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Lake Malawi National Park in Malawi

From safari bush land on the shores to tropical islands and crystal clear waters filled with colorful fish, Lake Malawi National Park is a unique and diverse destination. The park is renowned for its scenic beauty and is perfect for exploration and adventure. Dive into the inviting blue waters of the lake to see an underwater paradise teeming with curious aquatic life. Enjoy breathtaking African sunsets over the shimmering lake as the sky transitions into brilliant shades of red and gold. Travel to Lake Malawi National Park in Malawi for a wonderfully scenic and relaxing safari experience!

  • Best Time to Go

    May - October

  • Average Safari Cost

    $50 - $150 pp/day. Park fee: $10 (adult), $0 (children under 12)

  • Highlights

    Lake Malawi, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, water skiing, boat safaris, beautiful scenery and sunsets.

Why Visit Lake Malawi National Park

Lake Malawi is the largest freshwater lake in Africa. It's sparkling waters meet blue skies on the horizon and its depths are home to an abundance of brightly coloured endemic fish. Enjoy various outdoor water activities such as snorkelling, sailing, kayaking, swimming and water skiing on the lake. Even during winter, the days are warm, sunny and perfect for relaxing by the cool, glistening waters of Lake Malawi.

Lake Malawi National Park is a diverse and truly beautiful safari destination. It combines a traditional bush safari with a tropical beach paradise and results in the perfect destination for people who enjoy both!

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Beautiful scenery
  • Many water-based activities
  • See many endemic fish found nowhere else in the world
  • Excellent birding destination
  • Boat safaris
Cons
  • Lacks many typical safari animals
  • Not a typical wilderness safari

Best Time to Go

The best time to visit Lake Malawi National Park is during the dry season, from May to October. This is the best time for game viewing as the animals will gather at the water sources and is easier to see through the sparse vegetation. Despite this being winter time, days are warm and pleasant and is perfect weather for a dip in the lake! Nights can be quite cold so be sure to pack warm clothes along with your swimsuits.

The wet season is from November to April and consists of hot, humid days and frequent rainfall, especially from January to February. Heavy rainfall may disrupt activities and travel plans as some roads may become difficult and unsafe to drive on.

For more information when to visit see our Malawi Safari - Complete Travel Guide.

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Wildlife and Birds

Lake Malawi National Park is renowned for the incredible aquatic life within the lake. Swim among the multicoloured fish, the majority of which are endemic Chichlidae - known locally as mbuna. The land is home to many baboons, vervet monkeys, hippos and antelope. You may even find the occasional leopard in the park.
The List of Animals
  • Leopard
  • Hippo
  • Kudu
  • Zebra
  • Baboon
  • Crocodile

Rare Animals

  • Leopard

Frequently Seen Animals

  • Zebra, baboon, monkey, kudu, hippo and crocodile
Birdwatching
Lake Malawi National Park is an excellent birding destination. Cormorants and kingfishers can be found around the shorelines, while nightjars, hamerkops and hornbills patrol the land. African fish eagles are Malawi's national bird and can frequently be seen perching by the water's edge.

Getting There and Safety

Flights

For the flights to Malawi, it is advised to check Skyscanner (for multiple destination flights), to see which airlines can take you there and compare various ticket prices.

If you are based in the UK and Europe, check out these flights to Malawi.

If you are based in the USA and Canada, check out these flights to Malawi.

Visas

For more information on visas see our Malawi Safari - Complete Country Guide.

Vaccinations and Malaria

Check your local travel health authority for more information:

Travel Insurance

Going on a safari in Africa comes with obvious risks. We recommend you get travel insurance for all safaris in Malawi. Make sure your insurance has full medical coverage, emergency air evacuation, repatriation and the standard travel insurance for cancellations, delays and luggage cover.

Check World Nomads’ travel insurance calculator to see the cost of your safari trip cover.

What to Pack

Pack for warm and cold weather as temperatures are warm during the day and can get very cold at night. Try to pack neutral, earthy toned clothes and avoid bright colours and white. Other essential items are a hat, sunglasses, sun screen, toiletries, closed shoes, torch, batteries, insect repellent, first aid kit, binoculars and camera.

For more details on what to pack see our Safari Packing List.