Experience the beauty of... INTRODUCTION A WARM WELCOME AWAITS IN MALAWI alawi is not only the warm heart of Perhaps like no other nation, Malawi is a nation Africa, but also the genuinely friendly, dominated by a lake. In fact, Lake Malawi, the third- Msafe and in many ways undiscovered largest in Africa, covers an impressive 20 per cent heart of Africa – an exclusive destination that of the country’s total surface area. It is thought is just that little bit di erent from its better- to contain more species of fi sh – many of them known neighbours. endemic – than any other body of water on Earth. It’s a place where tourists seem to be travellers. The main attractions of Lake Malawi are Typically, they are visitors who already know its discreet island hideaway properties, its Africa but now seek a more varied and surprisingly smart lakeside lodges, and the great altogether broader experience. In fact, Malawi’s opportunities to dive, snorkel, kayak, sail and swim unique selling point is the sheer variety of things in its delightfully warm and crystal-clear waters. to see and do in a comparatively confi ned area. Malawi has great and improving game Parks SOARING and Reserves (there are nine, in fact) with a Away from the lake, visitors are attracted by broad and growing range of species, great walking and climbing, especially in the Mulanje birdwatching, varied climates and interesting Massif, with its soaring peaks of up to 3,000 topographies. metres, where climbers will fi nd excellent facilities including teams of willing porters. Malawi’s parks and reserves are growing in Visitors can also go horse riding (even within popularity – as the number of newly built camps Nyika National Park) and mountain biking. and smart lodges will testify – and overall animal and visitor numbers are rising as a result of The Shire Highlands area around Mulanje is the e­ orts by the Department of National Parks heart of Malawi’s famous tea-growing region. & Wildlife and those working closely with the Both Mulanje and Thyolo have tea plantations Department. featuring restored colonial estate houses where guests are treated to old-style service and But wildlife and birds are not the only reasons to delicious home cooking. visit Malawi. 2 Karonga L TANZANIA a k e M a l a Rumphi w i N OR THE R N Mzuzu Nkhata Bay Mzimba ZAMBIA L a k e M a l a MALAWI Nkhotakota Kasungu Then there is the cultural life, which has a higher profi le in Malawi than in many other African destinations. Most itineraries drawn up by tour CE NT RA L Ntchisi MOZAMBIQUE operators will include some aspects of the local culture – the cuisine, the ceremonies and the w Dowa lifestyle – with opportunities to interact with Mchinji i Salima local people. Lilongwe In terms of getting around, the national road network has been greatly improved. Journey times have been shortened between Lake Dedza Malawi and both Lilongwe and Blantyre as well Mangochi as to and from the main parks and reserves. Lake This has made itinerary planning more certain, Malombe Ntcheu allowing tour operators to intensify trips in MOZAMBIQUE terms of what to see and do. Lilongwe and Blantyre, the commercial centre of Machinga Malawi, are both easy to get around. The newly r e i Zomba Lake developed area of Lilongwe, just north of the S h Chilwa Mwanza Old Town, has been thoughtfully laid out and S OU THE R N boasts the country’s fi rst fi ve-star hotel. Blantyre Blantyre also has many fi ne hotels, geared largely to Chiradzulu business visitors. Chikhwawa Mulanje S h Thyolo i Whether one is arriving as a tourist or travelling r e on business, Malawi is a place that visitors AFRICA always want to return to; and for those posted to Malawi from overseas, it is a place they don’t ever seem to want to leave. Malawi Nsanje 3 WILDERNESS & WILDLIFE GLORIOUS NATIONAL PARKS or the fi rst time in many years, Malawi restocking and careful translocation. More now o ers Big Five game viewing in rangers have been engaged; highway links are Fsome of Africa’s best managed and being improved, as well as the tracks inside the least crowded national parks and reserves. parks and reserves. Moreover, the signposting is much better now. New camps and lodges, Malawi’s Department of National Parks and often with local community involvement, are Wildlife (DNPW) is responsible for 12 ‘protected’ appearing in greater numbers, too. areas comprising fi ve national parks, four wildlife reserves and three sanctuaries. Thanks Malawi’s parks and reserves are astonishingly good to some innovative ideas in relation to game value. Revised daily fees are US$10 for foreigners, management, Malawi has transformed its wildlife $7 for resident foreigners, $1 for Malawians and and wilderness