Nyika Plateau is a marvellous area for hiking, and has some unusual wildlife. It lies mostly in Malawi, with just a slim Zambian national park hugging the border, and is best approached from the Malawian side. For this reason, below is a description of the plateau as a whole, and how to see it, including directions within Malawi.

Geography

Nyika Plateau National Park is a tiny Zambian national park of only 80km2. However, it adjoins Malawi's Nyika National Park, which is the country's largest national park. This was established in 1965 and extended to its present size of 3,134km2 in 1978. At the heart of both parks lies the gently undulating Nyika Plateau, which averages over 2,000m in altitude.

In addition to the main plateau, the Malawian National Park also protects part of the eastern slopes of the Nyika range, where grassland and forest are replaced by thick miombo woodland.