Nyika Plateau

Contact a specialist about your Nyika Plateau safari

Surrounded by calm turquoise waters you could be mistaken for thinking you are in an Indian Ocean beach resort and you have to constantly remind yourself that Lake Malawi is a freshwater lake. Likoma Island is undoubtedly one of the finest places to relax in Africa.

• Claire Picknell
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This park on the Nyika Plateau is the largest in Malawi, and also the oldest, having been made a National Park in 1965. The Nyika is made up of rolling grassy hills surrounded by steep escarpments and interspersed with forested valleys, most of which are above 2,000 meters above sea level. This vast plateau is a perfect place for game drives, horseback riding and long walks through the long grass. Horse safaris of up to 10 days can be taken through the park. Streams and dams are stocked with trout, and game such as eland, zebra, roan, waterbuck and smaller antelope roam the area. The lower region is also home to elephant and rhino. Night drives reveal eyes of hyenas, jackals and plenty of owls, and if you are lucky you might spot a leopard. Nyika is said to have the highest concentration of leopard in Central Africa. Nyika is also famous for its plant species, with 200 different species of orchids covering the grasslands in the spring. The park is accessible by air, with a small airstrip near Chelinda Camp. The drive from Rumphi is straightforward, although most of it is dirt road, extremely bumpy, and you definitely need a 4WD during the rainy season. In the far north of Malawi, at an altitude of around 2,500m, Nyika is a rolling plateau dotted with stunning mountain outcrops - perfect for walkers and keen riders.

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