Thuma Forest Reserve- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Thuma Forest Reserve, established in 1926, spans approximately 19,700 hectares in the Great Rift Valley Escarpment, near Lake Malawi, around 80 km from Lilongwe. The reserve's altitude ranges from 575 to 1,564 meters, with rugged terrain covered in Brachystegia (miombo) woodland at higher elevations and mixed low-altitude woodland with bamboo at lower levels. Thuma is one of the few reserves in Malawi still home to elephants and buffalo, along with other wildlife such as kudu, bushbuck, and leopard. Despite historical threats from poaching and deforestation, the Wildlife Action Group has spearheaded a successful conservation effort, significantly reducing poaching and boosting wildlife populations. Today, Thuma is considered one of the best-protected forest reserves in Malawi, with a focus on ecological restoration and community-based conservation projects.