Reviews of Nkhotakota (From 4 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Harriet Nimmo –

ZA

Visited: July

Harriet is a zoologist with more than 20 years’ experience. She has the privilege of working with the world’s top wildlife photographers and photo-guides.

2 people found this review helpful.

Undergoing Great Transformation

Overall rating

2/5

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The rugged, hilly terrain of Nkhotakota is bisected by a network of rivers weaving their way through the dense miombo forests. Although it is Malawi’s oldest wildlife reserve, and one of the country’s largest conservation areas, up until now it has been little developed with very few visitors. When we stayed here we were the only visitors at our rustic lodge. We spent our time walking with a guide, bird-watching and enjoying the solitude.

It is a park of huge potential, all the more so since African Parks took over management in 2015. More than 500 elephants and 1,400 other animals have been introduced from Liwonde and Majete as part of a historic translocation initiative to restore Nkhotakota, which is now poised to become one of Malawi’s most important sanctuaries for wildlife.

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

ZA

Visited: May

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

1 person found this review helpful.

A Little-visited Escarpment Wilderness

Overall rating

3/5

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Malawi’s largest and oldest wildlife reserve extends across 1,800km² of the rugged Rift Valley escarpment as it rises to the west of the historic Lake Malawi port of Nkhotakota. In ecological terms, or as a wilderness destination, it’s a fantastic place, notable both for its wild mountain scenery and impressive cover of mature miombo woodland. Unfortunately, though, Nkhotakota is quite challenging as a safari destination, in large part thanks to the same rugged, pristine qualities that make it so appealing in scenic terms.

Managed by the NGO African Parks since 2015, Nkhotakota actually supports a fair amount of wildlife. More than 500 elephants were translocated into the reserve over 2016 to 2017, along with substantial numbers of zebra, buffalo, sable antelope, greater kudu, waterbuck and warthog. However, the reserve’s vast size, combined with the dense vegetation and steep terrain, mean that you’re unlikely to see much large wildlife other than a few baboons and monkeys. The only exception is towards the end of the dry season (June to November), when elephants and buffaloes often come to drink at permanent pools on the Bua River, often right opposite the reserve’s two tourist lodges.

Until recently, a popular attraction at Nkhotakota was canoeing on the Bua River, but this activity has been suspended following the introduction of hippos. Nkhotakota also has tremendous bird-watching potential thanks to its wealth of miombo specials, but because you can only walk with guides (due to the presence of elephant and buffalo), birding is not so easy as it is in miombo-dominated forest reserves such as Dzalanyama, where there are no restrictions on walking.

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Expert

Sue Watt –

UK

Visited: June

Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.

1 person found this review helpful.

Malawi’s Rising Star

Overall rating

4/5

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Spanning 1,800km², Nkhotakota was until recently a huge, empty reserve devoid of wildlife. However, once again conservation NGO African Parks has stepped in to protect the area. Despite the reserve’s size, African Parks has fenced the whole perimeter and relocated 520 elephants and numerous other animals in the first steps toward rehabilitation. When I first visited several years ago, wildlife sightings were rare and the reserve was more a place to hike, kayak and chill in beautiful wild surroundings – the views from Mount Kasukusuka right across the reserve are mesmerizing and make you realize just how vast it is. On my most recent visit, I watched the elephant I’d looked after in Liwonde walk into her new home following her relocation – an emotional experience… It’s early days yet in terms of the wildlife here, but Nkhotakota is still very much worth a visit, not least because it’s home to Tongole Wilderness Lodge, a luxury lodge that does fantastic work with the local communities in building classrooms and clinics. It’s one of my favorite lodges in Africa.

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Expert

James Bainbridge –

UK

Visited: September

James is a travel writer and author of many Lonely Planet guides, including senior author of the guide to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

1 person found this review helpful.

Elephants and More in the Forests

Overall rating

3/5

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Nkhotakota is a rising star among Malawi’s major reserves, following African Parks’ historic translocation of over 500 elephants and 1,400 game animals from Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park. Whereas the 1,800km² of dense miombo forests was once poached empty, I heard elephants crashing through the undergrowth during my stay in a safari tent at Bua River Lodge. Further into the reserve, Tongole Wilderness Lodge is one of Malawi’s best, offering luxurious chalets and a beautiful thatched main lodge with aerial viewpoint, while Kachenga Bush Camp opened in 2017. With newly translocated sable, kudu, buffalo, waterbuck, impala and warthog, and over 280 bird species, Nkhotakota is an impressive chunk of wilderness within easy reach of Lake Malawi.

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