Lake Malawi

Technically Malawi is landlocked and indeed it has no direct access to the ocean. Even so, Malawians are not deprived of a big body of water. Lake Malawi – it was Lake Nyasa until 1965, a year after Malawi became independent – dominates the country after which it was named. Lake Malawi is one of the oldest and deepest freshwater lakes in the world and it has more different species of fish than any other lake. In fact, the lake is home to a whopping 850 to 1,000 cichlid fish species, with around 90 percent of them not found anywhere else. At least not in nature. Over the years many cichlids have made it to freshwater aquariums around the world. Some of the most popular ones being Electric Yellow Lab, Red Shouldered and Lemon Jake Peacocks,  Ngara Flametail and Malawi Hawk. If you detect more than just a little bit of hyperbole in these names you would not be incorrect. The naming conventions for aquarium fish are notorious for their flamboyance.  

Not surprisingly, the preconceived ideas I had about Malawi’s shortcomings as a safari destination turned out to be largely inconsequential. By the time I boarded my Airlink flight back to Johannesburg from Blantyre’s dismal Chileka International Airport, at the end of the trip, I was thinking that Malawi deserved another look. Now, in hindsight and having done some additional reading and research, I’m ready to book another trip. With two other members of our team already having visited Malawi previously, we’re ready to assist you with planning your own trip to the warm heart of Africa.  

To be sure, my short visit to Malawi had many highlights, a few surprises and a reality check or two.  

The warmth of the people 

In a blog post in our last (April) newsletter we reported on a Conde Nast poll where readers voted Kenya as the friendliest country in the world. Maybe not enough Conde Nast readers have made it to Malawi. Truly the genuine friendliness of the Malawian people is on display everywhere. I experienced it from the word go – with a perfunctory wave-through upon entering the country in Lilongwe – and it never stopped. When asked about the safety of hiking alone in the forests, the owner of a lodge on the Zomba plateau remarked that the worst that could happen is someone saying hi to you. Probably to some degree this is attributable to a dearth of visitors. Anywhere in Malawi is the direct opposite of Barcelona. Add them up and on a given day there’s probably twice as many pickpockets in Paris as there are foreign tourists in all of Malawi. So if you don’t mind the occasional local striking up a sincere conversation, and if you can handle more than just a few gratuitous smiles, head on over to Malawi. Maybe you’ll just have to write in ‘Malawi’ on the next Conde Nast readers poll, even if it’s not one of the choices for friendliest country.

The aquarium that is Lake Malawi 

I’m no water baby and hence often the last one to say yes to any activity which involves sticking your head under the water. Blame an upbringing in a small town which had maybe five pools. Total. Yet when I found myself in the perfectly warm and crystal clear water surrounding Mumbo island in Lake Malawi, my foibles about breathing through a short pipe with dodgy valves came to an abrupt if temporary end, the moment I saw my first cichlid, a Blue Zebra.  

A Blue Zebra – as I was soon to find out – is not the Malawi equivalent of what you and I may know as a pink elephant, aka the price of extreme overindulgence. It is in fact a tiny, beautiful blue fish with about seven or eight black stripes (thus ‘zebra’) and it feeds on algae often found on submerged rock faces in Lake Malawi. My first Blue Zebra was among the close to 40 or so different tiny fish I observed on that single ‘dive’. Not all were in the exquisite category, to be sure. There were many unassuming, garden variety cichlids to be seen as well, but all were quite fascinating and many exhibited no fear or apprehension despite my hulking presence. 

The hour or so I spent semi-submerged in the balmy near-80F water surrounding Mumbo Island easily matched my three other memorable snorkeling experiences.   

• The very first was at the gorgeous Waialea Bay, just south of Hapuna Beach in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. This small beach is celebrated for its reliable snorkeling because the crescent-shaped bay is protected from heavy swells.  
• My best Africa snorkeling outing was in a deep-water gully running right along the edge of Magaruque Island in the Mozambique channel, on a boat trip from Santorini in Vilanculos. You can drift with the current over a sheer dropoff teeming with reef fish and rays.  
• A third very memorable snorkeling experience was at Nosy Tanikely in Madagascar. So many species, so much color, a truly amazing spot.  

The variety and size of fish and other organisms such as turtles, moray eels and coral reefs off the beaches of Kona, at Magaruque Island and at Nosy Tanikely have the edge on what I saw in Lake Malawi, to be sure. Even so, the visibility in the water around Mumbo Island was simply astonishing. Describing water as ‘crystal clear’ in the context of diving is not without risk as conditions can easily change from one month or one season to the next. However, you would have to be swimming inside a giant bottle of Fiji water to match the clarity of the water around Mumbo Island that afternoon in early November.   

