10 Things to do in Nkhotakota:

• Visit Bua Camp and take a walk with an armed guard to look for elephants or crocodilles in the Nkhotakota Game Reserve.

• Visit Nkhotakota Potteries for beautiful pottery, while watching the potters create the next masterpiece.  You may also choose to take pottery lessons with them and create your own gifts to take home.

• Kayak on the lake and meet some local fishermen, children, and experience the peace and serene beauty of the lake (Fish Eagle Bay has Kayaks).

• Walk on the beach while breathing clean fresh air to rejuvenate your soul and clear the mind.

• Join in with the locals to play social footbal (most fields, morning and afternoon).

• Play golf at Dwangwa Golf course - an 18 hole course.

• Visit Nkhotakota and meet some of the interesting locals, or communicate with your family at Nkhotakota Internet Cafe.

• Visit some of Lodges in the area, such as Sani Beach Lodge, Nkhotakota Pottery or Satima Inn situated in Nkhotakota where the slaves used to be held in a stockade before being shipped off to Tanzania or Mozambique.

• Head of with the Ilala ferry - guaranteed a very special and memorable experience.

• See the beautiful Anglican Church in Nkhotakota, and you may even choose to attend one of their Sunday services.  Services are held in Chichewa, the local language, but it is uplifting to experience the warmth and enthusiasm of the congregation.

Tourist attractions:

Tourism within the district is not very much developed. The main attractions are the lake itself, Nkhotakota Game Reserve and some sights like the hot springs, The Livingstone Three and the Anglican Church. More info on tourism is found in the chapter below.

Nkhotakota Game reserve »

Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (NKKWR). is in excess of 1800sq.km. The topography is steeply undulating, consisting of dominantly Brachystegia (Miombo) woodland, intercepted by the Bua and Kaombe Rivers. Species such as Terminalia, Trichilia, Kigelia, Strychnos, and others, add to its diversity, explaining the abundance of over 250 bird species in the area, including the rare Palm-Nut Vulture. The species range from Raptors such as the Martial Eagle, Brown and Black-Breasted Snake-Eagles, Steppe, Tawny, Wahlberg’s and Fish Eagles, African Harrier-Hawk, Harriers, Hawks Kites and Falcons, to Louries, Parrots, King-Fishers and Ground Hornbills to the many other seed, fruit and insect eaters. A comprehensive list will be available at the lodge, in the form of check lists, for the visitor to tick off and take home. The same will apply to Trees, Mammals, Reptiles, Fish, Insects, Grasses and so on.

Picture: Bua river - close to Bua Camp -  a good place to spot crocs.

Some of the more common mammals to be found in NKKWR are  elephants, buffalo, kudu, bushbuck, reedbuck, grey-duiker, zebra, roan, sable, bush-pig, warthog, ground and tree-squirrels,  baboons [orange] vervet monkeys, bush-babies, lion, leopard, hyena, and homo-sapiens.

During the rainy season, November to April, the game disperses as there is water in all the streams and pools. In the dry months, mainly July to October, the concentrations of animals, especially the water dependant species such as Elephant and Buffalo, remain close to the rivers [Bua and Kaombe]. The predators follow the food.

Walking trips can be arranged through Nkhotakota Pottery or through the ministry of tourism and wildlife in the Nkhotakota Boma. Soon both Tongole Wilderness Lodge and Bua Camp will also be able to offer a number of wildlife activities (Source: tongole.com).

If you want to plan a trip to the reserve, please contact Nkhotakota Parks and Wildlife office +265 (0)999921032 (Alex Chunga) or Bua Camp, Nkhotakota Pottery Lodge or Tongole Wilderness Lodge.

The Lake

Malawis big draw is the lake - a magnificent shard of crystal water stretching some 500 km along Malawi´s eastern border. Around 500 species of fish inhabit the lake, and the freshwater diving and snorkeling here are excellent. From Nkhotakota the lake is best explored from one of the lakeside lodges (see "Accomodation" - or up close from a dugout canoe).

Historic sites

The Stone Mission church from 1894, is the burial place of the first bishop of Likoma. Next to the mission is a spectacular tree in the grounds, under wich Livingstone persuaded Chief Jumbe to end the slave trade in the 19th century. Nkhotakota was once the centre of slave tradeing in this region and is reputedly one of the oldest market towns in Africa.