Everything in one place: the lake, the parks, the culture, the seasons and the practical details. Save it to your device, print it, or ask us to send it to you.
Lake Malawi stretches close to 600 kilometres along the country's eastern edge — a freshwater sea so clear that David Livingstone named it the Lake of Stars. It holds more species of fish than any other lake on earth, and its beaches shift from golden sand to smooth granite boulders within a single bay.
Malawi's parks have undergone one of Africa's great conservation turnarounds. Lions, rhino, cheetah and hundreds of elephants have been returned to reserves that were nearly emptied a generation ago — and today you can watch them with barely another vehicle in sight.
Malawi earned its name — the Warm Heart of Africa — from its people. Greetings are unhurried, markets are loud with laughter, and visitors are folded into village life with a generosity that stays with them long after they leave.
May to October for dry, clear days. December to March is green, lush and quiet.
Flights into Lilongwe (LLW) and Blantyre (BLZ); overland from Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Malawian Kwacha (MWK). Cards work in cities; carry cash for villages and markets.
English is official, Chichewa is widely spoken. 'Muli bwanji?' means 'How are you?'
Malaria prophylaxis is recommended. Drink filtered or bottled water.
Private transfers, the Ilala ferry on the lake, and domestic flights between parks.