Top 8 Malawi Attractions

Malawi is a country of lakes and plateaus among huge mountain ranges. It streams like the rare Nyika lizard around the lands of Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.

Who and why should come to Malawi

Fans of scuba diving and kayaking come to Lake Malawi to look at the fish, explore the underwater world of cobalt mountain lakes, and go boating. Wildlife fans explore the flora and fauna of the country and visit the exclave islands of the lake.

Active tourists conquer mountains and caves, wide savannah and lush rainforests.

Lake Malawi — the main attraction of the country — has long been a source of vitality for local residents who cherish and care for nature.

The diversity of the animal world attracts lovers of exotic fauna to Malawi. Elephants, water deer and other African animals are found in reserves and forests.

Nature reserves and national parks

Liwonde National Park

A huge reserve with plains and swamps, swaying fields and baobab groves — this is exactly what a part of East Africa inaccessible to many travelers looks like. Representatives of the fauna have chosen the expanses along the bed of the Shir River as their home.

On the territory of the park, tourists are waiting for comfortable guest houses where they can relax after a safari with a glass of a refreshing cocktail and share their own photos of elephants, striped jackals, baboons and other inhabitants of the park with others.

Kasungu National Park

Despite the vast territory that the national park occupies, Kasungu is considered the most remote nature reserve in East Africa from civilization. A mosaic of savannahs, dusty plains, Zambezian miombo forests stretches over 2,100 square kilometers.

A few decades ago, poachers hunted African elephants here. However, in recent years, ecotourism and safaris have become popular in the reserve, attracting thousands of travelers to the rolling plateaus of Western Malawi.

Lake Malawi National Park

Nestled among the green hills, Lake Malawi National Park will be of interest to lovers of virgin nature and history. Not far from this reserve lived David Livingston, a Scottish missionary and explorer of Africa.

Now you can find shelter and rest for a few days in hunting lodges. With the onset of dawn, head to the shores of the largest lake in the country, which is known for the rarest species of fish. And at sunset, you can admire the antelopes walking along the shore and the endless expanses of the park.

During the daytime, head to the old missionary settlements. It is easier to wait out the heat in stone walls, looking at the remaining utensils, furniture and getting to know the life of the first settlers.

Nyika National Park

Horse safaris are very popular among visitors to the Nyika Park. In a few hours of walking, you can admire the mountain landscapes, green plains, climb to the sources of the rivers, where the air is saturated with the aromas of orchids. The reserve is also known for bushbucks, a rare species of antelope that can still be found in Uganda and Kenya.

Nkhotakota Wildlife Sanctuary

The reserve is located in the heart of central Malawi in the midst of the evergreen forests of miombo. Travelers go here hoping to watch rare tropical birds, elephants, and buffaloes. And the lucky ones even meet families of leopards hiding among the trees, waiting for the lagging behind antelope.

Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve

A huge mountain range and a majestic three-thousander reaching the sky amaze the imagination of even seasoned tourists. On the territory of the reserve is the highest peak of the region and all of Malawi.

This is one of the few parks where forests of the endangered species of African cypress are still preserved on the mountain slopes. After walking among the rocks, you can go to the tea plantations, where you will be taken by a jeep driver.

Notable cities

Lilongwe

Traveling around Malawi, you should not refuse to visit its capital. Stay here for a few days to immerse yourself in a world of contrasts.

Next to a well-groomed nature reserve, you can find a bustling market where the air is saturated with tobacco, the smell of gasoline and mangoes. And the stalls and carts of local merchants are overflowing with handmade wooden carvings, colorful beans, exotic fruits and decorations.

After dark, you can go to beer bars to taste local beer and national dishes.

Karonga

A small town on the border with Tanzania, surrounded by mountain peaks, can become a haven for a couple of nights. Here you can find out what Malawisaurus looked like, a herbivorous titanosaur that lived on Earth more than 65 million years ago.

His fossilized remains are in the exhibition halls of the local museum and are the pride and heritage of a small hospitable city. In your free time, you can go shopping to replenish supplies of provisions before going further along the route.