More Than a Lake: The Ultimate Guide to Malawi’s Hidden Gems

Malawi has attractions and activities to suit everyone

The main attraction in Malawi is Lake Malawi in the east. This beautiful ‘jewel in the crown’ of Malawi is a vast and landlocked freshwater lake that meets a sandy beach and offers a wide variety of watersports.

Yet there’s more to Malawi than just the lake; the country also has mountains, an abundance of interesting wildlife, and rich cultural traditions. For those embarking on an overland African tour, it’s good to know about all that Malawi has to offer so you can include more experiences that appeal to you.

A beautiful and varied landscape

alawi can be roughly divided into two parts: Lake Malawi and the surrounding lowlands in the east, and the highlands in the west.

One third of Malawi’s land area is taken up by Lake Malawi (formerly Lake Nyasa). This is an astonishing figure, and it’s why the country is sometimes referred to as “the land of lake”. White-sand beaches line much of the lake, and beyond that are warm, fertile plains where you find riverine wetlands, woodlands, and farmland.

The west of Malawi is a highland plateau of rolling hills, deep gorges, indigenous forests, tree plantations, and mountains. The highest peak is Mount Mulanje in the southern highlands; it stands 3,002 m (9,849 ft) above sea level.

The highlands and lowlands are separated by the Great Rift Valley escarpment wall, a dramatic feature of the landscape.

The wildlife you can find on safari

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Malawi is its varied wildlife. In fact, it’s a growing safari destination thanks to recent efforts by African Parks and other bodies to reintroduce certain large species and focus on conservation efforts and community buy-in.

There are various predators in Malawi, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs, and civets are widespread. There are also populations of jackals, genets, and servals, but they are less frequently seen. As far as scavengers go, hyenas are the most common and can be spotted in all the protected land areas.

There are plenty of bush elephants in the different parks. And the endangered black rhino has been successfully reintroduced into Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve.  Such efforts mean Malawi can once again boast of having the Big Five. Other popular wildlife in Malawi are buffaloes, zebras, warthogs, hippos and crocodiles. And there are many antelopes, like eland, roan, sable, nyala, Livingstone’s suni, and Sharpe’s grysbok.

The top game parks for an epic Malawi safari are:

• Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve in the Viphya Mountains of northern Malawi
• Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in the southern lowlands
• Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in the lowlands of central Malawi

The many birds of Malawi

Malawi has over 650 species of birds. They are primarily woodland or grassland varieties, including Livingstone’s flycatcher, the red-winged francolin, and the endemic Lillian’s lovebird. Its waterbirds include black-breasted snake eagles, African marsh harriers, hamerkops, and peregrine falcons.

The country’s highland parks and reserves are the top birding spot in the country as their unique montane forest ecosystems boast several endemics and near-endemics. The most sought-after are the yellow-throated apalis, Thyolo alethe, and white-winged apalis. Other notably rare and exciting species are the Cholo alethe, Malawi batis, olive-headed greenbul, Bertram’s weaver, yellow-browed seedeater, and montane widowbird. To look for such birds, head to the Mulanje and Zomba Plateaux and Dzalanyama and Ntchii Forests.

Other top birding sites in Malawi include the islands of Lake Malawi, which are a haven for fish eagles, pittas, kingfishers, and other waterbirds. For wetland species, visit Liwonde National Park or Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve and do a boat safari.

Note that the best time for birding holidays in Malawi is November to April, as this is when migratory species are present.

Top adventure activities in Malawi

Popular tourist activities on and around Lake Malawi include canoeing, watersports, freshwater diving, and horse riding. You can visit and explore some beautiful islands too during your overland trip.

Malawi’s attractions and activities are often limited in foreigners’ minds to just Lake Malawi. However, on land, visitors can enjoy traditional game drives as well as walking and horse-riding safaris. You can also go trekking, hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing.

Mt Mulanje’s Sapitwa Peak is one of the most popular trekking destinations. This is a challenging trek that takes two or three days to complete, and there are huts for accommodation. Those who reach the summit can boast of having climbed the highest peak in south-central Africa. If you enjoy a physical challenge, why not include this incredible experience in your overland itinerary?

Immersive cultural experiences

The Malawian people are friendly, warm, and welcoming. The country’s tourism office has even chosen to focus on this aspect of the national personality with its chosen slogan: “The warm heart of Africa”.

Malawi has many different cultural heritages, but all have a strong focus on community. So the best way to learn about the culture is to join a small tour or workshop in the region you’re visiting. These could include attending a pottery or cooking class. You could also watch a traditional dance performance, like the Gule Wamkulu dance of the Chewa, the main people group of the country.

Another popular activity is going out onto the lake with a local fisherman in order to see how he plys his trade and visiting a traditional fishing village to learn about the lore and practices of fishing on Lake Malawi.

Whatever you choose to do, you can be sure you’ll be warmly welcomed, as this is perhaps the true signature of Malawi.

Note: this blog post was updated in September 2025.