel at Mkulumadzi:
“Christmas is a time for most of us to relax and spend time with friends and family, and that is exactly what we here at Mkulumadzi enjoyed doing.
On Christmas day we had some lovely guests who spent their Christmas in the Majete bush with us. Everyone enjoyed a morning game drive and were fortunate to see some Lions relaxing by the waterhole, Sable, Giraffe, Zebras, Kudus, Elands and even a Civet running across the road.
Upon their return they were welcomed by our homemade Ice-Tea and went off to freshen up for our wonderful Christmas Lunch.
The Chefs here at Mkulumadzi, Thomas and William, prepared a fantastic Christmas Lunch for our guests with a variety of Salads, Roasted Chicken and a Beautiful Gammon Roast.
After the fantastic meal it was time for the families to spend some time together by the swimming pool, playing some card games and some deciding to have a good old ‘Siesta’.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a Sundowner in the bush as we watched the storm clouds and lighting build up in the distance. After some good laughter and chatting we headed back to the lodge for our dinner, and we were entertained by a wonderful display of lightning in the sky.
And so as quickly as it came it ended as well, Christmas here at Mkulumadzi. We hope you all had as a wonderful time as we did and are ready for the new year.”
Gosh it sounds like a lot of fun was had all round, thanks for sharing with us.
So, there you have it, the last It’s Monday for 2021! The entire RPS team wishes you the very best for a happy and prosperous New Year. I will be back in the new year (next Monday) with more updates from the wilderness. In the meantime, have a wonderful week ahead ending the year on a high, with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after each other!