areas. Partly as a result, animals free entry for accompanied children under 12. and species numbers are on the increase. This Foreign vehicles are charged $3 to $15 depending upbeat assessment contrasts sharply with the on weight and Malawi vehicles $3 to $10. situation of the 1990s when poaching and issues of land use were a major problem. Malawi’s main wildlife areas are: Much remains to be done, but Malawi is moving Nyika National Park is the nation’s largest at in the right direction as it seeks to restore its 3,200 sq km. Nyika contains one of Africa’s national parks and reserves to their former fi nest examples of montane plateau with high glory, both naturally and with the help of densities of leopard as well as zebra, roan, eland and reedbuck; on the lower slopes there are elephant and bu­ alo as well as warthog, Zebras at Kuti Community Ranch, Salima bushpig and hyena. The park also contains about 200 species of orchid. Nyika is also popular with birdwatchers. It contains more than 400 species, including the rare Denham’s bustard, the wattled crane and the endemic red-winged francolin. Other activities within the park include trekking, mountain biking and horse riding. 4 Main picture: Feeding time for lions – one of the Big Five at Majete Wildlife Reserve Above: Mother and baby elephants at GLORIOUS NATIONAL PARKS Lifupa Dam in Kasungu National Park The 2,316 sq km Kasungu National Park, again Lake Malawi National Park is Malawi’s smallest bordering Zambia, is Malawi’s second-largest. and is also a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Animal densities are not high as in Nyika; but park occupies the Cape Maclear peninsula and the park has roan, sable, kudu, impala and was set up to protect the more than 1,000 fi sh hartebeest plus some zebra and bu­ alo. Lucky species and other aquatic creatures in the lake. visitors might get to see wild dog and serval. The park also contains hyena, and hippo in the Lufupa Dam. WILDLIFE RESERVES: The 700 sq km Majete Wildlife Reserve is run JEWEL by the African Parks Network. African Parks has reintroduced about 3,000 animals. The Big Many consider the 580 sq km Liwonde National Five, including black rhino, can now be seen Park to be the jewel in the crown in terms of here. Sable are also present. game-viewing; and it is certainly one of the most scenic, with the Shire River winding along The hard-to-reach Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve, its western border. The park has elephant, rhino, covering 340 sq km, is now in the hands of bu­ alo and hippo as well as sable, impala, Project African Wilderness (PAW), which has reedbuck, oribi and big cats such as leopard a management agreement with DNPW to run and serval. There are also good opportunities the area. The Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve has to view the exotic bird species. su­ ered from neglect and animal sightings are now limited; but the DNPW is making e­ orts Lengwe National Park, right on the to upgrade it. Birdwatching, however, remains Mozambique border, has su­ ered a great deal excellent. The 900 sq km Vwaza Marsh Wildlife in the past from poaching. But Lengwe is the Reserve is home to Malawi’s widest range of most northerly habitat of the nyala. A few large mammals, including elephant, hippo, kudu other antelope live in the park, but are harder and impala. to spot. The birdlife is abundant, however, and enthusiasts will be eager to see the black-and- Both wildlife and beach options are available white fl ycatcher, barred cuckoo and bush-shrike at the Kuti Community Ranch in Salima. Finally, among many. there are three wildlife sanctuaries in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu. 5 CULTURAL HERITAGE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE... alawi has a rich cultural heritage. these is distinct from the others with its own Much of its culture has deep tribal outstanding features. Mroots, while some of its newer festivals and events are truly national in scope and MALAWI CULTURAL FESTIVAL importance. The Malawi Cultural Festival (MaCFest) was In recent years there has been an upsurge of launched in 2012. Billed as a celebration of festivals and other cultural events at various everything Malawian in terms of culture, this key locations in Malawi, providing visitors and event features poetry, the visual arts, traditional local people alike with a brilliant showcase dances, theatre and band performances. for artistic talent across the whole spectrum, from dance and drama to fi lms and fashion. The aim of MaCFest is to revitalise the cultural Lovers of Malawian arts and culture are spoilt life of Malawi by providing an annual celebration for choice when it comes to events.