BLOG: Paradise at Pumulani, by Robin Pope Safaris

In this blog from Robin Pope Safaris, we are heading over to Lake Malawi where we will hear from Mike Wendel and his partner Jenn who are managing Pumulani. Get ready for some fabulous photos incoming. Mike and Jenn over to you:

As some may remember, I was an extra helping hand when the pandemic hit in early 2020. I had the pleasure of looking after Kuthengo and Mkulumadzi, where I wrote my last blog post when some lion cubs stole my camera. Its been a long 2 years but it’s so good to be back permanently, except, this time I brought my better half Jenn.

Jenn and I have spent the last month managing Pumulani and it is so good to see guests in the lodge. We hit the ground running getting everything ready for our first guests. Due to the lodge being seasonally closed for most of January, February, and March, we have had to do some maintenance and small touch ups of a few areas. Although we did not get big floods like our sister camps, the large amounts of storms we had have not been kind, however, the lodge is back in tip top shape ready for what we can only hope, will be a busy season.

The lodge and its surrounding are just full of bird life at the moment. I am and always have been an extremely passionate photographer and videographer. I have taken every opportunity to pull my cameras out and snap a couple of shots, but Jenn has said that she will lock my camera up if I don’t do the work that I need to do first. Next to the main parking area at the lodge, there is a little pond, and it is home to approximately 11 Pied Kingfishers and I knew this would be an issue for me… since day 1, I have wanted to sit there for a whole day and just watch them fish and fly around. We have also seen the Pel’s Fishing Owl, Hammerkops, Little Bee-Eaters and my personal favourite… a Malachite Kingfisher.

I forgot how stunning the sunsets are from Pumulani, especially now just after the rainy season with the massive thunderstorm clouds moving down the lake. Winter is defiantly on its way as its starting to get cooler in the morning but warms up to 27-30 degrees Celsius during the day. The lake at the moment is still high, the highest I have ever seen it, but that does not impact the snorkelling at all. Jenn and I did a short trip to Thumbe Island (where our guests do the snorkelling trips) and it is great to see the variety of Malawian cichlids has not decreased.

It has been a great month at Pumulani and although we will miss the amazing Pumulani team, we are both so excited to move to Kuthengo Camp where we will be based for the foreseeable future.

Find out more about the Robin Pope Safari lodges with the following links: Mkulumadzi Lodge, Kuthengo Camp, Pumulani Lodge