Discover Kasungu

West of the town of Kasungu lies Kasungu National Park. Its landscape, wildlife and prehistoric sites give the surrounding area a range of nature and cultural themes.

Water, Savanna and Wildlife

Its landscape includes a small lake and a wide, marshy river. As a wilderness area, the park is considered representative of the South African savanna. Water and savanna character sit side by side here.

Some fish species from the barbel and redbreast tilapia groups are found in Lifupa Dam and the waterways of Kasungu National Park. Game drives are among the activities in the park; check current arrangements before making specific plans.

Animals visitors may see there include elephants, hippos, buffalo, greater kudus, hartebeest, sable antelope, impalas, pukus, bushbucks, duikers, zebras and roan antelope. Other possible sightings include lions, leopards, civets, servals, genets and bushbabies.

Prehistoric Traces and Cultural History

The national park contains prehistoric sites with rock paintings and the remains of a fortified village. These add a cultural-history focus to the nature and wildlife themes. When planning your trip, you can consider these different interests alongside one another, rather than associating Kasungu only with its landscape and wildlife viewing. Rock paintings and village remains represent different kinds of prehistoric evidence: pictorial traces on the one hand, and the remains of a fortified settlement on the other. The cultural-history focus in the same park thus ranges from rock art to settlement history.

Kasungu National Park within the wider destination

Kasungu National Park is part of the wider destination of Kasungu. It was established in 1970 and covers 2,316 square kilometres. On the Central African Plateau, it protects miombo, or Brachystegia, woodlands as well as open, grass-covered dambo drainage systems. Miombo woodlands and open dambos represent different landscape types within the same protected area. The park is part of the cross-border Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Areas.

Malawi’s only surviving original traditional iron-smelting site is located in Kasungu National Park in Kasungu District; it is intact and well preserved. Near the park’s western boundary is Wang’ombe Rumen, a group of inselbergs that is among the notable tourist attractions. Both features broaden the regional perspective to include cultural heritage and a distinctive landform.

A 2022 government submission identifies Lisitu Gate on the park’s southeastern boundary as the only vehicle access point. From Kasungu Boma, the gate can be reached via the unpaved D187 road. Check current road and gate conditions before setting out.

Choose the right focus for your accommodation search

When looking for holiday accommodation in Kasungu, your preferred travel focus can be a useful first filter: are you mainly interested in the landscape and wildlife, or more in the cultural-historical traces?

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ntcheu, Senga.

Go to the overview of the wider travel region: Central Region.