Malawi was first colonized by he British .when it got its independence in the nineteen sixties; it became a single party state. Amongst the densely populated countries , Malazi is the last developed. There is a lot of rural population and the economy is based primarily on agriculture. The people of the region used to be hunter-gatherers.

The climate here is quite hot; especially in the low lying area of the country. However the northern highlands have a temperate climate. Between Novembers an April, there are rains and thunderstorms and March faces severe thunderstorms.

Malawi has two listed UNESCO world heritage sites. These are the Malawi national park and the Chongoni rock art area.

Clusters of one hundred and twenty seven different places in the granite hills in Malawi’s central plateau. Carbon dating shows the theses rocks that have been carved and painted on are very old.  It has been found that the people who were responsible for these amazing rock arts are mostly people from the hunter-gatherer culture.

One is the Chewa ethnic group in the Malawi region who has ancestry going back all the way till the Iron Age. It is believed that this group is also responsible for some of the art works.

And the group has been continuing the tradition to paint on the rocks even now. In fact, their paintings are very closely tied to their festivals and their rituals.  Generally, rock art is not something that is found amongst agricultural folks.  There is also an observation that most of these paintings are created with symbols about women.

The strong persistence of its rich culture and tradition has been depicted in these paintings. The dense and extensive collection of rock art is mainly showed depicting women’s initiation rights, funeral rights were also shown in the paintings. Apart from these there were paintings about agriculture and farming that were depicted on the rocks.

Apparently the Nyau secret society is close associate with this structure and promotes the strong association that lies between the rock art and the lives they lead, the traditions they follow and the rituals that they perform.

A strong part of Malawi culture is its dances and their national event called the national dance troupe. The government was quite proactive in the formation of this organization.

These dances and rituals are performed at initiation rituals, marriage ceremonies and other such similar celebrations.

Basketball and soccer are famous in Malawi.

The local tribes of the region are known for their mask carving and basket making industries. These attributes are prevalent in today amongst the native tribes. Along with these, wood carving and oil paintings are also popular at these places.

The government is making the country very tourist friendly and there will be a variety of things to do once you’re here…

Location

On the upper Shire river plain, 150km north of Limbe . The southern gate lies about 6km from the town center of Liwonde.

Malawi

Flora and Fauna

The best time to view animals is dry season because that’s the time when they come to the river to drink. Elephant, hippo, Burchell’s zebra, black rhino (very rarely seen), warthog, sable antelope, greater kudu, vervet monkey, baboon, impala, water buck, bush buck, mongoose, crocodile and monitor lizard live here and its said that this place is also home to lions who have settled here quite recently. There is a strong population of hippo about 2000 who occupy a stretch of 40km river. Lion and leopard are sometimes seen as they prefer to remain unseen. Hyena can be heard at night.

A large variety of birds can be seen here and African Fish Eagle the national bird can be easily noticed.

There are 7 different plant communities that house some 1,030 species of vascular plants. Mopane woodland dominates the region, named after the tswana word ‘mopane’ referring to butterfly shaped leaves, Baobab trees and poetic fever trees are also found here. There are huge number of wild flowers lilies and orchids which makes the place extremely colorful and when it rains they get more colorful; in particular Impala lily turns into amazing striking pink.

Climate

Extremely hot and humid

Fees and Permit

$5 per day for non Malawian resident

Lodging and Boarding

Chingiuni Hills camp- This is 5km into the park from the southern entrance. This is great place to stay and inter mingle with travelers of other countries. You can relax here and the owners knows how to keep his guests happy and owns a car battery in a place where there is no electricity.

Njobvu Cultural lodge- It is run by local communities and important source of revenue for them and the benefits help them to conserve their utmost valuable cultural and natural resources, a percentage is donated to the nursery schools. By living here you can experience the real Malawian life, sleeping in the traditional mud brick hut in the village and being with the local people is really earth warming thing.

Mvuu camp

Mvuu lodge

How to reach

Air: Lilongwe Airport

Road: Can hire car direct from Lilongwe

Lake Malawi National Park has been awarded the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. The crystal clear waters of the National Park are home to hundreds of species of endemic fish. These species of fish are crucial in the study of the evolutionary process.

The National Park encompasses an area of 9,400 hectares, reaching the highest point at Nkunguni Mountain at 1,140 meters. It is managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

The National Park falls on the southern shore of Lake Malawi, which is the third largest lake in Africa. The lake stretches an amazing 373 miles, forming a common border for Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Lake Malawi is a unique biogeographical province. The water of the lake is stratified and is stunningly clear.

The Nankhumba peninsula’s soil is rocky in nature and vulnerable to erosion. The hills are steep and wooded. Sandy bays are common which includes a picturesque beach near Chembe and Otter Point. The islands are predominantly rocky, with sandy flats and deep water separating individual islands from the mainland. From cliffs to pebbly beaches and wooded hillsides to swamps and lagoons, the Lake Mallawi National Park has it all. Underwater habitats include weedy and reed beds.

The average annual temperature is 22.7°C. The rainfall varies throughout the year with the average falling around 766mm.

The primary reason for establishing the National Park was to protect and preserve the rich and diverse aquatic life of Lake Malawi. The lake boasts of the highest number of species of fish than any other lake in the world. The number of species exceeds 1,000 with over half inhabiting within the National Park. Endemism is in excess of 90% and the adaptive radiation and speciation in the lake is incredible. The lake has 30% of the cichlid species. Of these, more than 400 species, excepting five, are endemic to the lake. The fauna of the lake has myriad colors and is territorial in nature. The majority of the species are mouth-brooders.

Besides the aquatic life, the National Park boasts many mammalian species from the blue monkey to the spotted hyena. Do not be surprised if you encounter the bushbuck and zebra. Black eagles and fish eagles adorn the skyline of the lake. The National Park is not lacking in reptiles and snakes.

Tourism is on the rise with a steady spurt of small hotels designed to be in harmony with the environment. The recreation site situated at Cape Maclear is used frequently used. It is complete with a bar, caravan, and camping site. The environmental-educational complex located at Cape Maclear was sponsored by the World Wide Fund. The institute aims at educating local inhabitants as well as international visitors. In addition, there is a research facility owned by the Department of Fisheries. Research centers on the aquatic and marine life.

Lake Malawi National Park is the only existing lacustrine park in Africa, which protects hundreds of species of fish. Also, it is the first freshwater underwater park in the world.

Travelers wishing to get there would have to hire a car from the Lilongwe airport. There are several tour operators who provide transport facilities to Lake Malawi National Park. Tourists can indulge in several adventure sports from snorkeling and scuba diving to sailing, kayaking, and swimming. Lodging facilities are available within the park.