Nyika National Park
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Where to stay

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.

Interactive map of Nyika National Park

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On the map

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Chelinda Dam 2 Lake Kaulime Chelinda Dam 1 Chelinda Dam 3 Thazima Gate Rumphi Mzuzu 1 Chelinda. Park headquarters, lodge, camp and fishing permits 2 Thazima Gate. Main southern entrance, off the M24 from Rumphi 3 Kaperekezi Gate. Western entrance, less used 4 Nganda Peak. Highest point of the plateau, 2,605 m 5 Chelinda airstrip (FWCD). 1,200 m grass strip at ±2,365 m, charters only 6 Rumphi. Last town and last reliable fuel before the park 7 Livingstonia. Mission station above Lake Malawi, endpoint of the 3-day trek 50 km
OpenStreetMap (Nominatim & Overpass), checked 2026-09-21. The numbered pins are the key coordinates further down this page. The interactive version of this map needs JavaScript; everything on it is also in the list below.

Lodges without a confirmed location are not on the map yet: Juniper Forest campsite.

Everything on the map

Lodges and camps 3

Campsites and park camps 8

  • Camp KazuniCampsite · outside the park
  • Chelinda CampsiteBudget · Enquire
  • FloJa Foundation CampingCampsite · outside the park
  • Hakuna MatataCampsite · outside the park
  • Kaperekezi CampCampsite · outside the park
  • Kings Highway Florence BayCampsite · outside the park
  • Lukwe CampCampsite · outside the park
  • Malema CampCampsite · outside the park

Pans and waterholes 12

  • Chelinda Dam 1
  • Chelinda Dam 2
  • Chelinda Dam 3
  • First tank Mbiriwizi water systemPan · outside the park
  • First water seperatorPan · outside the park
  • KazuniPan · outside the park
  • Lake ChiwondoPan · outside the park
  • Lake Kaulime
  • Mali LagoonPan · outside the park
  • Matunkha tank Mbiriwizi water systemPan · outside the park
Show the other 2 pans and waterholes
  • Second tank Mbiriwizi water systemPan · outside the park
  • Zaro PoolsPan · outside the park

Rivers and springs 27

  • BembaRiver · outside the park
  • ChesamuRiver · outside the park
  • ChimbililiRiver · outside the park
  • ChitimbaRiver · outside the park
  • HeweRiver · outside the park
  • Kahululu RiverRiver · outside the park
  • KampembaRiver · outside the park
  • KasituRiver · outside the park
  • Lunyina RiverRiver · outside the park
  • LuraRiver · outside the park
Show the other 17 rivers and springs
  • LuweweRiver · outside the park
  • LuwumbuRiver · outside the park
  • LuwuwushiRiver · outside the park
  • LwasyoRiver · outside the park
  • MancheweRiver · outside the park
  • ManthuloRiver · outside the park
  • mwazisiRiver · outside the park
  • North Rukuru
  • North RumphiRiver · outside the park
  • RemeroRiver · outside the park
  • RumphiLast town and last reliable fuel before the park
  • RunyinaRiver · outside the park
  • South RukuruRiver · outside the park
  • VumboRiver · outside the park
  • WayiRiver · outside the park
  • WovweRiver · outside the park
  • ZulunkhuniRiver · outside the park

Viewpoints 7

  • Bridge & Concrete padViewpoint · outside the park
  • Cave behind the Kazichi water fallViewpoint · outside the park
  • Chombe peak view pointViewpoint · outside the park
  • h11Viewpoint · outside the park
  • Hewe Nyika JunctionViewpoint · outside the park
  • Kandewe traditional bamboo suspension bridgeViewpoint · outside the park
  • MkandawireViewpoint · outside the park

Gates 3

  • Bwengu MRA RoadblockGate · outside the park
  • Kaperekezi GateWestern entrance, less used
  • Thazima- Junior Staff Housing gateGate · outside the park

Airstrips 4

  • Chelinda AirfieldAirstrip · CEH FWCD
  • Chilumba Private AirportAirstrip · FWCB
  • East FiveAirstrip · FLEE
  • Katumbi Airport - CLOSEDAirstrip · FWKB

Towns 15

  • BunganiroVillage
  • ChakakaVillage
  • ChibingaVillage
  • Chilumba
  • FulirwaVillage
  • KapikaVillage
  • Karonga
  • Katumbi
  • KaziwiziwiVillage
  • LivingstoniaMission station above Lake Malawi, endpoint of the 3-day trek
Show the other 5 towns
  • Muyombe
  • N'gongaVillage
  • RumphiLast town and last reliable fuel before the park
  • Thendere
  • Uliwa

Fuel 6

  • Meru
  • Meru
  • Petroda Filling Station
  • Puma Filling StationFuel station · Puma Energy
  • Total Filling Station
  • Total Filling Station

Clinics 15

  • Chabazamba Community Health Centre
  • Chifunda Health Post
  • Chifunda Health Post
  • David Gordon Memorial HospitalHospital
  • Gombelimo Health CentreHospital
  • Gwebe Health Centre
  • Karonga District HospitalHospital
  • Katanga Health Post
  • Mafinga District HospitalHospital
  • Muyombe District HospitalHospital
Show the other 5 clinics
  • Nyungwe HospitalHospital
  • Phapa Clinic
  • Rumphi District HospitalHospital
  • Samusaluya Community Health Centre
  • Shalom Private Clinic

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.

PlaceWhat it isCoordinates
Chelinda Park headquarters, lodge, camp and fishing permits -10.59212, 33.81533
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 -11.01599, 33.85877
Livingstonia Mission station above Lake Malawi, endpoint of the 3-day trek -10.60991, 34.10735

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.

Where to go next

Getting There The routes these coordinates sit on Lodges & camps Where each place to stay is on this map The park What the landscape is made of