Safari to Mount Mulanje

tea plantation lodges from the colonial era

Mount Mulanje is a freestanding volcanic inselberg set in the southeast of Malawi, with an area of 1275 square kilometres and a peak elevation of 3002 metres, around 2300 metres higher than the tea plantations of the surrounding plateau.

The upper parts of the massif are largely comprised of rolling grasslands, intersected by deep forested ravines. There are several impressive summits, including Chambe Peak, the west face of which is home to the longest rock climbing route in Africa.

The elevation of the mountain is sufficient to induce rain clouds to form, giving rise to virtually every river in this part of the country and providing critical irrigation during the Jun-Oct dry season.

Forest Reserve

The mountain is part of the Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve. The native Mulanje cypress tree has been so heavily logged that it is considered endangered and the park contains the last remaining stands. Other important endemic plant and animal species include forest butterflies, birds such as cholo alethes and white-winged apalis, dwarf chameleons, geckos, skinks, squeaker frogs and rare limbless burrowing skinks.

The land around the park is threatened by growing population, land use patterns such as forest clearing for farming and firewood. Invasive species are also a threat, including the golden Himalayan raspberry and Mexican weeping pine.

The forested slopes of the massif support a sizable timber industry. At one time there was a cableway to transport timber from the edge of the plateau down to the Likhubula Forestry Station but it fell into disrepair and currently planks are carried down manually.

The Mulanje cedar is a majestic tree which is endemic to the region. Unfortunately it’s fragrant red timber is highly prized and most of the stands have been long since deforested. However concerted efforts to ban legal logging, chase down illegal loggers and plant out almost 50,000 saplings has led to greater optimism for the tree’s survival.

Hiking

The massif is popular for hiking and climbing, with a network of simple mountain huts scattered across the higher altitudes which are maintained by the Malawi Mountain Club and the Malawi Forestry Department.

Explorations of the plateau usually last 3-4 nights and often include the hike up to the highest elevation at Sapitwa Peak.

The best season for hiking is usually the cool dry season period May-Aug.

Tea plantations

The Mulanje area is the epicentre for tea production in the country, although there are significant plantations in several dispersed locations.

Exploring the various tea and coffee plantations can be a major highlight of a visit to the area.

The Mount Mulanje area only tends to feature in longer explorations of Malawi, usually in combination with lodges in Liwonde and Lake Malawi, sometimes also with Majete.

The usual stay duration here is 3-5 nights.

Getting around

Visiting and travelling around Malawi is relatively straightforward.

The top locations are connected by light aircraft services, which is certainly the most convenient, but also the most expensive way to get around.

Most connections can also be made by means of private road transfers, which are rarely more than 2-3 hours duration in this relatively small country.

There are two main hubs. In the north the airport at Lilongwe is used to connect to Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam and the safari areas of South Luangwa in Zambia. In the south the airport at Blantyre is mainly used to connect to Johannesburg.

The Mount Mulanje area is almost always accessed by road, but there is a local airstrip should you want to charter a plane.

Where to stay

There are several places to stay in this rural area, but the stand-out option by a distance is the rather fabulous and historic Huntingdon House.

easily reached by road from Blantyre