• Malaria is prevalent in Malawi, so consult your healthcare provider for preventive measures.
• Water Safety: Avoid drinking tap water; opt for filtered water instead: Partner discount here.
• Learn a few phrases in local language Chichewa to show respect and interest in the culture.
• Dress conservatively, especially in rural areas, markets, and places of worship. Both men and women are expected to cover shoulders and knees, and women should avoid wearing miniskirts, hot pants, and leggings. 
• It’s customary to remove shoes when visiting villages.
• On Mulanje Massif, make sure you have certified guides to enhance experience and ensure safety while navigating the diverse terrain. 
• While swimming in Lake Malawi does carry the risk of contracting Bilharzia, waters are tested local to partner accommodations with no positive samples in recent years.
• Never purchase items made from endangered species, such as ivory, fur, or bone. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Malawi bans such trade.
• Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Be mindful and avoid flaunting wealth. Tipping local staff appropriately can make a significant difference.
• If recharging devices is a priority, take a power bank just in case of limited electricity.

The climate is hot in the low-lying areas in the south and temperate in the northern highlands. 

May to October: Dry season, which sees almost no rainfall just wet mists descending from the highlands into the plateaus. Perfect for wildlife viewing and hiking. 

November to April: Rainy season – warm with storms which reach peak in late March, bringing lush landscapes but also potential travel disruptions.

Malawi Weather Variations

• Lake Malawi and Shire River Valley: Average 85°F (29°C) with high humidity; heavy rainy season, especially March. Dry season cooler, around 73°F (23°C) from June to August.
• Central and Northern Highlands: Cooler due to higher altitudes, winter lows around 42°F (6°C). High rainfall, especially on the slopes of Mount Mulanje. Dry season cooler and drier,, but misty mornings
• Southern Lowlands: Warmer, often exceeding 90°F (32°C) and can reach up to 104°F (40°C). Significant rainfall in rainy season can cause flooding.
• Karonga (Northern Lakeshore): Mild, around 78°F (26°C) year-round. Most rain in April-May.

Malawi Climate Change Trends

Climate change is impacting Malawi through altered rainfall patterns, with the onset of rains shifting from October to December or even January. This change shortens the growing season for the predominantly rain-fed agriculture, leading to reduced crop yields and increased food insecurity. The country also experiences more frequent droughts and dry spells, further stressing agricultural productivity (PennState IEE, 2023)

Mitigation and Adaptation Efforts

Malawi’s National Climate Change Management Policy outlines strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change, and serves as a legal backbone for environmental conservation efforts.

Identity

Malawi is home to various ethnic groups, including the Chichewa, Yao, Tumbuko, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Sena, Tonga, Ngonde, Asians, and Europeans. 

The most widely spoken language – 60% of the population – is Chichewa, which originated among the Bantu tribes of South Africa, 30% speak Arabic, although English is widely spoken with all lessons except Chichewa conducted in English in schools, and as the language of government, industry, and commerce. The British influence can also still be seen in driving on the left side of the road, roundabouts, speed bumps, and school uniforms.

Despite this diversity, Malawians share a strong sense of national identity and pride in their cultural heritage. The concept of “Umunthu” (humanity) is deeply ingrained in Malawian society, emphasising compassion, empathy, and communal support.

Most Malawians are Christians (~82%), with a significant Muslim minority (~14%), alongside traditional African beliefs also common. The church plays a central role in society. Less noticeable than mosques, churches may be quite plain buildings only obvious from decorative windows.

Community

Family is considered the basic unit of society, with extended families often living together.

Respect for elders is highly valued, with elders revered for their wisdom and knowledge of traditional customs.

There’s a strong community mentality where people often help neighbours in difficult situations.

Malawians are known for their warm hospitality. Guests are often welcomed into homes and offered food and refreshments as a gesture of kindness.

Home

Traditionally, homes are constructed of sticks and mud with a roof either thatched or of corrugated iron held down by stones, with few decorations and cow dung often used to create the floor of the house.

Cooking is done over fire in a separate building with a smoke hole in the roof and bathing done outside, often within a circular thatched shield with an open roof. Water is carried, often over great distances, for cooking and bathing. 

Nsima, Malawi’s staple food, is eaten twice a day, usually at lunch and dinner, a standard dish of boiled ground cornmeal formed into a thick porridge and rolled into balls, sometimes supplemented with chicken, goat, pork or fish and served with a relish of beans, cabbage, or tomato. Fruits are plentiful, including mangoes, melons, oranges, bananas, and pineapples.

Fish dishes include Chambo, a tasty tilapia fish from Lake Malawi, and Usipa, a small sardine-like fish, usually air-dried and eaten whole. Other popular dishes include Ngumbi, an African termite popular in southern Malawi, high in protein and low in fat, and local chili called kambuzi, often served as a side.

