Come face to face with a herd of elephants, enjoy the beautiful scenery, canoe across Lake Malawi and watch the sun sink into the Shire River. Malawi is blessed with five amazing national parks and offers a combination of flora and fauna that you will not find anywhere in Africa. Malawi is a country with a lot of diversity and is therefore also very suitable as a tour country. With good roads, clear signage and numerous scenic routes to discover landscapes and national parks.
The Shire River, part of the Zambezi Basin, runs right through the park and provides water all year round. A boat safari is therefore one of the most popular activities in the Liwonde National Park. You are guaranteed to spot hippos here and even on land you will encounter these impressive animals. In addition to hippos, you will find large numbers of elephants, crocodiles, zebras, hartebeests, impalas and, since last year, also some cheetahs. Bird lovers will also have the time of their lives here. Landscape-wise, Liwonde is an absolute must, with both savanna and woodland areas. Enjoy the many views 'decorated' with baobab and palm trees.
The hilly Majete National Park is located about 65 kilometers southwest of the former capital Blantyre. Since 2012, the park can count itself among the select group of African 'big five' parks. The 70,000 hectare reserve in the southern Shire Valley is home to numerous game species, including crocodiles, elephants, black rhinoceroses, hippos, buffalo, waterbuck, nyala, zebra, kudus and monkeys. You can also look for lions, leopards or one of the hundreds of bird species. As in all Malawian national parks, you have several breathtaking accommodation options in Majete.
The Nyika Plateau National Park is the largest and oldest park in Malawi. The plateau in the north lies at an altitude of approximately 2,200 meters and covers no less than 3,200 square kilometers. The highest point is Nganda Point at 2,600 meters. Landscapes alternate, from mountain forests to lovely streams and from open savannas to steep mountain peaks. Explore Nyika on a mountain bike, because the sand and mud roads are perfect for it. At the viewpoints you can enjoy beautiful panoramas through the vastness of the park, reaching as far as Lake Malawi and Tanzania in clear view. Special in the national park is the high concentration of leopards. With more than 400 exotic bird species, Nyika is high on the list of many bird watchers.
Nkhotakota National Park with its hilly landscape is the most rugged park in Malawi and is crossed by a number of rivers. The park is less known, because it has been on the way back. The emptied Nkohtakota Reserve has welcomed a lot of 'new' wildlife since the arrival of conservation organization African Parcs. For example, the largest elephant migration ever took place in the past two years. No less than 520 elephants were transferred from Liwonde and Majete to Nkhotakota. With the migration of the pachyderms and the structured monitoring of the park, African Parcs is working on making the living environment more sustainable for the animals in and residents around the park. In addition to the elephants, 1,400 animals such as buffalo, eland, impala and waterbuck have also moved to the park.
The tropical lake with its white beaches, clear water, small bays and islands is the pearl of the country. The world's third largest freshwater lake is Malawi's greatest natural attraction and offers all the ingredients for the perfect vacation. Ideally suited to enjoy a sun-drenched tropical beach after your safari or other impressive travel experiences. With more than a thousand species of fish, of which more than 350 occur only here, Lake Malawi is also a dream destination for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. And for those looking for something very special, a few days on the paradisiacal Likoma Island is truly exclusive. By boat from Monkey Bay or – several days a week – with a propeller plane from Lilongwe. And you are assured of a fantastic view from the air.
