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Lake Malawi Holidays - Compare 50 Packages

Everybody who visits Lake Malawi agrees that it’s one of the most beautiful places they’ve ever been. Also known as the ‘Lake of Stars’, this vast inland sea boasts a gorgeous shoreline of sandy beaches shaded by palm and baobab trees, all towered over by the majestic cliffs of the Rift Valley. Unsurprisingly, the lake is also the touristic centerpiece of Malawi, a country widely known as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ thanks to its friendly people and relaxed vibe. And while tourism to Malawi was once dominated by a lively backpacker scene, the lake today is also serviced by some stunning five-star boutique lodges, while adventure activities include kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving courses.

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6 Questions About Lake Malawi Tours

1. Just how big is Lake Malawi?
2. Which are the best beaches to visit on a Lake Malawi holiday?
3. Is Lake Malawi a national park?
4. What wildlife can I see at Lake Malawi?
5. Is Lake Malawi easily combined with a safari?
6. What is the best time of year to visit Lake Malawi?
 
 

6 Questions About Lake Malawi Tours

Answered by Philip Briggs

Just how big is Lake Malawi?

“The statistics are thoroughly impressive. Lake Malawi extends across 29,600km²/11,400mi², making it comparable in area to Belgium and significantly larger than Israel or Rwanda. It ranks as the third-largest lake in Africa and ninth-largest in the world by surface area, and the second-largest in Africa and fifth-largest in the world by volume. Lake Malawi is also unusually long and deep. With a snake-like shape dictated by the contours of the Rift Valley, it measures 560km/350mi from north to south, but is nowhere more than 75km/47mi wide. The maximum depth is 706m/2,316ft, meaning it extends to 238m/780ft below sea level.”

1

Which are the best beaches to visit on a Lake Malawi holiday?

“Lake Malawi is lined with any number of picturesque palm-shaded beaches, and the most suitable base for a vacation will depend to some extent on your taste and budget. A popular choice with budget travelers looking for a happening beach scene is Nkhata Bay, an immensely likable and scenic small town that forms a great base for kayaking and diving. A more upmarket option for sociable travelers is Cape Maclear, which borders Lake Malawi National Park and has a wonderful location overlooking a wide bay studded with rocky islands. For those seeking a more peaceful beach retreat, favorites include Chitimba Beach, with its magnificent location at the base of the Rift Valley cliffs, and the sleepy islands of Likoma and Chizumulu.”

2

Is Lake Malawi a national park?

“Most of Lake Malawi is not accorded any official protection. The one exception is the 94km²/37mi² Lake Malawi National Park, which lies on the southern lakeshore close to Cape Maclear and was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1984. The terrestrial part of this park is home to zebras, hyraxes, baboons and a variety of antelope, while the aquatic portion includes some superb diving and snorkeling sites, including Otter Point and Tumbi Island West.”

3

What wildlife can I see at Lake Malawi?

“With the exception of Lake Malawi National Park, the lake supports a limited variety of wildlife. That said, hippos are residents in certain areas, and it is one of the best places anywhere in Africa to see otters in aquatic action. A less obvious wildlife attraction is the lake’s incredible fish diversity. This includes an estimated 850 species of cichlid, many of which are very colorful and easily seen on snorkeling trips. Finally, there is the prominent birdlife, which includes colorful weavers, bobbing waterfowls and the iconic African fish eagle, pairs of which are often heard duetting in lakeside trees.”

4

Is Lake Malawi easily combined with a safari?

“Yes. It is easy to combine a Lake Malawi holiday with a safari package to one of the country’s parks. Most convenient is Liwonde National Park, which lies on the Shire River a short distance south of where it exits Lake Malawi via Lake Malombe. Liwonde has long offered excellent boat safaris on a wild stretch of river populated by large numbers of hippo, elephants and waterbirds. Following an extensive recent program of reintroductions, it is now home to all the Big Five (rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard and lion), along with cheetah, African wild dog and a varied range of antelope. Malawi’s other major safari destination is Majete Wildlife Reserve, which also lies alongside the Shire River, but is farther from the lake than Liwonde. One of Africa’s most encouraging recent conservation success stories, Majete has been transformed from a half-forgotten tract of poached-out wilderness to a superb safari destination. All the Big Five might be seen here, while other wildlife includes cheetah, African wild dog and an unusually wide variety of antelope including nyala and sable. Other options worth considering include mountainous Nyika National Park and nearby Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve. Southern Africa’s extensive network of regional flights means that it is also possible to include a visit to Lake Malawi and a safari farther afield on the same tour package. Zambia’s excellent South Luangwa National Park is very close to Malawi, and combines with it well, but other options include Zimbabwe, Botswana or Namibia.”

5

What is the best time of year to visit Lake Malawi?

“Lake Malawi can be visited at any time, but the months of May to October, which include the southern hemisphere winter months, are preferable for several reasons. Most importantly, this is the Dry season, which means you are less likely to have activities interrupted by rain, while reduced mosquito activity greatly lowers the risk of catching malaria. Assuming you will also be going on safari, the Dry season generally offers the best wildlife viewing, as animals gather around perennial watering spots, and wildlife-viewing roads are less likely to be muddy. Finally, most visitors prefer the relatively cool temperatures at this time of year to the intense heat and humidity of the southern summer (though do note that the end of the Dry season, starting late September into October, can become oppressively hot before the rains break in late October or November).”

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