Even in urban areas, each home generally has a small plot of corn. Land is treated as public domain. A person may settle on a piece of ground, build and grow crops as long as neighbours approve, and later register the plot with the government to gain legal title, thus land distribution is unequal and more than 40% of smallholder households cultivate very small plots.

Cultural expression

Traditional music and dance play significant roles in cultural expression and ceremonies. The Gule Wamkulu (“The Big Dance”) is a famous ritual dance performed by the Chewa people during special occasions.

Initiation ceremonies mark important life transitions, especially for young people entering adulthood. 

Malawians practice various traditional arts with cultural and ceremonial significance. The indigenous ethnic groups of Malawi have a rich tradition of basketry and mask carving, some used in traditional ceremonies still performed by native peoples. Wood carving, pottery and oil painting are also popular in more urban centres; many items produced are sold to tourists.

Modest dress is appreciated, with both men and women expected to cover shoulders and knees.

While a patriarchal society, the greater respect shown for women is one of the reasons founder Kate cites as supporting the opportunity to set up a business in Malawi.

Men dress in a Western style, shirts and trousers, women often wear traditional costumes consisting of two or three chitenjes – coloured fabric used as a skirt, a headdress, and a sarong-like wrap to hold a small infant on the woman’s back. The red, blue or green colour of dress represents the north, central, and southern regions, respectively. Shoes are expensive so often local people are barefoot even in cities – and it’s customary to remove shoes when visiting villages.

Malawi also hosts various cultural festivals throughout the year, celebrating traditions, music, and national identity, such as the Umtheto festival and the Lake of Stars Festival.

Greetings are important, often involving handshakes and eye contact.

While maintaining strong cultural traditions, Malawian society also faces challenges such as gender inequality, with men traditionally seen as household heads and breadwinners.

Malawians take pride in their country’s natural beauty, and environmental conservation is valued as part of their cultural heritage.

Mount Mulanje holds cultural importance for the local communities, including the Lhomwe, Yao, and Mang’anja tribes. The mountain is steeped in myths and legends, with local beliefs attributing spiritual significance to its forests and peaks. Traditional rites and ceremonies are often conducted at various sites around the massif, further enriching its cultural landscape.

Social Challenges

Unfortunately, historically social issues abound: Government corruption, violence, human trafficking and child labour have been noted, low but increasing life expectancy (63 years, WHO, 2021), high infant mortality, and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (9% of the population, Unicef, 2021), which has led to devastating effects, such as adding an estimated 770,000 orphans who require care-givers. Nearly one million Orphans and Vulnerable Children have lost one or both parents to AIDS (2016).

Water and sanitation is a challenge: 2 million (10%) don’t have access to safe water and 10 million (50%!) don’t have access to adequate sanitation. Over 3,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. 

Health and well-being suffers… Only half of women in developing regions receive the recommended amount of healthcare they need. And children born into poverty are almost twice as likely to die before the age of five as those from wealthier families. Malnutrition causes 23% of child deaths. Vulnerability to intensifying environmental and climate threats grows eg. deforestation rates at 2.8% annually are the highest in southern Africa, exacerbating food and water insecurity.

Tourism for sustainable development can help support all these issues. 

Malawi’s geography is as varied as its wildlife. From Mount Mulanje, among the highest mountains in Africa and the towering peaks of the Nyika Plateau in the north, to the lush valleys and the expansive shores of Lake Malawi, to the Shire River valley in the south, an extension of the Great Rift Valley, the country showcases a rich tapestry of ecosystems. 

20% of the country’s landmass consists of water: The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by freshwater Lake Malawi, sometimes called the Calendar Lake for its 365 miles length and 52 miles width, about one quarter of the size of Malawi’s area (extending into Mozambique).

Lake Malawi has the most endemic fish in the world, with Malawi home to some 200 mammal, 650 bird, 30+ mollusc, and 5,500+ plant species, hundreds found nowhere else.

About 28% of Malawi’s land area remains forested, and the country has several protected areas, including Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Malawi has a diverse range of endemic wildlife including 187 species of mammals like elephants, black rhinos, hippos, buffalo, big cats (lions, leopards, and (recently reintroduced) cheetahs), various antelope species (like kudu, sable, nyala, and impala), primates like baboons and monkeys, lemurs and bats and a great diversity of 648 recorded species of birds, 456 resident, including birds of prey, parrots, waterfowl, large waders and songbirds. 

There’s approximately 500 species of fish, with over 90% being endemic. Lake Malawi alone has more fish species than all the lakes and rivers of North America and Europe combined!

