Nyika National Park

Pros & Cons

• Beautiful mountain scenery
• Well-organized lodge and attractive cottages and campsite
• Activities include game drives, walks, mountain biking and fishing
• The only place in Malawi where leopards are regularly seen
• Common wildlife includes zebra, eland and roan antelope
• Superb bird watching includes a long list of local specials
• The remote highland location offers stunning night skies
• Very uncrowded and unspoiled
• Limited accommodations
• Not good for Big Five viewing
• Access and internal roads ideally require a high-clearance 4x4
• Very cold in winter

Wildlife

Nyika is not a conventional wildlife destination. Although elephants inhabit the lower slopes and lions occasionally cross over from Zambia, the only member of the Big Five encountered with any regularity is the leopard, which is quite often glimpsed on night drives. Crawshay’s zebra is abundant, and you should also see plenty of eland, roan antelope, bushbuck, common reedbuck, common duiker and warthog. Look out, too, for spotted hyena and side-striped jackal.

• More about Nyika NP’s wildlife

Scenery

Nyika Plateau is one of the largest areas of high montane (mountain) grassland left in Africa. The rolling grasslands are studded with gigantic granite domes and pockets of indigenous forest, while the exotic pine plantations evoke the Scottish Highlands. Of note is the abundance of wildflowers, especially the roughly 200 orchid species that flower in January and February, of which 11 are endemic to Nyika.

Activities

Guided game drives are offered by the lodge but they can also be undertaken on a self-drive basis in a good 4x4. Although the variety of large mammals is limited, the vast scenery offers a great opportunity to photograph zebra, eland and sable antelope in their natural habitat. Leopard, side-striped jackal, honey-badger and other small carnivores are often seen on night drives. Guided walks and mountain biking are also on offer, as well as bird-watching excursions in the indigenous forest.

Weather & Climate

Due to its high altitude, Nyika Plateau (the area of the park accessible to tourists) has a temperate climate. Temperatures are relatively uniform throughout the year, but there is a peak in October/November at the beginning of the Wet season. The yearly rainfall is almost entirely during the Wet season, from November to April. The Dry season (from May to October) is colder, and June to August can be bitterly cold at night.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Nyika Plateau is during the Wet season months from November to April. At this time, fair weather makes morning and afternoon drives more pleasant. This is different to other parks in the region because of the Nyika Plateau’s high altitude and cold temperatures. Some animals tend to move to lower slopes in the Dry season, from May to October.

• More about the best time to visit

Want To Visit Nyika NP?

Nyika Safaris

• Nyika Safaris & Tours
• Tour Operators for Nyika