Maps and navigation
Nyika National Park map
An interactive map with coordinates for Thazima Gate, Chelinda, Nganda Peak and the airstrip, plus how to navigate a plateau where you should assume there is no signal.
Download the official park map
Neither Malawi's DNPW nor the Peace Parks Foundation publishes a downloadable visitor map of Nyika, which is a genuine gap. The Peace Parks park page is the closest thing to an official online reference, and Chelinda headquarters can advise on current road conditions when you arrive.
Key coordinates
Save these before you go. Mobile coverage inside the park is patchy at best, and a set of waypoints in an offline app will get you out of trouble faster than anything else.
| Place | What it is | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Chelinda | Park headquarters, lodge, camp and fishing permits | -10.5833, 33.8000 |
| Thazima Gate | Main southern entrance, off the M24 from Rumphi | -10.9667, 33.6333 |
| Kaperekezi Gate | Western entrance, less used | -10.7333, 33.5500 |
| Nganda Peak | Highest point of the plateau, 2,605 m | -10.5167, 33.8500 |
| Chelinda airstrip (FWCD) | 1,200 m grass strip at ±2,365 m, charters only | -10.5500, 33.7900 |
| Rumphi | Last town and last reliable fuel before the park | -11.0167, 33.8667 |
| Livingstonia | Mission station above Lake Malawi, endpoint of the 3-day trek | -10.6000, 34.1167 |
Navigating Nyika
- Coordinates above are approximate, good enough to orient a mapping app but not survey data. Cross-check against your offline map before relying on them.
- Download the Malawi region in OsmAnd or Organic Maps before Rumphi; assume you will have no signal on the plateau.
- The road network radiates from Chelinda. Ask at headquarters which loops are currently driveable, especially in and after the rains.
- Distances deceive on the plateau: the roads wind and climb, so plan in hours, not kilometres.
The approach is the crux
Navigation inside the park is simple compared with getting there. From Rumphi the M24 runs on dirt to Thazima Gate, and from the gate it is roughly 60 km of steep, winding climb to Chelinda: slow going in the dry, hard going in the wet, 4x4 territory always. Gate hours are not officially published (one unverified source says early morning to 18:00 at Thazima), so time your arrival conservatively and aim to be at Chelinda well before dark.
Fill up in Rumphi and carry jerry cans for your plateau driving. There is no fuel in the park, and the climb burns more than the map suggests.