Lakes, marshes and high grasslands showcase Malawi’s scenic diversity. The Nyika Plateau rises above the Great Rift Valley, inviting exploration by 4x4 game and nature drives, mountain bike or on foot. Also a haven for keen birders.
Dec to Mar
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However this contrast, and the diversity of its game and birdlife, is very much part of its charm. The beautiful rolling grassland and wooded valleys are home to large herds of eland, Crawshay’s zebra, roan, southern reedbuck, and warthog. You may even encounter spotted hyena, side-striped jackal. It's also the best place in Malawi to see leopard. These beautiful elusive predators are often spotted on night drives, and even on cool daylight drives, given its temperate climate. Occasionally, elephants migrate across its uplands, moving eastwards from Lake Malawi into Zambia.
Wildlife sightings shift subtly with the seasons, as animals descend to warmer altitudes during the crisp winter months of June to August.. Yet this absence of major predators, such as lion, makes Nyika ideal for active people. . It’s a stunning area for walking safaris and guided mountain bike trails.
Keen botanists will find a hidden treasure: over 200 orchid species burst into bloom during the summer rains, painting the grasslands with delicate colour.
And finally it’s one of Malawi’s birding hotspots. And that’s saying something as the whole country is known for its endemic bird species.
Check out our article on Birding Safaris in Malawi.
At present, Nyika Plateau is reached primarily by charter flight (with a minimum of two passengers).
Overland safaris are possible – but only if you have time. This would be an adventurous route combining the Nyika Plateau with northern Lake Malawi or Tongole Wilderness Reserve en route. We would stll recommend flying back as the distances are great.
NOTE: Winter nights on this African-montane plateau can be surprisingly cold. Warm layers are essential!
The easiest access is usually via charter flight, though road transfers can be arranged for those combining some other northern Malawi highlights – but you need time as distances are great.
Is Nyika good for walking safaris?
Yes, it’s one of the few big-game areas in Africa where walking and mountain biking are safe, thanks to the absence of lions and wild dogs.
When are orchids in bloom?
Generally the orchids bloom from December to March, when the rains bring the plateau’s botanical delights to life.
Intrigued by Malawi’s cool highlands? Let us craft a journey that pairs the wild Nyika Plateau with the warmth of Lake Malawi’s shores.
In my first 24 hours in Malawi I couldn’t have experienced two more contrasting areas … at Chelinda Lodge on the windswept high mountainous plateau of the Nyika National Park and the sub-tropical paradise of northern Lake Malawi. The Nyika Plateau probably doesn’t fit anyone’s visual image of Malawi. It’s an area of high Afro-montane forest - pretty rare in Africa - with a landscape of rolling granite hills well over 2,200 metres in altitude,
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