Seven stops, north to south
Malawi is long, thin, and has a lake down one side. Trips are driven top to bottom, so the seven places are listed that way, then the parks and reserves, then the three cities you’ll pass through.
Nyika Plateau
Rolling highland at 2,000 m. Orchids after the rains, roan and zebra all year, a log fire because you'll want one. The least visited park and the one people talk about afterwards.
2 to 3 nights · 5 hrs from Mzuzu
Nkhata Bay
The northern lakeshore. Deep water, wooded coves, dive schools and the ferry to Likoma. Feels more like a coast than a lake.
2 nights · 1 hr from Mzuzu
Likoma Island
A cathedral the size of an English one, a weekly ferry, a few lodges on the sand. For people who want the trip to slow all the way down.
3 nights, because of the ferry · charter flights available
Cape Maclear
Lake Malawi National Park. Beach lodges, kayaks, and snorkelling over cichlids that exist nowhere else. Most first trips start here.
3 nights minimum · 4 to 5 hrs from Lilongwe
Liwonde National Park
Elephants, hippos and crocodiles from a boat on the Shire River. Rhino, cheetah and lion are back since reintroduction. Rarely another vehicle in sight.
2 nights · 2 to 3 hrs from Cape Maclear
Zomba Plateau
Forest, waterfalls and viewpoints an hour from Blantyre. The old colonial capital sits at its foot and is worth the afternoon.
Day trip or 1 night · 1 hr from Blantyre
Mount Mulanje
Granite massif above the tea estates. Hut-to-hut hiking with a porter, two to four days to Sapitwa, the 3,002 m summit.
2 to 4 days · 1.5 hrs from BlantyreParks and reserves
Eight protected areas, north to south. Three are on most itineraries; the rest are for people with time or a specific interest. Where to sleep, how far, and when it's worth it.
| Park | What it's for | Where to sleep | Getting there | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyika National Park North · Map | Highland grassland at 2,000 m. Zebra, roan, eland, leopard at night, orchids after the rains. Hiking, biking, trout. | Chelinda | 4 to 5 hrs from Mzuzu, 4x4 for the last stretch | May to October; cold nights all year |
| Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve North · Map | Lake Kazuni with hundreds of hippos, elephant and buffalo crossing from Zambia, 300 bird species. Basic camp, bring food. | Kazuni camp or Mzuzu | 2 to 3 hrs from Mzuzu, on the way to Nyika | June to October |
| Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve Central · Map | Miombo woodland and the Bua River. Malawi's largest elephant population after the 2016-17 translocation. Canoeing, walking, fishing. Sightings need patience. | Tongole or Bua River Lodge | 3 hrs from Lilongwe | June to November |
| Kasungu National Park Central · Map | Big miombo park on the Zambian border with elephant, buffalo, sable and Black Rock, the granite dome. Facilities are dated; go for the emptiness. | Lifupa Lodge | 2.5 hrs from Lilongwe | August to November only; the bush is too thick otherwise |
| Lake Malawi National Park Lake · Map | The first freshwater national park in the world and a World Heritage Site: Cape Maclear, the islands, and the cichlids. Snorkelling, kayaking, diving. | Cape Maclear lodges, Pumulani, Mumbo | 4 to 5 hrs from Lilongwe | May to October for visibility; year-round |
| Liwonde National Park South · Map | The flagship. Elephants, hippos and crocodiles along the Shire, rhino, cheetah and lion reintroduced, 400 bird species. Boat safaris are the reason to come. | Mvuu, Kuthengo, Liwonde Safari Camp | 2 to 3 hrs from Cape Maclear; 3 from Blantyre | August to November for game; year-round |
| Majete Wildlife Reserve South · Map | Malawi's Big Five reserve and the conservation success story: restocked from nothing since 2003. Granite hills, the Shire rapids, Kapichira Falls. | Mkulumadzi, Thawale | 1.5 hrs from Blantyre | June to October; thick bush in the rains |
| Lengwe National Park South · Map | Small dry park near the Mozambique border known for nyala, buffalo and waterhole hides. A half-day from Blantyre rather than a destination. | Nyala Lodge or Blantyre | 1.5 hrs from Blantyre | August to November |
Park entry fees are charged per person per day and are extra at every lodge. We put them in your itinerary so there are no surprises at the gate.
The three cities
You'll pass through at least one. None is the reason to come; each has a night's worth of interest and the best food in its region.
Lilongwe
The capital and the main airport. Old Town market, the wildlife centre, the best restaurants in the country. First and last night for most trips; two hours from Senga Bay.
Blantyre
The commercial city and the southern airport. Mandala House, the oldest building in the country; the Mount Soche backdrop. Gateway to Zomba, Mulanje, Majete and tea country.
Mzuzu
The northern hub, cool and green at 1,200 m. Coffee country. Where the roads to Nkhata Bay, Nyika, Vwaza and Livingstonia meet. Not a destination; an overnight that makes the north work.
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