Edition 47: Summer 2009

There is no denying the importance or allure of Lake Malawi. It is one of southern Africa’s greatest biological treasures, and its bounty of beaches and crystal clear bays make it a superb place to unwind. However, to appreciate the country fully, you have to dig a little deeper. Philip Briggs, author of Bradt’s Malawi guidebook, is here to help you do just that.

Few countries are so strongly associated with a single geographical feature as Malawi. Little wonder, when you consider that Lake Malawi – Africa’s third-largest lake, running along the Rift Valley floor for 585km – accounts for more than 15 per cent of the country’s surface area. More still, the nation’s borders even seem to mimic the lake’s serpentine shore.

But these points tell only half of the tale of Lake Malawi’s significance. Ask anybody who has been privileged to stand on one of its trademark sandy beaches, studded with ancient baobabs and tall palms, and gazed across its deep turquoise water, and they will simply tell you this: Lake Malawi is one of the most stunning places on earth.

And yet there is a great deal more to Malawi than its lake’s beauty. Beneath the lake’s surface there is the opportunity for divers and snorkellers to explore the world’s greatest freshwater showcase of piscine diversity – an astonishing tally of around 1000 fish species, most not found anywhere else on earth. Scenically, the waterscapes of the lake are complemented by some truly spectacular montane scenery, ranging from the sheer Rift Valley escarpment that towers above the western shore to the isolated majesty of the Mulanje Massif and singular Nyika Plateau.

With regard to safaris, Malawi doesn’t quite belong in the same premiership league as neighbouring Tanzania or Zambia. That said, reserves such as Liwonde, Vwaza Marsh, Majete and even Nyika offer some great game viewing in a thrillingly untrammelled setting, and the country is consistently rewarding when it comes to the smaller stuff: birds, antelope, monkeys, lizards and such.

Inevitably, tourism to Malawi centres on the great lake, which has acquired something of a legendary status in travel circles as the ultimate chill-out venue along the popular backpacking route between eastern and southern Africa. Today, the lakeshore is lined with dozens upon dozens of resorts and hotels – not only the cheap ‘n’ cheerful backpacker haunts for which it is renowned, but also posh colonial relicts and upmarket boutique resorts that complement the excellent network of exclusive tented camps and lodges that service the country’s mountainous retreats and game reserves.

Nyika National Park
Extending over 3134 square kilometres, Nyika is Malawi’s largest national park, protecting a spectacular plateau of undulating grassland incised by wooded gorges along the border with Zambia. The main attraction is the mountain scenery, which can be explored from the central Chelinda Lodge and Camp, either on foot, or by 4WD, or on horseback. There is some wildlife around, notably elephant, zebra, eland and leopard. Botanical highlights include 200 orchid species, which generally bloom over January and February. There are more than 400 bird species, including the striking wattled crane, Denham’s bustard, mountain marsh widow and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird.

Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve
On the Zambian border, this underrated reserve, with elephant, buffalo, hippo and a wealth of birds, forms a convenient and rewarding stopover en route to Nyika. Kazuni Dam is the reserve’s game viewing showpiece and site of its only accommodation. Also present are smaller populations of lion, various brachystegia-associated antelope and rare groups of African wild dog.  

Chongoni rock art
One for the adventurous, this cluster of 127 rock art sites, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, is centred on the Chongoni Forest Reserve, close to the pretty highland town of Dedza. Attributed to a long-gone race of hunter-gatherers, the prehistoric art on the granite shelters of Chongoni is unusual in that it is also linked to extant Chewa female initiation rituals. There’s little in the way of a tourist infrastructure here, but the beautifully sited and budget friendly Chongoni Forestry Resthouse lies within walking distance of several fascinating sites. 

Liwonde National Park
Malawi’s top game-viewing destination protects 550 square kilometres of classic African bush, which is hemmed in by the magisterially sluggish Shire River. This compelling waterway, fringed by tall palms and giant figs, has a presence comparable with the Nile below Murchison Falls or the Rufiji as it runs through Selous, and is almost as densely populated with hippos and crocs. Back on terra firma, Liwonde supports large herds of elephant, buffalo, roan and sable antelope, introduced black rhino, and a fair selection of large predators, though lion sightings are very irregular. Game viewing activities centre on Mvuu Lodge, a superb tented camp with a perfect riverside location, and while game drives can be rewarding, it’s the hippo-dodging boat trips that linger in the memory. For birdwatchers, there are few more reliable sites for white-backed night heron and Pel’s fishing owl, while Mvuu is a good place to seek out localised species such as brown-breasted barbet, Livingstone’s flycatcher, Boehm’s bee-eater and Lilian’s lovebird.

Zomba Plateau
Dominating the northern skyline above the former colonial capital of Zomba, this expansive plateau isn’t comparable in scale to Mulanje or Nyika, but it offers plenty of opportunities for gentle rambling among cool undulating grassland interspersed with patches of pine plantation and indigenous forest. It also offers lovely views to the little-visited Lake Chilwa. In addition to bushbuck, klipspringer, baboon, samango monkey and even the occasional leopard, the plateau supports a rich birdlife.

Mulanje Massif
Malawi’s tallest mountain is essentially an overgrown version of the kopjes associated with parts of Zimbabwe – an immense isolated granite massif that rises above the surrounding tea estates to a lofty 3002m peak. There are some lovely walking trails in the forested slopes, while serious hikers face the country’s greatest montane challenge in the form of the steep, all-day ascent to the 650 square kilometre plateau. The top is serviced by nine mountain huts and studded with more than a dozen climbable peaks. 

Shire Valley
Enclosed by Mozambique on three sides, the sweltering far south of Malawi is run though by the Shire River as it flows from Lake Malawi towards the Zambezi. The cataracts that blocked the way of Livingstone’s 1859 Zambezi expedition now lie within Majete Wildlife Reserve, which has been the subject of an exciting programme of reintroductions – black rhino, elephant, buffalo and various antelope including the rare Liechtenstein’s hartebeest – since it was taken over by the private African Parks Foundation in 2003. There’s also wildlife in Lengwe National Park, including samango monkey and the world’s most northerly population of nyala antelope, while the Elephant Marsh, though no longer populated by its pachydermal namesakes, is one of the best sites for waterbirds anywhere in south-central Africa.  

Lake Malawi
Malawi’s defining geographical feature – and most important tourist attraction – is lined with a seemingly endless succession of stunning sandy beaches hemmed in by the sheer walls of the Rift Valley. Indeed, Lake Malawi has enough going for it that many travellers spend weeks in the country without straying far from its idyllic shore. Highlights? Nkhata Bay is the favoured backpacker hangout, serviced by several excellent hostels as well as the world’s cheapest diving courses. For stunning scenery, relaxed kayaking, and snorkelling among a whirl of colourful cichlids, try Cape Maclear and the nearby Lake Malawi National Park (the latter inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its peerless piscine biodiversity). The beach resorts around Chintheche, Nkhotakhota and Senga Bay also warrant investigation, and the cruise on the notoriously tardy MV Ilala to time-warped Likoma Island ranks as one of Africa’s great public transport rides.

Livingstonia
Founded by Dr Robert Laws at Cape Maclear in 1875, the Livingstonia Mission was relocated to the escarpment in 1894 to escape the ravages of malaria associated with the lakeshore. Reached via a snaking road with 20 hairpin bends, Livingstonia offers fine views from the Rift Valley rim to the sparkling lakeshore 900m below. Today, one of the mission’s original stone buildings houses a museum. Outside town, Manchewe Falls crashes an impressive 125m over the escarpment to support a microhabitat of lush mist forest.