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Germany→Iceland
February 2024
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Forward Travel
Tailor-Made Itineraries
Forward Travel
Tailor-Made Itineraries
Best Time to Travel: May–October

Malawi is a landlocked nation in southeastern Africa, defined geographically by the massive deep-water trench of the East African Rift Valley. It is characterised by diverse altitudes, ranging from subtropical lowlands along the Shire River up to massive alpine granite blocks. Frequently designated as The Warm Heart of Africa due to its baseline of social hospitality, Malawi compresses a massive freshwater marine-like ecosystem, rehabilitated Big Five savanna reserves, and cloud-forest peaks into a compact, easily navigable territory.
Discover Malawi
Covering nearly one-fifth of the nation’s surface area, Lake Malawi is the country’s dominant natural feature. Bounded by sheer mountain escarpments, its nutrient-rich waters feature extreme underwater visibility up to 20 metres deep. Along rocky shorelines, territorial, brightly coloured cichlids locally known as mbuna (rock fish) feed directly on algae-covered stones, creating a living freshwater reef ecosystem that can be viewed with a simple mask and snorkel.
In the southern lowlands, Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve flank the sweeping course of the Shire River. Once depleted by poaching, intense public-private partnerships have successfully repopulated these alluvial plains. Today, visitors navigate river lagoons dense with hippos and crocodiles via motorised boats, tracking thriving herds of translocated elephants and top-tier apex predators without encountering industrial tourism vehicle lines.
Lilongwe
22.3 million
Chewa, Lomwe, Yao, Tumbuka, Sena, Mang’anja, Nyanja, Tonga, Ngonde, Lambya, Sukwa
Christianity, Islam, African Traditional Religions
English, Chewa, Tumbuka, Yao, Sena, Lomwe, Tonga, Nkhonde, Lambya, Nyakyusa
Malawian kwacha (MWK)
+265
UTC+2 (CAT)
Type G
May–October
Nsima (cornmeal porridge with relish), chambo (grilled lake fish), beans stewed with tomatoes and onions, mandasi (fried dough snack)
Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the east and south, Zambia to the west. Lake Malawi forms much of the eastern frontier.
Get a Malawi e-sim from Airalo or Holafly, or locally from Airtel or TNM shops in Lilongwe or Blantyre.
Malawi tourist visa information is available on the Malawi E-Visa Application Portal. Contact us for visa assistance.
Prefer something entirely bespoke? Design a private Malawi journey.

Compare how Forward Travel stacks up against traditional travel agents and large tour operators.
| Feature | Forward Travel | Travel Agents | Tour Operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalised itineraries built around your interests | |||
| Direct access to a dedicated travel expert (David) |
Stories from the road
Real journeys, real words — hear from explorers who've travelled the world with Forward Travel.
“David crafted a once-in-a-lifetime safari for us. Every detail, from the lodges to the guides, was flawless.”
Emma & James Wilson
Australia→Kenya
September 2024
Let’s do it! Perhaps you already know what you want to see and do, perhaps you don’t. Either way, we’ll create the best Malawi tour for you.
Continue your journey with more carefully curated destinations, each offering its own unique experiences, culture, and unforgettable moments.
Rising out of the intensive green grid of the Shire Highlands tea estates is the Mulanje Massif. This geological block forms a massive weather trap, forcing moisture up to generate deep forest ravines and sheer rock faces over 1,000 metres high. The plateau features an extensive network of rustic backcountry huts linked by technical footpaths, creating self-contained, multi-day trekking routes across unique high-altitude biomes completely removed from the modern lowlands.

| Handpicked local guides in every destination |
| Flexible dates, pace, and on-trip adjustments |
| Transparent, ethical pricing with no hidden margins |
| 24/7 in-destination support |
| Exclusive small-group experiences (max 15) |
| Responsible travel & community give-back |
Your travel consultant
David Smyth
Director, Forward Travel
Sample only
Cameroon
MalawiYou're here