​Overview – Nyika NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Malawi.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Malawi.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Bradt guidebook to Malawi.

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Malawi.

This vast national park on a high-altitude plateau is very different from all other parks and reserves in the country. The mountain scenery is a big attraction of the park – walking and mountain biking are popular activities, in addition to game drives. Although this isn’t a Big Five destination, there is a good amount of wildlife on the plateau.

Best Time To Go Nov to May (More animals and pleasant temperatures)
High Season July to September (Never busy, but high season rates)
Size 3,134km² / 1,210mi²
Altitude 590-2,482m / 1,936-8,143ft

Pros & Cons

  • Beautiful mountain scenery
  • Well organized lodge and attractive cottages
  • Camping is available
  • Activities include game drives, walks, mountain biking and fishing
  • Limited accommodation options in the park
  • Not many big safari animals
  • Very cold in winter

Nyika NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

Wildlife

Nyika is not a conventional wildlife destination: the attraction is more the combination of animals and a beautiful setting, rather than ticking off sightings. Lions are absent, but leopard is regularly seen both at night and during the day. Spotted hyena and other nocturnal creatures can sometimes be spotted on night drives. Crawshay's zebra, eland, roan antelope, common duiker and warthog are all common on the plateau.

Scenery

Nyika Plateau is possibly the largest area of high montane (mountain) grassland left in Africa. The rolling grasslands with pockets of indigenous forest and large stands of exotic pine and eucalyptus plantations are often compared to a European, specifically Scottish, landscape. Of note is the abundance of wildflowers, especially the roughly 200 orchid species which flower in January and February, of which 11 are endemic to Nyika.

Weather & Climate

Due to its high altitude, Nyika Plateau (the area of the park accessible to tourists) has a temperate climate. Temperatures are relatively uniform throughout the year, but there is a peak in October/November at the beginning of the Wet season. The yearly rainfall is almost entirely during the Wet season, from November to April. The Dry season (from May to October) is colder, and June to August can be bitterly cold at night.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Nyika Plateau is during the Wet season months from November to April. At this time, fair weather makes morning and afternoon drives more pleasant. This is different to other parks in the region because of the Nyika Plateau’s high altitude and cold temperatures. Some animals tend to move to lower slopes in the Dry season, from May to October.

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Nyika Safaris

Nyika NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Philip Briggs  –  
South Africa ZA

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

A hiker’s paradise
4/5

Malawi’s largest and most scenic national park protects the lofty Nyika Plateau, which averages over 2000m in altitude and supports a mixed cover of grassland, moorland and forest. In conventional game-viewing terms, it is something of a...

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Latest User Review
Daniel @ Zamsato  –  
Zambia ZM
Reviewed: Feb 10, 2020
Nyika Plateau - the Scottish Highlands of Africa
5/5

Nyika Plateau is 3200sqkm in size and the biggest national park in Malawi and the third smallest in Zambia (only 80sqkm are on the Zambian side). It's more than 2000m above sea levelwith Nganda Peak the highest point at 2606m. It's alpine...

Full Review