The quality of wildlife viewing

My expectations for the safari portion of the Malawi trip were low. Big game viewing – or so I thought – is not a Malawi thing. Just be happy with the elephants, hippos, impala, waterbuck, zebras and the birds. That was me before the trip. Ask me now and the answer is yes, absolutely you can expect to see some big cats and other ‘Big Five’ mammals in Malawian parks like Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve. This is largely attributable to concerted, long-term conservation initiatives implemented by African Parks, which has been operating Majete since 2003 and Liwonde since 2015. Both are now adequately protected and thriving. Also, the Malawi parks offer an intimate, uncrowded safari experience. If you want to be sure of having some good African painted dog and leopard photo opportunities, then I would strongly recommend incorporating a few days in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park at the start or end of your Malawi trip.  

Striking landscapes

Even the best prepared traveler to southern Malawi might be surprised by the sheer beauty and diversity of the landscapes. One of the highlights of my Malawi trip last year was a brief stay at Huntingdon House on the Satemwa Tea Estates in the Shire highlands of southern Malawi. The cool, misty climate had a distinctly Scottish highlands feel to it, and the patches of montane evergreen forests felt a world away from the hot dry lowlands along the Shire River. 

Likewise, the stark contrast between the Shire rift valley and the ‘sky island’ of Mount Mulanje which reaches to 3,000 meters high. Add the unique table top mountain effect of the Zomba Plateau and there’s never anything ‘boring’ on the horizon. Around the turn of the century,  when he was one of the most popular writers in the English-speaking world, Rudyard Kipling famously referred to a particularly featureless stretch of bush and woodland in Southern Africa as ‘miles and miles of bloody Africa’. It was not southern Malawi.  

Reality check: Deforestation, poverty and infrastructure challenges

While interest in travel to Malawi has lately increased significantly, it is still very much an off-the-beaten-track, ‘best kept secret’ type of destination. The presence of too many other visitors is not going to bother you in Malawi, but there are a few other things which may. Poverty is one of them.  

Despite its scenic beauty, Malawi consistently ranks among the world’s ten poorest nations, with 75% of the population living below the poverty line. This economic hardship manifests as chronic food insecurity, severe childhood malnutrition, and limited educational opportunities, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

In rural areas, subsistence farmers struggle with erratic weather lately manifesting in longer, more severe droughts and unprecedented floods. Urban residents lack basic utilities, relying almost exclusively on wood and charcoal for fuel. This dependence on biofuel has sparked a critical environmental crisis: Malawi’s forest cover has plummeted from 50% in 1975 to under 30% today.

The illegal charcoal industry, though a vital economic lifeline for many, has triggered a devastating ecological cascade:

• Water scarcity: Soil erosion prevents groundwater recharge, drying up wells and reducing stream and river flows.
• Climate vulnerability: Stripped landscapes are defenseless against intensifying floods and droughts.
• Economic disruption: Siltation in rivers hampers hydroelectric power, causing national blackouts.

Visible scars – red, eroded landscapes and clear-cut hills – are all too common along the country’s major roads. While the government has deployed military patrols and announced ambitious reforestation programs, the crisis persists. Until Malawi can transition to sustainable energy and diversified livelihoods, its environment and people remain in a precarious state.

How you can help

First and foremost you can help by looking past those two other tiers of countries to visit and pick Malawi as your next destination. Ecotourism injects cash into poverty stricken areas from the very moment of your arrival in the way of tourist dollars spent on accommodation, food, beverages, guiding fees, tips, shopping and transportation and dozens of secondary suppliers. Tea growers, cattle owners, fruit, vegetable and herb producers and curio artists and dealers all benefit in one form or another. As do many others. 

Property and activity notes

Makokolo Retreat, Lake Malawi

Our Malawi trip started on a spectacular note with a festive lakeside dinner under canvas, hosted by Benedetto Calvani, the genial owner of the family-run Makokolo Retreat on Lake Malawi. The Calvani family and their capable management team  have built Makokolo Retreat into a showpiece family-oriented resort. Even if you don’t care for lakes, pretty views or beautiful gardens, Makokolo (formerly known as Club Mak) is worth visiting just for the Rome-style pizza. Rome-style pizza being round, oil-enriched, and rolled extra-thin for a cracker-like snap. Ideally baked at very high temperatures around 700F and using minimal, high-quality toppings like San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala. 

