Nyika - A park quite unlike others in Africa

Roan antelopes

With only six days in the country there was no way I could cover both the northern and southern part of Malawi. Key activities targeted were a national park, some trekking and diving in Lake Malawi. Malawi’s size and relatively diverse landscape meant that all three could be done within a small geographical area and within a short time frame – all I had to do was choose between the northern or southern circuit.

My motorcycle ride from Rumphi at Thazima gate

Southern Malawi had the big game attraction of Liwonde National Park, trekking in the tea growing region of Mount Mulanje and diving at the southern tip of Lake Malawi in Cape Mclear.

North was equally complementary…For wildlife I could go either to Kasungu, Vwaza Marsh Reserve or the Nyika National Park. Trekking could be done around Livingstonia and then rounding off with diving in Nkhata Bay. Kasungu was closer to Lilongwe but the game population, I had read, was severely degraded due to trans-border poaching. Vwaza Marsh Reserve had good game viewing but I wasn’t in Malawi for just the game.

Dam 1 at Chelinda Lodge

I’ve been fortunate to have been to a few wildlife parks in Africa and at this point I look for more than just seeing animals from the comfort of a vehicle. Nyika was fascinating since it combined wildlife with breathtaking landscape all at altitudes of around 2,500 meters and this could all be done with less limiting modes of transport than a 4WD. Plus, Nyika would also allow me to fit in a bit of trekking by walking across the park’s highland grasslands down to Livingstonia near the Lake Malawi.

The decision between the northern and southern circuit boiled down to going somewhere remote and experiencing something novel where Nyika trumped Liwonde. It didn’t hut that Nkhata Bay had better reviews than Cape Mclear.

Getting to Nyika, I knew would not be easy but the flip side to it is that the more difficult a place…the more pristine it generally is and I quite like that trade off.

Reedbuck and Zebra probably wondering who the jokers were on the bike

Despite my apprehension, the motorcycle guy from the previous night showed promptly at 6:30am and we soon left for Nyika. I hadn’t read any reports online of anyone getting from Rumphi to Nyika with any other modes of transport except for a vehicle or walking; so, if there is someone out there reading this and wanting to go to Nyika on the cheap I would say it is certainly possible on a motorcycle…but a word of caution - I went right before the rainy season. The road will almost certainly be more challenging when its wet and slick.

One of several endemic orchids of Nyuka

Nyika highland

There was ongoing construction of a big road for the first part of the journey and the motorcycle driver in an attempt to dodge the dust and construction took a route through nearby villages which allowed me to see glimpse the red rustic side of Malawi. A few hours later we entered the park from its southern Thazima gate named after a nearby village from where several of the staff that work at the park come from.

The region immediate after the gate was fenced which I later learnt was a temporary confinement area for elephants that were being translocated from Liwonde. I am not a big fan of fenced parks; somehow feels un-natural when animals are not freely allowed to move in and out of their territories.

Protea flower

As our motorcycle climbed up the plateau I could glimpse the distinctive rolling grasslands of Nyika which is unlike any national park I’ve seen in Africa…the closest I say would is Lope National Park in Gabon. The scene soon turned even more dramatic when we passed a small herd of Roan antelopes. It was my second sighting of this species with the first coming in the obscure Waza National Park in Cameroon. The herd looked fairly relaxed allowing me to get close to them on foot and capture a few good shots – This was a good introduction to Nyika indeed.

Soon we passed the campsite where I dropped my backpack and proceeded to the reception building. The motorcycle ride from Rumphi to the Chelinda site was around 3.5 hours and cost me 14,000 kwachas versus paying close to 70,000 kwachas for a ride in a vehicle.

Chelinda in the background

Leaving Rumphi early meant I still had a good half day to explore Nyika and Darlington, the receptionist at the lodge, quickly listed out the activities in the park. Now, Nyika might be a big park for Malawi’s size at around 3,200 sq. km. but its not Serengeti or Etosha when it comes to the density of animals so if anyone expects the same then they better prepare for massive disappointment. The charm of Nyika is that there’s opportunity to see wildlife on a mountain bike, or walking or even on horseback though I’m not sure if they still have a stable of horses since the new management has taken over the Chelinda lodge & campsite.

Zebra crossing our path.

I signed up for a 4-hour mountain bike safari through the plateau. Over the course of the next few hours we saw plenty of zebras, roan antelopes, reedbuck and the distant elands keeping a safe distance not having the same acceleration of other antelopes.

Probably the memory that will stay when the mundane things of Nyika are forgotten is seeing a small herd of Zebras crossing our path as the sunset. It was absolutely exhilarating & liberating to seeing them up close and not be restricted in the confines of a vehicle.

Being the lone tourist meant I could take liberty with time soaking in the moment and trying to get that one last good shot. Unfortunately, it also meant that by the time we returned to the lodge, dusk had already settled so I hurriedly dropped off the bike, grabbed some water and started the 2km walk from the lodge reception to the campsite. Even though it was just past 6:30pm, visibility was near zero and I had left my headlamp in my backpack at the campsite.

The moment that I'll remember Nyika for

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any anxiety as I walked through the dim light especially when I could hear panicked rumble of hooves which were probably Zebras. Nyika is reputed to have a high density of leopards and sightings of them around the pine forest I was walking is thought to be common. Hyenas also inhabit that area but the biggest source of the mild trepidation was from a lone male lion that had recently migrated into the plateau. Darlington’s (the receptionist) statement that he and his colleagues at Chelinda Lodge are fearful for their lives since the lion has arrived bounced through my empty head :)

As I was trying to find the way back, a park ranger’s vehicle approached and sternly advised me that I shouldn’t be walking at that hour. I do understand where he was coming from – something happens to me and they will be answerable for it plus the park gets negative press affecting their livelihood.

He probably was also disappointed that I was not accompanied by someone from the reception to my camp site. Soon though I reached the campsite aided by the flashing torchlight of the attended who to my pleasant surprise had already started a fire for me. Dinner was simple, fire-toasted bread and boiled eggs and it was time to hit the sack. Early next morning I had arranged for a park ranger who would be accompanying me on a 3-day trek through the park all the way to Livingstonia.