Lengwe National Park
Expert Reviews (2)
Malawi Parks
Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
An Engaging but Low-key Gem for Self-drivers
Set in the luxuriant Shire Valley, this little-visited national park ranks low on the Big Five scale (only buffalo and possibly a few secretive leopard are present), but it is an ideal budget-friendly destination for self-drivers with a broader interest in African wildlife. It protects the most northern naturally occurring population of the handsome nyala antelope (though this is now more easily seen in nearby Majete, where it has been reintroduced) and is also an important refuge for the localised thicket-dwelling suni antelope. Other common mammals include greater kudu, impala, common duiker, bushbuck, warthog, vervet monkey, samango monkey and yellow baboon. Birds are plentiful, with more than 330 species recorded, notably the racket-tailed roller, pale-billed hornbill, Böhm’s bee-eater and three species of snake eagle. Lengwe is one of those reserves that is underwhelming on paper, but feels like more than the sum of its parts when visited.
Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.
Where the Buffalo and Nyala Roam
There is nothing earth-shattering about this park, but if you’re looking for pleasant midrange accommodation and the ability to self-drive, this affordable place might just work for you. There is plenty of wildlife around the lodge, but it gets more scarce as you drive further away. The roads are overgrown in any case, so we stuck to the small area around camp. Here, most animals are very relaxed and are great subjects for photography. You’re not likely to see any big predators, and most flagship safari animals are absent. There are buffalo and the gracious nyala antelope is particularly common.