We spent one night in Mzuzu, Malawi’s third-largest city and the administrative, commercial, and educational hub of the Northern Region. Perched on a high plateau at an elevation of approximately 1,254 metres, the city lies amid the rolling hills and wooded landscapes of the Viphya Highlands. Mzuzu is surrounded by vast Miombo woodlands and extensive forest reserves, including the Viphya Plantation to the south, often cited as Africa’s largest man-made forest. The fertile highland soils support key agricultural industries, producing crops such as tea and rubber, as well as the region’s world-renowned Mzuzu coffee.
Mzuzu traces its origins to 1947, when it was established as a Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) Tung Oil Estate. What began as a small farming and trading settlement rapidly evolved into a thriving urban centre. The city became the capital of Malawi’s Northern Region in 1960, was designated a municipality in 1980, and achieved full city status in 1985. One of its most recognisable landmarks is the historic Mzuzu Clock Tower, built during the British colonial era in the 1950s. The tower remains a cherished symbol of the city’s heritage and its early role as an administrative centre.
Parking location – Mzuzu: 11.4406505S 34.0426438E (🚻,🚿,💦,🔌,🍽️,🅿️22,000 MKW/pax)