When to go · Malawi
Malawi in January
Mixed month. Heavy rain, flooded dirt roads, some park tracks shut; the lake is warm but murky.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Low
- Malawi
- Prices
- Low
- Malawi
Verdict
Heavy rain, flooded dirt roads, some park tracks shut; the lake is warm but murky.
Weather in January
- Lakeshore · Cape Maclear, Senga Bay, Nkhata Bay, Likomarainy
Lake water is clearest and calmest May–Oct; the mwera wind from the south-east can whip up waves Jun–Aug. Oct–Nov is very hot at 500 m.
- Shire valley parks · Liwonde, Majete, Lengwerainy
Game concentrates on the Shire River as the bush dries Aug–Nov; October can pass 40 °C. Some tracks close in the rains.
- Highlands and plateaus · Zomba, Mulanje, Nyika, Viphyarainy
Cold nights Jun–Aug (frost on Nyika); Mulanje hut routes are wet and slippery Dec–Mar.
- Central plateau and cities · Lilongwe, Dedza, Blantyrerainy
Pleasant dry winters; storms Dec–Mar and power and fuel shortages at any time.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year's Day
1 Jan
Public holiday; lake lodges full with residents.
John Chilembwe Day
15 Jan
Public holiday; offices closed.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Malawi
- Low
- Prices · Malawi
- Low
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast