Handpicked Malawi

Of Malawi’s total area, around 20% is a dedicated national park, game or forest reserve. The result? An amazing array of wildlife across the country, stretching from top to bottom.

In the south, both the Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park are some of the finest animal-spotting locations around, giant playgrounds for hippos, crocs, lions, leopards and a whole host of less sharp-toothed creatures of the wild. We’d recommend hiring a guide for however long you’re there – these guys really know their stuff. Further north is the magical Nyika National Park, Malawi’s oldest game reserve can at times look more like rural England than southeast Africa – that is, until a leopard pads into view.

For a more hands-on approach, we love the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi’s capital city. This is the only sanctuary for orphaned, injured and rescued wildlife in the country and is home to a wonderfully eclectic group of creatures: keep your eyes peeled for a one-eyed lion from Romania, the cheeky vervet monkeys and the cobras and python that like to chill in the sun – no, we didn’t get too close, either.

Prepare yourself for a trip into the wilderness, and all the creatures great and small that that encompasses, in this amazing country. And we haven’t even mentioned the lake yet…

For many, Malawi is synonymous with the lake that shares its name. Sitting on the floor of one of the natural world’s most significant features, the Great Rift Valley, Lake Malawi is by volume the world’s fourth largest freshwater lake. It’s also its most abundant, with the largest population of fish species anywhere on Earth and a spectacular array of sights to see.

At nearly 400 miles long and over 50 wide, taking in all that the lake has to offer is a task for multiple trips, but where better to start than at the southern tip, at Lake Malawi National Park? This UNESCO World Heritage Site is natural, untouched beauty in all its glory. Children play around the clear blue waters – home to more fish than it’s possible to count – and traditional anglers still pepper the horizon. Take a trip on the water with any number of guides, or simply hike around it to soak in its beauty from the shoreline.

Further north, towards the lake’s centre, we love Likoma Island, a baobab and beach lover’s paradise only accessible by small plane or ferry. This is a place where life slows down a touch, so snorkel, swim and sun yourself on the shore of the lake, all while taking in some of the best scenery in Africa.

Another place where the pace of life never seems to get out of second gear is in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. This is a lovely city to relax in before or after any adventures, with any number of cafes and coffee shops to soak up some of the locally harvested beans.

Nkhoma Mountain to the city’s east is a wonderful hiking spot, offering sweeping views of the city and its surrounding countryside, as well as a number of shorter trails for those who’d rather match the slower pace of life in this part of the world.

For some local fare, the Kanelolo Curios Market in town is the perfect place to stock up on souvenirs and presents – we’ve still got tonnes adorning our office window ledges and we’re certainly not planning on giving any away any time soon. It was the wood carvings that got us going, but there are paintings and beautifully crafted local jewellery here as well, so take your pick.

We love just strolling around cities we don’t know that well and, if you fancy doing that with the help of a guide, the Lilongwe City Day Tour is well worth your time. Take in the local sites, discover some local hidden gems and soak up the atmosphere in this laid-back, distinctly Malawian city.

It may seem odd that we’ve included a beaches section for a landlocked country – but that would be to miss the glorious stretches of sand that pepper the shores of Lake Malawi. And this is a section that we could easily stretch the word count on, but see below for a few of our favourites.

Cape Maclear – also known as Chembe – is tough to beat. A gorgeous village within the Lake Malawi National Park, its main beach is a palm-fringed slice of heaven where visitors can kayak, snorkel and even dive among the lake’s permanent residents. There are also a number of cracking little beach bars to soak up the last of the sun’s rays over a Castel lager.

The northern part of Lake Malawi’s answer to Cape Maclear is the immaculate Nkhata Bay, a town that boasts a couple of impossibly perfect sandy bays set in front of more densely forested Rift Valley land. Relaxed vibes are the order of the day here, with beach volleyball, water-sports and leisurely walks top of most visitor’s lists.

Even further north – and even further off the beaten track – Chitimba is a haven for those who really want to get away from it all. There’s only a few laidback resorts here and, as a result, its pristine white beach is barely touched. Livingstonia, a tiny town perched high above Chitimnba on an impossibly precarious escarpment, is a sight to behold, as are the 20 hairpin bends to get there – not for the faint of heart.

We could go on. In fact, we’d love to. But we think you get the picture that Lake Malawi is a beach-filled heaven with something for everyone, whatever sandy escape you’re after.