Lilongwe 3-Day Itinerary: Wildlife Sanctuary, Markets and Lake Malawi

Three days in Lilongwe lets you experience both halves of Malawi's green capital at a relaxed pace and still spend a full day swimming in Lake Malawi or exploring the UNESCO rock paintings of Dedza. Book your guided sanctuary tour at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre ahead and carry Kwacha notes for market stalls; see our practical briefing.

Day 1: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Capital Hill Monuments & Four Seasons

• Morning: begin in the forested valley between the two halves of the city at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, joining a morning guided sanctuary tour to see rescued vervet monkeys, baboons and servals before walking the shaded trails along the Lingadzi River in search of wild bushbuck and woodland birds.
• Lunch: relax over lunch and fresh juice on the wooden canopy deck at the sanctuary café.
• Afternoon: head north into City Centre to visit the marble Kamuzu Mausoleum, view the domed Parliament Building, and climb the King's African Rifles War Memorial Tower for a panorama over the green tree canopy of the capital, finishing with single-origin Mzuzu coffee and craft browsing at Four Seasons Nursery near Area 10.
• Evening: dine under the garden trees at a lodge restaurant in Area 3 or Area 9.

Day 2: Old Town Market, Lizulu Chitenje Bridge & Kumbali Cultural Village

• Morning: dive into Old Town Market on Malaga Street to see mounds of dried lake fish and chillies, then walk across the fabric-draped river bridge at Lizulu Market to choose a six-metre wax-print chitenje cloth and browse carved chief chairs and bawo boards at the Kenyatta Drive Curio Market.
• Lunch: sit down for a traditional Malawian lunch of whole grilled Lake Malawi chambo with nsima, groundnut-leaf nkhwani and a dash of fiery Nali chilli sauce.
• Afternoon: drive twenty minutes south-east to the 650-hectare estate of Kumbali Cultural Village for farmstead cheese tasting, woodland trails and traditional Chewa drumming and dance.

Day 3: Choose Between Lake Malawi (Senga Bay) OR Chongoni Rock-Art & Dedza

• Option A (Lake Malawi beach day at Senga Bay): drive ninety minutes east down the escarpment via Salima to Senga Bay to swim in clear freshwater coves, take a wooden boat out to Lizard Island to snorkel with colourful cichlids and watch fish eagles, and enjoy a beachside fish lunch before returning to Lilongwe.
• Option B (UNESCO Chongoni Rock-Art & Dedza Pottery): head 85 kilometres south-east down the M1 into the granite hills to hike to the prehistoric rock shelters of Chongoni (such as Chentcherere or Mphunzi) and finish with handmade ceramics and afternoon tea at Dedza Pottery.