Flights and Travel Guide to Malawi

At time size don’t matter, at least when it comes to visiting a country that is small but has people with heart so large that almost anyone can find a place for himself there. Visit Malawi and see for yourself what earned this country the glittering title “Warm Heart of Africa”.

Geography / Neighborhood of Malawi

Located in African continent, Malawi borders with Mozambique that largely covers its South and East neighborhood. Towards the west is Zambia and Tanzania in the North of Malawi.

Climate / Weather in Malawi

On an average it can be said that temperatures in Malawi remain moderate. Africa’s third largest Lake, Lake Malawi intersects the country at its Eastern border where the temperature often climbs high. The country experiences three seasons mainly i.e., rainy, winter and summer. The winter months run from May until July while the rest of the year is summer and rain fall during months of November to March.

Getting In Malawi

The quickest way to get in Malawi is by air.

Passport / Visa Information for Malawi

Malawi has lenient Visa requirements and residents / nationals of America, Canada, Europe and Japan are exempted of Visa. Few Asian countries are also exempted o visit visa however it is highly recommended to contact the Malawi consulate in your country to get up to date information as these policies may change from time to time.
While travelling to Malawi one should have a valid passport that remains valid until the return date.

Capital/Popular City of Malawi

The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe however this is not the only popular city of this warm country. The second most talked about destination in Malawi is Blantyre. Most International airline offer flights to both Blantyre and Lilongwe.

• Blantyre
• Lilongwe (Capital)
• Mangochi
• Salima
• Zomba

Airports in Malawi

There are two major International Airports in Malawi:

• Blantyre: (BLZ) Chileka International Airport
• Lilongwe: (LLW) Lilongwe International Airport

The Lilongwe International Airport is also known as Kamuzu International. The various other airports in Malawi that provide for a vast domestic connectivity include:

• Chelinda: (CEH) Chelinda Airport
• Club Makokola: (CMK) Club Makokola Airport
• Dwanga: (DWA) Dwanga Airport
• Karonga: (KGJ) Karonga Airport
• Kasungu: (KBQ) Kasungu Airport
• Likoma: (LIX) Likoma Airport
• Mangochi: (MAI) Mangochi Airport
• Monkey Bay: (MYZ) Monkey Bay Airport
• Mzuzu: (ZZU) Mzuzu Airport
• Salima: (LMB) Salima Airport

Airlines to / from Malawi

There are many top International carriers that offer flights to Malawi from London, UK. However only a couple of airlines offer flights from other airports including Manchester, Birmingham, New Castle, Edinburg, Southampton, Leeds, Bradford, Dublin, Glasgow, London City, Gatwick etc. The following airlines offer cheap indirect flights to Malawi:

• Air France
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Kenya Airways
• Lufthansa Airline
• Qatar Airways
• South African Airways
• Ethiopian Airline

Hotels and Accommodations in Malawi

Travelers prefer to stay either in the capital city Lilongwe or Blantyre. Also resorts and hotels near the Lake Malawi are also popular accommodations in Malawi. Following are the hotels recommended by travelers to Malawi.

• Dorvic Hotel, Blantyre
• Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel, Blantyre Malawi
• Protea Hotel Ryalls, Blantyre Malawi
• Club Makokola, Mangochi Malawi
• Sun n Sands Holiday Resort, Mangochi
• Sunbird Livingstonia Beach, Salima
• Sunbird Ku Chawe Hotel, Zomba Malawi
• Sunbird Capital Hotel Malawi, Lilongwe
• Cresta Crossroads Hotel, Lilongwe Malawi
• Home Away Home Lodge, Lilongwe Malawi
• Pumulani Luxurious Lodge, Lilongwe

Getting Around in Malawi

The following information will make getting around in Malawi easier for you.

Transport in Malawi

Renting a car is easy way of getting around in Malawi however one must remain equipped with valid license and travel documents. From time to time, the local police also request to present a letter from rent-a-car or proper authorization to use the car. Unlike its neighbors, the roads in Malawi are well built and easy to drive at however, driving at night is not recommended. Other means of transport include buses and taxi. Thanks to the 3rd largest lake, Lake Malawi one can travel by boat or ferries that makes the journey a fun. To travel between cities, domestic flights are the best and quickest way of getting around in Malawi.

Places to See in Malawi

Following is a list of places that you must see while on a trip to Malawi.

• Lake Malawi: It all begins with this beautiful lake that draws all the attention of a western traveler to pack their bags and head to Malawi.
• The Shire River: flowing in the Liwonde National Park, this scenic beauty is a must see.
• Shire Valley: Meet the natives and find out what makes Malawi the most welcoming country.
• Nyika Plateau National Park: Experience the wildest of Africa.
• Liwonde National Park: While in Africa, one an never get tired of more and more game viewing.
• Lengwe National Park: Witness in action, some of the rarest antelope of Africa.
• Vwasa Marsh Wildlife Reserve: Game viewing at its very best can be experienced here.
• Zomba Plateau: visit the world of deepest forests and get mesmerized by the stunning beauty nature holds.
• Mount Mulanje: Climb the top, and challenge your stamina as the prize of spectacular views, is worth the effort.
• Nkhotakota Markets: Come to the Africa’s oldest town that tells the tale of Slave trade.
• Anglican Cathedral: God is everywhere and he sure is in Malawi, visit the Anglican Cathedral.
• Likoma Island: The Island that houses the 100 year old Anglican Cathedral is worth visiting.
• Kasungu National Park: The visit to the wild is not complete without paying a trip to the Kasungu National Park.
• Freshwater National Park: Welcome to the world of Water. Meet the marines here.
• Lake Malawi National Park: close to Monkey Bay, lies towards the southern extremity of the lake
• Mulanje Massif: Climb up and conquer the highest point from where you can see Malawi with the eyes of a bird.

Things to Do in Malawi

There are a lot of things that you can do in Malawi such as:

• Fishing at Lake Malawi is no ordinary fishing as this lake has more fish than other lake in the world.
• Take a ferry or a boat and visit the whole Malawi as Lake Malawi extends from one end to the other of the country.
• Looking for the best riding experience? Head to Nyika Plateau.
• Go swimming, snorkeling or diving at the Likoma Island.
• Go for cycling at the Nyika and paddle all the way to the Luwawa Forest, enjoying the cool breeze along the lakeshore.
• Not to forget the plenty of water sports that you can take part in at Lake Malawi such as Snorkeling, scuba-diving and more.

Travel Advice

Read the following to make you journey safer and better.

Travel Tips for Malawi

Malawi is a welcoming and generally safe place to travel to.

• Avoid going out on your own or driving at late hours of the night due to varying road conditions.
• Keep photocopies of your travel documents with yourself or scan and save in your email that you can access anytime if you loss the hard copies.
• While on wild life safari do not irritate wild animals.
• Always take services from registered travel agents.
• Get vaccinated for Malaria and other infections common in African region.

Is it Safe to Travel to Malawi?

Fco does not have any restriction on travelling to Malawi as of now. Please always recheck with your state department, embassy, consulate or foreign office before commencing travel.