Makokolo Retreat made an excellent first impression, starting with its gardens which were in great shape, despite the prevailing drought conditions at the time of our visit. My large garden suite room was clean and it had a good shower (water pressure to spare) and a separate toilet enclosure.  

You can hardly visit Malawi without including a short stay on Lake Malawi. For just a day or two – without having to go out of your way – Makokolo Retreat is ideal. A bonus? The small international airport at Makokolo Retreat has direct flights to Mfuwe in Zambia. So no need to travel all the way by road to Lilongwe and fly to Zambia from there. 

Makokolo Retreat has a long list of activities, starting with kayaking, sailing, and waterskiing on the lake. There’s also a scenic 9-hole golf course surrounded by baobabs and speedboat trips to Boadzulu (or ‘Bird’) Island for snorkeling and observing feeding fish eagles. Also on the activities list: sunset cruises or day trips on the MV Sunbird and guided walks to nearby fishing villages and historic missions.

Mumbo Island, Lake Malawi

Mumbo Island is marketed as a rustic, Robinson Crusoe-esque, barefoot paradise experience. It has a superb location with reed chalets perched among giant boulders on a small island in the middle of Lake Malawi. Surrounded by beautiful clean water filled with dozens of species of cichlids and other small freshwater fish. At the time of our visit there were several pretty birds around with the flashy paradise flycatcher being quite prominent. On a snorkeling outing around a rocky point on the south east side of the island, it is easy to spot as many as 50 different species of cichlids when the water is clear, as it was during our early November visit. 

Unfortunately the lodge itself and the rooms were well below par. Not of a standard which we would use for our guests. In short, Mumbo Island is beyond tired and poorly maintained. My negative impressions didn’t stop with failing, chronically neglected infrastructure. I was equally unimpressed with the food and sadly, the general hospitality and staff involvement and enthusiasm. Lunch was uninspired at best: a ham and egg quiche with plain potatoes and eggplant. My substitute vegetarian patty was inedible. Dinner was not much better. Until the lodge is totally renovated or rebuilt I see no reason for it to be included in any visit to Malawi.  

Kefi Hotel, Zomba Plateau

The Kefi Hotel Cafe was everything that Mumbo Island wasn’t. It was fresh, clean and professionally managed by what appeared to be a very ‘hands-on’ team. Set in a beautiful garden, this former colonial house has been converted into a charming hotel, within walking distance from the sights, scenes, and shopping areas in Zomba.  

Even before we made it to our rooms, we had to try the local Malawian coffees and teas, and freshly baked-in-house pastries. Breakfast the following morning was particularly good with simply the best locally made yoghurt! Service was friendly and efficient throughout. I would go back to the Kefi Hotel and Cafe in a heartbeat.  

We  set out on a successful and fun birding outing with an expert local guide, driving up to the Sunbird Kuchawe Hotel and setting out on foot from there. The species diversity is amazing and even avid, experienced southern African birders can count on adding more than just a handful of new life birds to their list.  

Unfortunately our time in Zomba was limited and we spent what little time we had remaining on a short walk through the Zomba central market. Beyond the mounds of dried fish and smoked catfish, there were some pretty fresh-cut flowers and some unusual fresh produce like strawberries, plums and radishes. Together with the usual tropical staples like mangoes and cassava.  

Zomba, at one time the capital of Malawi (and recognized more than once for being the prettiest capital in British Colonial Africa) has lost some of its grandeur, but it’s still worth including in your Malawi travel plans.  

Liwonde National Park

We visited two safari camps in Liwonde National Park, the best wildlife viewing area in Malawi. These were Mvuu Lodge and Camp, which date back to the mid 1990’s and a relative upstart – Robin Pope’s Kuthengo camp which hosted its first guests in 2018. 

African Parks has operated and managed Liwonde National Park since 2015, improving biodiversity by reintroducing various species including cheetahs, black rhinos, African painted dogs and lions, and translocating elephants. This has led to a surge in predator sightings with lions and cheetahs now encountered regularly. 

The Shire River (along which both camps are situated) takes center stage, and boat safaris remain the undisputed highlight. The open-sided aluminum skiff-type boats operate in a delta-like environment, with the edge of the boats often just meters from elephants, waterbuck and other species wading through aquatic plants. We saw incredible numbers of hippos right alongside the rivers, sometimes literally dozens of them at the same time. 

Two other surprisingly good activities were night drives and observing animals coming to the water hole at the Mvuu woodland hide. Notably elephants, but we had a total species count of eight: elephant, buffalo, impala, zebra, warthog, kudu, waterbuck, vervet monkeys and baboons.

