Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve
Malawi's smallest and most remote reserve, in the far south, with sandstone gorges and very few visitors.
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Mwabvi is the smallest protected area in Malawi, around a hundred and thirty square kilometres in the far south near the Mozambican border, and the least visited: broken country of sandstone gorges, rock outcrops and thicket rather than open plain. Game was heavily reduced by poaching and is recovering slowly under a management trust. The appeal is the emptiness, the rock scenery and the walking rather than large mammal viewing.
What you actually see
- The sandstone gorges - the broken rock country the reserve is built around.
- The rock outcrops - the kopjes standing above the thicket.
- The emptiness - the least visited reserve in the country.
- The walking - guided routes through the gorges and woodland.
When to go
June to October is the dry season and the only practical window. The rains make the access road impassable. Heat late in the dry season is severe.
Honest expectations
Game numbers are very low after heavy poaching and this is not a wildlife destination. Access needs four-wheel drive on a rough road. Facilities are a basic camp.
Nearby
Nsanje is south, and Lengwe is north.
What to pack for Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
