Swollen baobabs rise from fiery soils that burn the colour of cayenne pepper and hills ripple like waves into the horizon. Sliced by the Great Rift Valley, ‘the warm heart of Africa’ is a geological wonder of raw and astounding scenery. Often overshadowed by its brash neighbours Zambia and Tanzania, Africa’s best kept safari secret has none of the crowds but every bit of the wild energy that pulses through this continent.

A conservation success story, Malawi’s national parks are flourishing once more with the help of non-profit conservation organisation African Parks and bodies like the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Reintroductions of big cats and black rhinos have put these protected areas on a par with some of Africa’s greatest stars of the savannah. Experience them now before others arrive at a fraction of the cost while contributing to their ongoing progress.

In Majete Wildlife Reserve in the southwestern part of the country, the roar of lions now competes with the thrashing rapids of the Shire River, packed with pods of hippos and crocodiles lazing on sandy banks. More than 100km north along the waterway, cheetahs prowl the floodplains of Liwonde National Park, their shadows weaving between the silhouettes of date palms at dusk. Safari by road or boat, listening to the squeals of fish eagles as malachite kingfishers flit past in a brilliant flash of colour.

While the Shire is off limits for swims, you can find respite from the African heat in Lake Malawi, home to more species of fish than any other lake on the planet. Snorkel with 700 types of cichlids and relax in hammocks on Crusoe-style islands.

This is raw Africa without the frills and fuss, the stress or chaos. Children play on wooden scooters, women weave baskets by the roadside and the twinkling lanterns of fishing boats shine as brightly as they did for David Livingstone when he first set eyes on the lake of stars.