With only three lodges inside Liwonde National Park, guests can look forward to exploring the wilderness up close, without too many other vehicles and people being around. Most importantly I think, it’s not just game drive after game drive. You could opt for tracking a black rhino in the morning and watch the sun go down in the late afternoon from a boat – surrounded by hundreds of hippos.

Kuthengo camp

Kuthengo Camp made a good first impression and it was sustained. All-round the camp delivered an excellent, if all too brief experience: friendly and obliging staff and management, exceptionally tasty and attractively presented food and first class guiding. The appeal of Kuthengo starts with its setting, overlooking the banks of the Shire River, with some stately fever trees and baobabs providing contrast and cover. With just five spacious safari tents (one being a family unit), a Kuthengo stay is very much an intimate, personalized experience. A boating safari on the Shire River is always a good choice at Kuthengo, and later on that day a night drive exceeded all of our expectations when we reeled off one after another exciting sighting of nocturnal mammals.  

Sleep came quite easily that evening despite the early summer heat, courtesy of the eco-friendly “Evening Breeze” air-conditioner built into the bed’s canopy. Kuthengo’s rooms are spacious and beyond comfortable, with en suite facilities, complete with a bathtub and outdoor shower.  

Mvuu Lodge and Camp

The wildlife viewing at Mvuu exceeded my expectations. Over the course of just two days we saw a wide range of mammals from impala to waterbuck, kudu, zebra, buffalo, warthogs, eland, hippos, elephants and lions. Other species to be seen in the area include the stunning sable antelope, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, roan, eland and reintroduced  black rhino. The birdlife in Liwonde is prolific with as many as 400 of Malawi’s total of around 650 species, either resident or seasonal migrants. A sighting of Pel’s fishing owl and the pretty Bohm’s bee eater (a life bird!) created some special moments for us.    

Another highlight was a 2-hour stint (from 7 to 9 am) in Mvuu’s woodland hide/blind. I daresay most of us would have been happy to spend at least half a day there. The large pond had lots of impalas and baboons on its edge the entire time, with several other species including kudu, buffalo, elephants and zebra moving to the edge of the water at different times. Very entertaining!  

While we didn’t have the time for it, it’s clear that Mvuu has all the ingredients for a more than satisfactory ‘armchair safari” experience, with elephants, hippos, and crocodiles to be seen directly from the deck and the dining area. The food at Mvuu was perfectly fine, ranging from their ‘Full Safari’ English breakfast option to the signature fresh chambo (locally sourced tilapia) for lunch, and dinner main courses such grilled beef, or a traditional curry buffet. The rooms are more than comfortable with teak furniture, twin or king-sized beds with crisp linens, and small writing desks. The layout is open and airy, making use of solar power for lighting and fans. The bathroom had a shower with adequate water pressure.  

Activities at Mvuu Lodge include early morning bush walks, boating on the Shire, game drives, sundowner safaris, bush dining, spending time in the photographic hides, and community engagement. 

Mkulumadzi Camp,  Majete National Park

Robin Pope’s Mkulumadzi is a pretty safari camp right at the confluence of the Mkulumadzi and Shire rivers. Even in the teeth of the dry season when we were there, the water in the Shire was flowing strongly along a rocky stretch in front of the camp, creating a pleasing white noise effect. 

We were keenly anticipating the late dry season game viewing but it was not to be. In fact the wildlife viewing was – to put it mildly – challenging within the thickly wooded park, with few open areas and narrow banks along the Shire river. We did see a few sable antelope, some handsome nyala antelopes and came upon a pride of lions feeding beneath a tree, but they were not visible from the road. There were a few elephants around as well. In aggregate, the area just did not produce the numbers and diversity of wildlife which we would ideally want our guests to experience. We think that Majete deserves a second chance as the severe drought at the time likely caused most of the animals to temporarily move into nearby areas with better access to grazing. 

The rooms at Mkulamadzi were large and comfortable with excellent views over the  Shire river. As  always I was happy to see a large tub in the bathroom; there was also an outdoor shower. The large king size bed was fitted with a proficient mosquito net and it had an effective over-the-bed cooling unit. 

The food at Makulumadzi was excellent with several main course options for lunch and dinner. Guests walk into camp across a suspension bridge over the Mkulumadzi River. For most guests it’s a thrilling experience but anyone with a fear of heights might have a tough time repeating the walk multiple times during their stay. Something else which stood out about Mkulumadzi: the wonderful managing couple and friendly staff; it felt like a member of the team was around at all times and it made for a convivial, fun experience.  

