The Zomba plateau in Malawi forms the fault edge of Shire lowlands and the
Great Rift Valley and is famous for the scenery, beautiful waterfalls, streams
and even natural and man made dams. This tourism area has forests with Mexican
pine, Cypress and Cedar. The plateau is heavily planted with pines, but several
easily accessible montane forests remain with patches of Afromontaine forest,
interspersed with grassland, pine plantations and, lower down, some fine
Brachystegia woodland.
The forest reserve is covered with ferns, flowers, orchids and bushes. The summit is 1800 meters and tower rising to 2080 meters. The southern edge leads to the colonial town of Zomba, still retains some of its old charm as the former colonial capital of Malawi. Zomba is also the home of Chancellor College of the University of Malawi. Zomba Plateau in Malawi is a popular place for travel and tourism because of its attractions.
The best way to travel up is by taxis or hiking. You should always have the phone numbers of some taxi drivers in case you need it although hiking down is more easy and fun than going up. Once you reach to the top the guides are quite know of the area. From the top of the Plateau, it is possible to see Lake Chilwa to the north, Mount Mulanje to the South East and the Shire River to the West. From the top of top of Chawe mountain, or Queens View for a beautiful view across Southern Malawi. Queen Elizabeth visited here in 1957 and said this to have the best view of British empire. The best time to travel to Malawi is in the dry season, between April and November, but overall any time is good in the year.
Places to stay in Zomba Plateau:
Zomba Forest Lodge and Ku Chawe Inn Situated at the top of the plateau. This is a known Malaria area, to minimize mosquito bites by wearing light, long sleeved clothing and using effective insect repellents (like DEET) on exposed skin. Sleep in netted screens and possibly take medication before you travel.
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