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Things to Do in Malawi

From snorkeling Lake Malawi's colorful cichlids to elephant safaris in Liwonde National Park - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Lake Malawi dominates the country both geographically and as a travel destination - a freshwater lake so large it holds more fish species than any other lake in the world, most famously its brightly colored cichlids, popular in home aquariums worldwide. Malawi has long been nicknamed 'the Warm Heart of Africa' for the welcome extended to visitors. Here are 4 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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Lake Malawi

A freshwater lake holding more fish species than any other lake on Earth, with clear water suited to snorkeling and diving among its famously colorful cichlid fish.

📍 Lake Malawi

🚉 Buses run from Lilongwe to Salima and Nkhata Bay in three to six hours, and the Ilala ferry works its way down the lake weekly, calling at Likoma Island and Monkey Bay - it is slow and wonderful.

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Liwonde National Park

One of Malawi's best wildlife parks, along the Shire River, with elephants, hippos and a growing population of black rhino and lion following recent reintroduction efforts.

📍 Liwonde, Southern Region

🚉 The park gate is 30 minutes from Liwonde town, which buses from Blantyre and Lilongwe reach in two to four hours; lodges run boat transfers up the Shire river from there.

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Mount Mulanje

The highest peak in Central Africa outside the Rwenzori and Kilimanjaro-Kenya massifs, with multi-day hiking trails and hut-to-hut trekking through forested valleys.

📍 Mulanje, Southern Region

🚉 Minibuses from Blantyre reach Mulanje town in two hours, and the Likhubula forestry office at the foot of the massif is a short taxi ride on, where guides and porters are hired.

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Lilongwe & Zomba Plateau

Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, is a practical arrival point, with the cooler Zomba Plateau nearby offering hiking and views over the surrounding lowlands.

📍 Lilongwe & Zomba

🚉 Lilongwe's minibus ranks link the old and new towns; Zomba is four hours south by bus, and the plateau road above it is a steep 30-minute drive with no scheduled service.

Mark Malawi, get the stamp

🇲🇼MALAWIVISITED

🇲🇼MALAWILIVED

🇲🇼MALAWIWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Malawi?

A week lets you combine Lake Malawi's beaches with a safari at Liwonde National Park; adding Mount Mulanje trekking suits a longer trip of 10 days or more.

What's the best time to visit Malawi?

May-October (dry season) is best for wildlife viewing at Liwonde and hiking Mount Mulanje. Lake Malawi is pleasant most of the year, with the wettest months roughly December-March.

Is Malawi good for a first-time visit?

Yes - it's known for being welcoming and easy to navigate, with English widely spoken and Lake Malawi's lakeside lodges well set up for independent travelers.

Do I need a visa to visit Malawi?

Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can get a visa on arrival for short tourist stays. Check the official visa information for your nationality: malawiembassy.us.

What are some things to do in Malawi on a tight budget?

Lake Malawi's beaches are free, budget-friendly lakeside backpacker lodges are widely available, and local Malawian food (nsima with relish) is very inexpensive.

Can I rent a car in Malawi, and what licence do I need?

Yes, and it makes the lake shore and the plateaus far easier, though the Ilala ferry and the minibuses are part of the experience. A foreign licence in English is valid for up to 90 days; otherwise an International Driving Permit is needed alongside it. Minimum age is generally 23. Traffic drives on the left. Roads between the main towns are paved but narrow, with pedestrians, bicycles and livestock along the edges - night driving is genuinely risky and most residents avoid it. Official visitor information is published by the Malawi Department of Tourism at visitmalawi.mw.