There’s also large numbers of insects: ants, beetles, crickets, flies, bees, wasps, and thousands of butterfly and moth species.

There’s tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, shrublands and woodlands, with key wildlife areas including National Parks (Nyika, Lake Malawi, Kasungu, and Liwonde) and wildlife reserves like Majete, Nkhotakota, Vwaza Marsh, and Mwabvi. As such, the country offers various wildlife viewing opportunities, including traditional safaris, boat safaris, and birdwatching. 

Lake Malawi itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for its clear waters and endemic cichlid fish. 

The Mulanje Massif, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, covers about 6,421 hectares and features its own variety of ecosystems, including rolling grasslands, deep forested ravines, and unique highland habitats. It is recognised for its rich biodiversity and home to numerous endemic species of flora, fauna and 180 bird species, including the endangered Cholo Alethe. The Mulanje cedar (Widdringtonia whytei), the national tree of Malawi, is found in the high cloud forests of the massif and is critically endangered due to overlogging and habitat loss. 

Deforestation, contributing to significant environmental degradation.is a significant issue in Malawi, driven by the need for agricultural land and fuelwood. The traditional “slash and burn” agriculture method exacerbates this problem, leading to soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. 

Lake Malawi, a critical resource for the country, faces challenges from overfishing and pollution. The use of mosquito nets for fishing and the siltation caused by soil erosion have drastically reduced fish stocks. The average fish consumption per person has dropped from 14 kg per year in the 1970s to about 4 kg per year today. (Ripple Africa)

Malawi’s Environmental Management Act (2017) provides a framework for environmental governance, emphasising sustainable resource use and biodiversity conservation. It supports the integration of environmental considerations into national development plans.

Historically, the late 19th century saw European involvement and treaties negotiated with indigenous rulers, formally declaring the country a British protectorate called Nyasaland. A desire for independence after the 2nd World War saw federation with Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe), followed by self-governance and independence in 1964 under its new name, Malawi, declared a republic in 1966. Under the new regime, the country embarked on a programme of economic development and political neutrality in international affairs. However, the one-party government became repressive, leading to sluggish economy, foreign aid debt and Mozambican refugees, prompting discontent and human rights criticisms, resulting in a new constitution and democratically-elected pro-Western government in 1994.

As a result, Malawi’s low GDP per capita (just US$673 annual average – World Bank, 2024), ranks it among the world’s least developed countries, with a largely rural (85%) population, over half its population living below the poverty line, earning less than $1 per day (Oxfam), and a donor dependence on international aid and economic assistance to meet development needs for economy, education, healthcare and environment. 

Malawi’s economy is primarily agricultural: it’s ~26% (Malawi Governmen4, 2024; World Bank, 2023) of GDP, 80% exports (Bank of Scotland, 2025) and 62% of workforce (Malawi Government, Bank of Scotland), particularly heavily dependent on tobacco with other major exports including, tea, coffee, sugar, apparel, cotton and nuts – and now tourism, which supports local craft heritage too.

Limited imports include petroleum products, fertiliser, and manufactured goods. Gradually foreign expat managers are being replaced by Malawians.

Smallholder farmers produce about 80% of Malawi’s food and account for 75%-80% of the agricultural GDP and typically farm on 0.5-0.7 hectares (World Bank). 

Despite their importance, smallholder farmers face significant challenges, including limited access to markets, credit, and agricultural inputs. More than 70% of smallholder farmers live below the national poverty line of $2.15/day.

A remarkable share of almost one-third of Malawi’s family farms are female headed, while the average level of education of a household head centres around 5 years (UN, World Bank). However, women often have less access to land and resources compared to men.

Conservation in Malawi

In Malawi’s pre-colonial era, traditional conservation measures existed, including sacred forests and graveyards where religious beliefs prohibited hunting and tree-felling, and wildlife resources were protected by factors like simple technology, tribal warfare creating wilderness “buffer zones”, and religious taboos.

In the Colonial period (1891-1964), the British introduced modern wildlife conservation concepts: Game reserves were established to preserve wildlife and hunting was regulated, with restrictions on native populations and emphasis on crop protection.

After Malawi’s independence (1964), the new government inherited and consolidated the modern conservation approach, though often failed to gain local support.

Further to declining sport hunting, game sanctuaries for tourism were established; other game reserves were upgraded to national parks and more game and forest reserves were created. 

From the 1990s on came recognition of the need to involve local communities in conservation efforts, partly off the back of conflict between wildlife conservation and expanding human populations/agricultural needs, and persistent illicit encroachment into protected areas.

Now, with Protected Areas accounting for about 22% of Malawi’s total land area, there’s a recognised need to integrate traditional and modern conservation approaches, 

Efforts are being made to involve local communities in conservation and to link conservation with rural economic development.

