Must See

Lilongwe

Malawi's capital is located in the central region, 90 minutes from the lake that dominates this country. The city was named after the river that runs through it and joins the nearby Linthipe River on its Lakeward journey. It is often referred to as the Garden City.

Lilongwe is situated in the central African plateau, surrounded by scenic mountains and hills. Many of these are well worth visiting for the breathtaking panoramic views they offer. The city itself is spilt into two areas - alongside the traditional Old Town with its interesting markets is the modern city and seat of government with its imaginative architecture in a garden setting.

Lilongwe has been carefully designed with some very funky, modern architecture complimented by carefully tended public gardens, which offer a wide array of brilliantly coloured tropical blooms and plants. In winter, bright red poinsettias add splashes of colour to the landscape, followed by the lilac of jacarandas in bloom. During March and April, rows of stunning yellow acacia trees line the city streets.

The Lilongwe Nature Reserve (120 ha) is located in the centre of Lilongwe, between the Old and New towns. Many small animals can be spotted here, including vervet monkeys, civet, squirrels, porcupine and bushbabies, along with larger game such as bushpig, hyena, bushbuck, duiker and leopard who now inhabit this pocket of green. However, visitors should be aware that the reserve is not a zoo and should therefore remain alert when walking along the footpaths, as they would when walking in the bush.

No visit to Lilongwe is complete without a trip to the old market in Malangalanga Road. Here, visitors can buy anything from live chickens to dustbins artfully crafted by tinkers on the spot.

Lilongwe is also a good base for excursions to the vast Kasungu National Park, 165 km northwest of the capital, and the Nkhotokota Game Reserve, 115 km north east of Lilongwe.

Lake Malawi

This massive lake takes up around one-fifth of the country, stretching from the northern tip of the country to Mangochi in the south. Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles long and 52 miles wide.

The lake has miles of golden beaches lining the shores and the salt-free, crystal clear water is largely bilharzia-free. It is surrounded by spectacular scenery, and is ideal for sailing, waterskiing, fishing, snorkelling and windsurfing or just relaxing in the sun. Scuba diving is very popular in certain areas, providing excellent visibility and safe conditions.

Lake Malawi contains between 500 and 1,000 species of fish, more than anywhere else on earth, some of which are unique to the lake. It also supports great bird life, including black eagles, fish eagles and several varieties of kingfisher, tern and many other birds.

One of the best ways of seeing Lake Malawi is from the lake itself. Luxury yacht chartering is available and visitors may also take a trip on the Ilala II, the lake's mini-liner, which cruises the lake between Monkey Bay and Karonga in the north of the country. The 1,052 km voyage gives the passenger the opportunity to visit lake ports and to view the spectacular mountain scenery.

Mzuzu

Nestled between the hills of the Viphya Plateau and the lakeshore, the capital of the northern region is the centre from which to explore the amazing plateau, Vwasa March Wildlife Reserve, Manchewe Falls and the Livingstonia Mission.

The town is approached from the south by a road across the rolling hills of the Viphya Plateau or by the road that links Mzuzu with Karonga in the north. The northern road is one of Malawi's most spectacular, rising from the rich Henga Valley, which reaches a height of 1,100m before winding down to the Lakeshore.

There are two game areas in the region: the Vwasa Marsh Wildlife Reserve and the beautiful and unique plateau of Nyika National Park. Also in the region is the famous Livingstonia Mission with its interesting museum. Access is difficult up the escarpment road but the Mission can also be reached from the east via Rumphi.

Liwonde National Park

The most popular park is found south of the lake, lying on the banks of the Upper Shire River. It is situated 236 km away from Lilongwe, 120 km north of Blantyre and about 60km north of Zomba.

Liwonde has one of Malawi's largest elephant populations, which can often be seen bathing on the rivers edge along with the hippos. There are large numbers of kudu, sable antelope, oribi and duiker in the Mopane bush, and the plains are home to lions, waterbuck, reedbuck and other antelope.

The park is often closed during the rains, and even if open, visitors will need a 4x4 to navigate the almost impassable roads. As a result, it is usually best to visit the park during the dry season.

Zomba

North of Blantyre is the university town and former capital, Zomba. Towering above the town is the 2,100 m Zomba Plateau with its sprawling forests and beautiful waterfalls, which provides a pleasant variety of walks amongst striking views.

Nearby, the mammoth Mulanje Massif has ample opportunity for climbing, walking, or relaxed trout fishing.