Shire River - Liwonde National Park © Central Africana

Nyika Plateau © Central Africana

Chinguni Plain - Liwonde

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife protects five National Parks and four Wildlife Reserves. Nyika in the north is the largest and is stunningly beautiful to walk in, drive in or ride over on horseback. Just outside Nyika is Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve with game viewing from the camp and easy access to a tented camp at lake Kazuni
Lake Malawi National Park, centered on the Nankumba peninsula from Cape Maclear south to Monkey Bay, is the largest freshwater reserve in Africa and protects the fish which are endemic to the lake. Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve is another walking area (also only with game scouts) with large herds of elephant in a challenging terrain. From a game viewing point of view Liwonde National Park along the Shire River probably offers the most potential. For those interested in smaller "game", the bird-life in Liwonde is astonishing. The wilderness Safari Lodge at Mvuu offers luxury waterside accommodation at reasonable prices as well as camping facilities. The river trip to get there is very memorable. A very affordable alternative is Chinguni Game Lodge with wonderful views from its setting in the Chinguni hills just 5 km from the park entrance. It has 4 en suite double rooms fully serviced or self catering. Camping is available there and at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge.
Further south, also in the Shire Valley, is Lengwe National Park, a quiet place untroubled by many tourists and famed for its success with the previously rare nyala. Majete Wildlife Reserve, which lies on the east bank of the Shire River and envelops the new Kapichira hydro-electric scheme. In the far south there is Mwabvi Wildlife reserve.

Forest Reserves around Malawi offer visitors lovely walks, low budget accomodation in Forestry Resthouses and the chance to see the smaller mammals, plenty of birds and incest and wonderful evergreen and semi-evergreen forest. Luwawa Forest Lodge on the Viphya Plateau is probably the best known of these lodges.