Lilongwe

Malawi's leafy garden-city capital, with a wildlife centre, the Old Town market and Kumbali Cultural Village, and easy trips out to Dedza Pottery, the Chongoni Rock Art and Senga Bay on Lake Malawi.

Lilongwe is Malawi's capital and largest city, set on the central plateau at about 1,050 m. The capital moved here from Zomba in the south in 1975. The city is green and spread out, and falls into two main parts: the Old Town (Area 2) along the Lilongwe River, with its bustling Old Town Market, craft stalls and Indian-run fabric shops, is the place with the most street life; the New Town (City Centre and Capital Hill) is home to government offices, the Parliament Building, the Kamuzu Mausoleum and the War Memorial Tower. Between the two lies the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, the city's top attraction. On the northeastern outskirts, Kumbali Cultural Village offers a taste of Chewa village life, song and dance. Classic day trips from Lilongwe include birdwatching and cycling in the Dzalanyama Forest Reserve to the southwest; Dedza Pottery, Dedza Mountain and the World Heritage-listed Chongoni Rock Art Area along the M1 to the southeast; and Senga Bay on Lake Malawi, about 100 km east, with the Mua Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art along the way. The dry season from May to October is cool and dry and the best time to visit; November to April is the rainy season. Kamuzu International Airport is about 25 km north of the city, and getting around town is mostly by taxi or pre-booked driver. Plan on 2–3 days; most visitors pass through on their way to South Luangwa, Lake Malawi or Liwonde National Park. Take malaria precautions, avoid walking at night, and carry cash in Malawian kwacha.

Top sights

• Lilongwe Wildlife Centre – A wildlife rescue center and nature reserve in the city center, where guided tours let you see rescued lions, monkeys and other animals, fo…
• Old Town Market – The large open-air market in Lilongwe's Old Town (Area 2), lined with stalls selling produce, dried fish, secondhand clothing and handicraf…
• Kumbali Cultural Village – A traditional cultural village on a farm on the city's outskirts, where you can watch Chewa drumming and dance, tour village life and taste…
• Kamuzu Mausoleum – The white marble mausoleum of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Malawi's first president, ringed by columns and solemn in atmosphere. It stands near C…
• Parliament Building – The modern parliament building on Capitol Hill, with a broad plaza and symmetrical façade. It is a landmark of the new capital, though visi…
• Dzalanyama Forest Reserve – A large expanse of miombo woodland about 50 km southwest of Lilongwe, a good destination for birdwatching, hiking and mountain biking, with…
• Dedza Pottery – A renowned pottery workshop in the town of Dedza, where you can watch handmade pottery, buy painted ceramics and enjoy the cheesecake at th…
• Chongoni Rock-Art Area – A UNESCO World Heritage Site where more than 120 rock-art sites are scattered through the woodlands of the Dedza highlands, recording a mil…
• Dedza Mountain – A forested peak about 2,200 meters above sea level beside the town of Dedza. Its summit offers views of the Malawian highlands and Mozambiq…
• KuNgoni Centre of Culture and Art – A cultural center inside the Mua Catholic mission. The Chamare Museum showcases Chewa, Ngoni and Yao culture and the Gule Wamkulu masks.
• Senga Bay – The sandy bay on Lake Malawi closest to the capital, where you can swim and take boats to see fishing villages and cichlids. It is the top…

Where to eat

• Ama Khofi – An open-air café in the landscaped garden of the Four Seasons Centre, famous for brunch, house-made cakes, the signatur…
• Latitude 13° Restaurant – A high-end fusion restaurant inside an Area 43 boutique hotel, known for tamarind-butter Lake Malawi chambo and fillet…
• Mamma Mia Italian Restaurant – A long-established Italian restaurant in the Old Town Mall for over twenty years, popular for thin wood-fired pizza and…

Itineraries

• Lake Malawi & Southern Highlands – A south-bound journey from Lilongwe to Blantyre, combining lakeshore snorkeling, Shire River safaris, and highland trek…
• Northern Malawi Lakeshore & Highlands – Head north to Nkhata Bay, ascend the Livingstonia escarpment, and return south along the lakeshore to Senga Bay
• Victoria Falls, South Luangwa & Likoma Island – See Victoria Falls in Zambia, go walking safaris in South Luangwa, and end on an island in Lake Malawi