Organisations like RIPPLE Africa are involved in tree planting, forest conservation, and promoting fuel-efficient cookstoves to reduce deforestation. 

The government is working on integrating environmental management into national development strategies and has ratified international environmental agreements (eg. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, CITES, Paris Climate Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Ramsar convention for wetlands, Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals and African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)

Tourism in Malawi began to develop after the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1964, as part of the first president’s efforts to improve the economy.

By the 1980s, Malawi was beginning to realise its potential as a tourist destination. The country saw an influx of holidaymakers, contributing significantly to the economy. However, much of the income generated did not benefit the local population, leading to dissatisfaction and calls for change.

However, from 1993, Bakili Muluzi’s tenure as president saw the tourism industry faced with a lack of government investment and incentives. Limited direct long-haul flights from Europe and America made Malawi an expensive and less competitive destination.

Between 1997 and 2007, Malawi’s economy grew at a slow average annual rate, partly due to insufficient investment in tourism infrastructure and promotion.

The Malawian government recognised the importance of tourism for economic growth and worked closely with the private sector to improve infrastructure, like road construction and destination development. 

By 2011, tourism’s contribution to Malawi’s GDP had increased from 1.8% to 8.0%, highlighting its growing importance, also for employment opportunities.

The government has since identified tourism as a key driver for sustainable economic growth and development, including tax incentives for investors. In 2019, the government implemented a National Tourism Policy to create an enabling environment for development and promotion of the sector.

Malawi Vision 2063, the country’s long-term development plan, prioritises tourism as an economic sector for achieving inclusive growth and self-reliance.

Efforts are being made to gather more comprehensive tourism data to help investors and the government make informed decisions.

Malawi has limited electricity supply (only 14% of the country is connected to mains electricity) so many hotels rely on solar power and/or back up
generators.

Malawi’s energy sector has been heavily reliant on biomass, with firewood and charcoal being the primary sources of energy for most of the domestic population. This reliance has led to significant deforestation and environmental degradation.

In the 2000s, the government began recognising the need for diversifying energy sources, although progress was slow due to economic constraints and a lack of political will.

Initial efforts included the establishment of the National Sustainable and Renewable Energy Program (NSREP) in 1999 and the Barrier Removal to Renewable Energy in Malawi (BARREM) project.

In the 2010s however, renewed efforts took place.

In 2013, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) was established to oversee the energy sector and promote sustainable energy practices.

The government adopted the Malawi Renewable Energy Strategy, aiming to increase the use of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and small hydro.

Community energy systems (CES) began to gain traction to provide clean energy to rural areas.

In 2018, the government adopted a revised National Energy Policy to expand the energy mix and reduce reliance on hydropower from the Shire River, which had become unreliable due to rainfall fluctuations and climate change impacts like droughts and flooding.

The new policy emphasised the development of solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.

In the 2020s, Malawi has thus seen increased investment in solar power projects, including the development of solar mini-grids in rural areas and micro-hydros.

The government and various stakeholders have been working to promote electric cooking and the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to reduce dependence on biomass.

However, high costs and limited infrastructure have hindered the widespread adoption of clean energy technologies. The energy sector still faces issues like frequent blackouts and an unreliable grid and still only about 18% of the population has access to electricity, with only 11% on the grid and the majority still relying on biomass for cooking and heating (Gov.uk).

Aside the country’s Environmental Management Act, National Climate Change Management Policy and Community Energy Systems (CES) and mini-grids (described above), the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) aims to foster a green economy by promoting sustainable use of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity. Conservation is now looking to community integration to gain traction, making local responsible for protecting natural resources and reducing dependence on illegal activities.

Investment in solar, wind and hydro projects for a greater mix and production of renewable energy are also growing with Community Energy Systems (CES) and mini-grids, also aiming to reduce reliance on biomass, thus deforestation. 

Likewise, the Malawi National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy aims to restore degraded landscapes, improve livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience, and the Malawi Forest Restoration (MFR) project focuses on tree planting and sustainable agroforestry practices.

NGOs like Permaculture in Malawi (PIM) or Permaculture Paradise Institute provide training and support to local farmers in sustainable land management, promoting reforestation and reducing environmental harm.

And the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) enhances agricultural productivity through sustainable practices, ensuring food availability and environmental conservation.

Malawi has integrated environmental education into its national curriculum, aiming to instil sustainable development values from an early age. NGOs like the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) conduct programs to raise public awareness about conservation.

The government supports small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in green business practices, fostering innovation and sustainable livelihoods.

Malawi is developing eco-tourism to capitalise on its natural beauty while ensuring that tourism development is environmentally responsible.