Nyika, the largest national park in Malawi, is one of the most unusual in Africa, with a plateau cut by numerous rivers that reach Lake Malawi by way of waterfalls off the eastern edge of the mountains. The Nyika Plateau lies in northern Malawi, with a small portion in north eastern Zambia. Most of it lies at elevations of between 2,100 and 2,200 m (6,900 and 7,200 ft), the highest point being 2,605 m (8,547 ft) at Nganda Peak. It is roughly a diamond in shape, with a long north–south axis of about 90 km (56 mi), and an east–west axis of about 50 km (31 mi). The eastern border of the plateau forms the wall of the Great Rift Valley. The great domes of hills have gentle slopes, making Nyika perfect for both trekking and mountain biking as well as Jeep exploration.
Antelope and zebra abound, and the park has one of the highest densities of leopard in Central Africa. All of the plateau is protected, by Malawi’s large Nyika National Park and the much smaller Nyika National Park, Zambia. The only settlement on the plateau is Chelinda, the headquarters and accommodation site for the Malawian park.
