Hiking:
Malawi's highland areas offer unrivalled opportunities for those wanting to explore the country on foot. Mount Mulanje and Zomba Plateau, in particular are favourites for hikers and mountain climbers alike. In some of the game parks, particularly the Nyika National Park, walking safaris are available under the protection of a game guard.
Mountain Climbing:
Rising up to 3,000 metres, Mount Mulanje is one of Malawi's most spectacular sights, with its highest peak being Sapitwa at 3,002 mtrs. The mountain covers an area of more than 1,000 sq km. On its slopes grow the Mulanje cedars, some of them over 200 years old. Deep gorges, impressive waterfall and trout streams cut their paths from its heights, while in the lush foothills are tea plantations. The Chambe, west face direct, is claimed to be one of the longest rock climbs in Africa, offering 1675mtrs of roped climbing. There are a couple of regular routes climbed, starting at Likhubula Forestry Station these are the Skyline Path to Chambe Basis and the Lichenya Path to Lichenya Plateau.
Bird Watching:
Although Malawi is a small country, it has a prolific birdlife with over 500 species of bird to be found within the country. Most species breed in Malawi but some migrate from Europe and Asia to spend the rainy season in Malawi, with some species preferring to spend the dry months in other areas of Africa. November to January are the best month for birding enthusiasts. The rocky hills of the Lakeshore and Dowa and Dedza are the best spaces to spot birds of prey, including the black eagle, lanner and peregrine falcon.
In the lakeshore forest, the green coucal, blue-mantled crested flycatcher and red-caped robin can be seen. Monkey Bay and Salima are the best areas to spot the African Fish Eagle, golden and brown throated weavers, collared and mottled spinetails and the palm swift. The Elephant Marsh located in the Shire Valley, southern Malawi is a haven for bird watchers with large numbers and great varieties to be found.
Other species found in the country include; Stierling's woodpecker, olive headed weaver, lesser seadcracker, hornbills, starlings, guinea fowl, cuckoo, bush-shrike, kingfishers, hoopoes, hamerkop, herons, bee eaters and many more.
Fishing:
Malawi may be landlocked but, for the angler, the Lake, together with a surprising variety of river conditions, makes the country a most rewarding destinations. In Lake Malawi itself have evolved more than 400 species of fish, of which 95% are found nowhere else. The great majority are brilliantly coloured tropical aquarium fish, many of them types of cichlid or mbuna. The Lake also contains many kinds of game fish too - Tiger Fish, ncheni, and Lake Salmon, mpasa, an even doughtier fighter confined to the centre and north, providing some of the most exciting sport. Around the river mouths near Salima and off Mbenje Island a little further north, two species of catfish,vundu and the delicious kampango, both regularly exceed 10kg.
On the upper Shire River many of the Lake fish are found, including sungwa, a type of perch, which here makes up in cunning what it concedes in, weight to its Lake cousins. Just below the Kapichira Falls in Majete are numbers of ncheni up to 7kg, and lower down vundu up to 15kg and barbel up to 28kg swim up from the Zambezi. The lakeside hotels north of Mangochi are all excellent centres for angling and boats can be arranged in advance. The fish in Lake Malawi have always been a major source of food for many local people but overfishing has become a major problem - fish like Chambo, once abundant, are now scarce and if caught, very small. The government is trying to restrict locals trawling for fish and educating them to respect breeding and growth periods. |
