Malawi [ muh-lah-wee ] “Unity and Freedom”

Malawi is a small country at the southern end of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, and holidays to Malawi are very relaxed affairs. Malawi is a densely populated nation, with green productive land, lots of small traditional farms and famously friendly people. Malawi has few safari areas, and none are very famous. There is relatively little tourism in Malawi. Watching local children play around the lake, you’ll quickly understand why Malawi is promoted as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’.

The physical and spiritual backbone of the country is Lake Ma- lawi, stretching for over 300 miles and covering more than 20% of the country in water. These clear, mineral-rich waters teem with countless, brightly coloured cichlid fish, most of which are endemic. Away from the lake, three high plateaux, Nyika, Zomba and Mulanje, tower above rolling farmlands; ideal for gentle hiking holidays amidst moorlands and forests – and some opportunities for some unique wildlife safaris.

Remember that Malawi is particularly easy to combine with Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park; relaxing beside Lake Malawi makes a great end to a safari. Flying from the Luangwa’s Mfuwe Airport to Lilongwe takes around an hour, call us for more ideas of how best to combine a beach holiday in Malawi with a safari to Zambia.

About Malawi

Annual Rain Fall COUNTRY SIZE: 28.500 km2 (11,000 sq mi) 240 192 144 CURRENCY: Malawian Kwacha (MWK) 96 48 LANGUAGES: English, Chichewa, Chinyanja, Chiyao and Chitumbuka and tther native languages

ETHNIC: Chewa, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Annual Temperature Ngoni, and Ngonde native ethnic groups, as well as populations of Asians and Europeans. CAPITAL: Lilongwe

AIRPORT: Lilongwe International Airport

POPULATION: 19 million (2018)

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Poliomyelitis. If you are going camping of trekking or visiting more rural regions of Malawi you may need to consider cover against Hepatitis B, Rabies, Meningococcal Meningitis and Cholera. MALAWI Seasonal Highlights

DEC JAN - APRIL MAY - AUG SEP-NOV

If you’re planning a trip to Malawi anytime soon, it’s well worth remembering that this incredible destination has some- thing very different to offer depending on the time of year that you choose to travel. Here are a few seasonal highlights that you can expect. During different months of the year, it’s important to remember that wildlife activity and different trends do vary and can never be guaranteed. Jan – April January is the start of the rainy or green season in Malawi. The green season offers travellers a different experience, during the rains, many parks are teaming with life and activity, many herds of antelope give birth to their offspring and tend to their young and the dynamics of elephant herds shift as due to the availability of water and vegetation, they disperse into smaller units. Many terrestrial orchids come into bloom in Nyika and can be seen across the plateau in colourful patches. The ideal time for spotting migrant birds is also during February and March.

May May is a transitional month after the rains and in , many herds of elephant slowly start returning to the Shire River. Temperatures on the Nyika Plateau start to drop considerably though.

June – July During these months, crocodile mating takes place and large flocks of Lillian’s Lovebirds start to gather in Liwonde National Park. These months are considerable warmer and only the early mornings and evenings are slightly chilly.

August – September On the Northern Lakeshore, swarms of adult lake flies (which look like dense clouds of smoke) can be spotted hovering over the lake. These flies tend to wash up on the shores of Lake Malawi and are considered a local delicacy.

October – November The month of October marks the start of Malawi’s peak game viewing season. In the dry season, wildlife can typi- cally be spotted with ease, given that much of the foliage and vegetation in key wilderness areas has dried up. During the months of October and November, the majestic eland (the world’s largest antelope) can be seen in herds that reach up to the hundreds.

December: In December, crocodile hatchlings can be seen and heard. The high-pitched chirping sounds that they make alert their mother, that their incubation period is over and she deli- cately helps them out of their shells and carries them to the water’s edge. All round, the weather in December starts to cool down again and the occasional shower may occur in the run-up to the rainy season.

MALAWI MALAWI Places of Interest IN MALAWI

Mulanje Mountain Another of Malawi’s incredible beauty spots, Mount Mulanje is a must-see when visiting the country. Found near the southern tip of Malawi, the mountain is the tall- est in the country, with its peak standing at 3000m high. Hikable and drivable – in 4×4 vehicles – Mount Mulanje is not only home to incredible panoramic views that stretch all the way across the border of Mozambique, but has a number of other surprises. The ascent up any part of the mountain is simply stunning, with waterfalls, streams, grassy plains, rock formations and forests scattered across its sloped edges. Many visitors choose to camp up Mulanje and spend their nights surrounded by the nature and wildlife of the mountain.

Liwonde National Park

The most accomplished wildlife spotting and safari area in all of Malawi makes its home along the courses of the Shire River. A vast reserve of flood plains and wetland swamps, of swaying grass fields and baobab groves, it’s a picture of the beautiful backcountry of East Africa. A smattering of good holidaying lodges offers easy access to the park, where walking and motorized safaris showcase everything from bush elephants to side-striped jackals, hyena packs to , waterbucks, baboons and more. There’s also a great diversity of flora to witness, from huge and waxy orchids to pretty lily-spotted ponds.

Lake Malawi National Park Once trodden by the revered Scottish expeditionary and missionary, David Livingstone, the lands of the Lake Malawi National Park are a must for both nature lovers and history buffs. Nestled between he verdant, sylvan hillsides that ring the shores of the country’s largest lake, they encompass both freshwater habitats (famed for their uniquely evolved fish species) and swathes of land to boot. Baboons and antelopes can be spotted strolling the shore, while a clutch of great safari lodges can be found on the reserve’s various islands, from pretty Domwe to handsome Mumbo. There are also the relics of old mis- sionary settlements to see.

MALAWI What to do IN MALAWI

Lake Chilwa Nkhudzi Bay Tumbi Island West

Kasungu National Park Williams Falls World War I Memorial

Jacaranda Cultural Center & Maison de La Lilongwe Jamme Mosque - Maslak-E-Ala-Hazrat Lake Malawi France Craft Market Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve

Chingwe’s hole Kapichira Falls Nankoma Island

Mount Soche Dzalanyama Forest Reserve Mulanje Mountain

Missionary Graves St. Peter’s Cathedral Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve

Likhubula Falls (Dziwe wa Nkhalamba) Cultural Center and Museum Karonga Mumbo Island

Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve Manchewe Waterfalls Lake Malawi National Park

Michiru Mountain Shire Highlands Mvuu Camp

MALAWI