Namizimu Forest Reserve- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Located in Malawi's Mangochi District, Namizimu Forest Reserve spans nearly 89,000 hectares of dramatic escarpment rising from around 500 m at Lake Malombe up to peaks above 1,800 m, including the summit of Msondole. The reserve hosts a unique blend of miombo (Brachystegia) woodland, fragments of montane rainforest, dense riparian forest and lakeshore thicket—habitats supporting a remarkable diversity, from near-threatened birds like Stierling's woodpecker to endemic butterflies such as Cooksonia aliciae and even a small population of African elephants. Gazetted in 1924 primarily as a watershed and watershed-protection area, the reserve remains pivotal for conserving Malawi's biodiversity, hydrological health and forest-dependent livelihoods.