Malawi - Useful information for your trip

Malawi is a quite small country located in the Eastern Africa, it has not any access to the sea.

The Great Rift Valley crosses the country from the Northern part to the South, forming the depression in which is located the Malawi Lake. The rest of the territory is characterized by uplands. Malawi boasts a sub-tropical climate, characterized by a rainy season from november to april, and a dry season during the other months. This country is a kaleidoscope of landscapes, indeed there is a huge varieties of natural environments. Here, it is possible to find savannas, grazing lands, wide forests of pines and cypresses, fertile mountains and rainforests.

In order to preserve this enormous heterogeneity and the uncountable natural wonders, several natural parks have been established. The most important is the Liwonde National Park, it mainly holds a fluvial fauna. Hippos and crocodiles abound, but not miss also elephants, several species of antelopes, baboons and impalas.

Beyond the natural parks, Malawi also provides different and suggestive villages, which have been able to conserve the ancient traditions. The most characteristic ritual is Gule Wunkulu, it is a dance through which the young become men. The inhabitans wear ancestral clothes and cover their faces with a wooden mask carved by hand.

Also the capital city, Lilongwe, is a fascinating place. It boasts modern administrative palaces, but also ancient houses. In this way, it proposes a clear comparison between the past and the present of the country. Moreover, the in Old City is still usual to see a lively and colourful market where the handicraft products, fruits, vegetables, fishes, meats and spices are sold.

The main economical source of Malawi is based on the agricultural productions and their exportation. The three most commercialized products are tobacco, tea and sugar. The first one is the more sold, and inside the cities there are rooms dedicated to the auction sale of tobacco.