The lodge has eight chalets, each with spacious living quarters and a private viewing deck. Guests can swim in the pool, dine under the stars, go on game drives and walking safaris, and even sleep under the stars on the star-deck which can be booked for overnight stays.

Majete National Park is known as Malawi’s only “Big Five” reserve, and it is truly a conservation landmark. Once depleted by poaching, it now counts lions, rhinos, and cheetahs among its impressive mammal list. Majete feels very much undiscovered and uncrowded compared to other major parks in the region.  

Huntingdon House, Satemwa tea estate 

Of all the places we visited in Malawi, the one I am looking forward the most to revisit is Huntingdon House on the Satemwa tea estate. Guests describe Huntingdon House as a refined “step back in time,” and that it is. The owner-managers and their team have created a warm and welcoming sense of hospitality and warmth in a setting which exudes colonial elegance and old world romance. 

Is Huntingdon House the place where you can seamlessly disappear into your own mini-Bridgerton experience? Absolutely. Indulge in some daydreaming, have a cup of the locally grown Satemwe black tea, play a bit of croquet on the lawn, enjoy a fine three-course meal. Doze off to the sounds of birds or maybe browse around the library and stumble on the story of the original owner. And repeat.  

A stay at Huntingdon House could easily lull you into a somnolescent state, but not for long. The tranquil, emerald-green surroundings are filled with things to do and see. Bird-watcher or not, by all means do the birding walk in the garden and from there down the hill towards the beautiful tea plantations, and eventually into a patch of local forest. In about 90 minutes or so you’ll see more than just a few interesting and beautiful species of birds and feel a lot better about the prospect of a generous slice of cake over high tea later in the day.  

Come to think of it, the food at Huntingdon House was excellent to a fault. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. If I absolutely had to choose, my favorite was a delicious vegetarian lunch: a spinach quiche with fresh salad with a delightful mustard vinaigrette. With a lovely chocolate cake to finish.  

Two other activities that helped burn off a few of those excess calories were a tea plantation walk and educational talk by a local guide – Lamek. Great information and several good photo opportunities. One of the friendly Huntingdon waitresses – Veronica – gave me some hints for a run around the estate and it turned out to be every bit as nice as I had anticipated. For many guests, the tea and coffee tastings and factory tours are major highlights, alongside walks through the manicured tea fields at sunrise.

The old-world charm of Huntingdon House is very much reflected in the individually themed rooms like The Chapel and Mother’s Room, featuring claw-foot tubs and four-poster beds. Not quite as charming were the water issues in my room: The Chapel. At one time absolutely nothing would come out of the faucet, just a hiss and groan which matched my own feelings about the situation. The water did eventually come back but it was sporadic at best and not nearly as hot as I prefer it. So clearly there are some infrastructure issues, hardly a surprise given the antiquity of the pipes and heating system and everything associated with that. In retrospect it was a minor issue but prospective guests should know not to expect all the usual bells & whistles of a modern hotel. 

Getting in and out and around

Flying into Lilongwe from Zambia was easy and uneventful.

U.S. citizens currently require a visa to enter Malawi for tourism. The most efficient method to obtain a visa is to apply online in advance for an e-Visa, at this site:  Malawi e-Visa.   The e-Visa costs US$50 and typically takes 3 to 5 days to process. While visas on arrival are available, the online portal is preferred. Your passport must be valid for six months and have two blank pages. Be sure to carry proof of accommodation and your return flight itinerary for immigration.

Getting to Zambia from the US typically involves a one-stop connection. Major carriers like Qatar Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways provide reliable access into Lusaka (LUN). For those heading straight to Victoria Falls, Livingstone (LVI) is well-served by regional connections from Johannesburg (Airlink) and Nairobi.

Once on the ground, major arteries like the Great North and Great East Roads are generally paved and functional but suffer from deep potholes and stray livestock. If your safari includes some road transfers between cities & areas – and most of them do – don’t expect an average speed of much more than 40 to perhaps 50 mph. During the rainy season (December–March), secondary roads often become impassable, making internal bush flights essential for reaching remote safari camps.

Both Bert and Lyndon have been in Malawi recently so reach out to either of them to start a discussion about traveling to Malawi – maybe in conjunction with Zambia – sometime soon.  Bert at bert@fisheaglesafaris.com and Lyndon at lyndon@fisheaglesafaris.com.  Or call and leave a message with our answering service at 1-800-513-5222. 

Mkulumadzi property photos courtesy Robin Pope Safaris except for room deck view and tub. Huntingdon misty tea fields credit Huntingdon House.