Malawi also known as the Warm heart of Africa, is widely renowned for its beach getaways on the shores of Lake Malawi. This small but vibrant country has a gentle pace of life and some of the friendliest and easygoing locals in Africa.
But besides the crystal waters of the legendary lake, Malawi also offers a unique landscape, rare wildlife, deeply chiseled gorges and valleys from evergreen forests to plunging waterfalls from soaring heights of the plateaus. The Capital City is Lilongwe.
Malawi shares borders to the north and northeast with Tanzania, to the south, east and southwest with Mozambique and to the west with Zambia. Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, is the dominant feature of the country, forming the eastern boundary with Tanzania and Mozambique. The scenery varies in the country's three regions. The Northern Region is mountainous, with the highest peaks reaching over 2,500m (8,200ft), and features the rolling Nyika Plateau, rugged escarpments, valleys and the thickly forested slopes of the Viphya Plateau.
The Central Region is mainly a plateau, over 1,0 00m (3,300ft) high, with fine upland scenery. This is the country's main agricultural area. The Southern Region is mostly low-lying except for the 2,100m- (6,890ft-) high Zomba Plateau south of Lake Malawi and the huge, isolated Mulanje Massif (3,000m/10,000ft) in the southeast.
The best time to visit Malawi is in the dry season: early May to Late October. The best weather is usually experienced in August but as this is the peak period, it can become very crowded and busy. Between January to March is the rainy season and some roads especially in the Nyika Plateau can be impassable.
Game viewing is exceptionally good in the dry season as the vegetation is less dense and animals gather at perennial water sources. Birding is good all year round but best seen between the months of October and November. August and September are the most comfortable times for climbing the Southern Highlands as the mountain air is crisp and cool.
See below Malawi safari tours, hotels and accommodation in the best Malawi safari destinations.