Mzuzu

Introduction

Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region, set in a gap in the Viphya Mountains. The surrounding agricultural region specializes in tea, rubber and coffee cultivation, and forest preserves lie to the east of the city.

South of Mzuzu stretches the Viphya Plantation, the largest man-made forest in Africa — the city's most distinctive natural landmark and the anchor of any visit to the area.

Getting there

Mzuzu is well connected by road to the north and south. The AXA bus line runs a comfortable, civilised service at a reasonable price, while cheaper, rickety buses and the usual minibuses (holding up to 20 people) also serve the routes — the latter are cheap but can be a nerve-racking ride. AXA city buses run to Lilongwe, a journey of about 5 hours, and the drive by car from Lilongwe takes the same.

• From Tanzania: be wary of well-established scam artists selling fake bus tickets in Mbeya, including one with an office in the main transit area, professional-looking price lists and even a mobile phone to "check" seat availability. There are no direct buses from Mbeya to Mzuzu or other Malawi border towns.
• Instead, take a minibus from Mbeya to the border town of Kyela, walk 5–10 minutes across the border to the Malawi side, then reach the transit centre of Karonga — minibuses at the border are infrequent, and a taxi can be hired.
• From Karonga, buses and minibuses run to Mzuzu, taking about 3 hours.
• By air: Swiftair, which once operated scheduled flights from Lilongwe to Mzuzu and Karonga, ceased trading in 2012.

Getting around

Mzuzu is compact enough that walking covers many local trips, particularly within and between central neighbourhoods such as Chibavi, Luwinga, Katoto, Zolozolo, Masasa and Chibanja. The climate is subtropical highland, with cool, pleasant temperatures and rain at any time of year, so carry a light rain layer. Stick to daylight hours where you can, keep valuables out of sight, and use offline maps with your lodge, the bus station and pickup points pinned in advance.

For longer hops, minibuses — known locally as matolas — are the cheapest and most widespread way around, though they are crowded, carry up to around 20 people and vary in safety standards. Fares are paid in cash in kwacha, usually to a conductor, and there are no transit cards anywhere in Malawi, so carry small bills and confirm the fare before boarding. Taxis are the most comfortable option for short point-to-point trips and for travel at night; fares are negotiated directly, so agree the price before boarding. Ride-hailing apps are not reliable here, so travellers typically rely on hotel-arranged drivers and coordination by WhatsApp or SMS. There is no metro, tram or urban rail network in Mzuzu or anywhere in Malawi, and rail is primarily freight, so do not plan on trains. Mzuzu Airport has no rail link either — arrange a taxi or pre-arranged driver in advance through your hotel or guesthouse and agree the fare beforehand.

Where to stay

Mzuzu has a small but varied choice of places to sleep, from campgrounds and backpacker dorms to a long-established hotel. If you want to be close to the centre, Mzoozoozoo is a few minutes' walk from town, with camping, dorm beds and rooms, a nice garden and a bar; a taxi from downtown will get you there. Joys place food Restaurant Lodge on Mapale is a good clean option for backpackers, offering single and double rooms as well as dorm beds. Flame Tree Guest House has fan double rooms, while Thandeka Rest House and Chochocho Rest House in Mzimba District provide simpler rest-house accommodation, the latter with single or double rooms with their own bathroom and breakfast.

• Mzoozoozoo – camping, dorms and rooms, garden and bar, a few minutes' walk from town
• Joys place food Restaurant Lodge – clean backpacker rooms and dorms on Mapale
• Flame Tree Guest House – fan double rooms
• Thandeka Rest House – rest-house accommodation
• Chochocho Rest House – single and double rooms with private bathroom and breakfast, in Mzimba District
• Sunbird Mzuzu Hotel – a 1970s concrete hotel next to the golf course, in good order with clean rooms, air conditioning and decent internet

For something more comfortable, the Sunbird Mzuzu Hotel sits next to the golf course; the 1970s concrete building is in good order, with clean rooms, air conditioning and decent internet.

Food & drink

Mzuzu's best eating is Indian and Chinese at A-1 Restaurant, tucked into the commercial strip on the street behind the main banks and groceries. The menu is extensive and the cooking generally quite good; prices are steep by local standards but remain very reasonable if you're coming from abroad.

• Obrigado Leisure Park, centrally placed, hides a beautiful garden behind its fence, with tables set out among the greenery. The food is typical Malawian restaurant fare: nsima or rice with your choice of meats or relishes. It turns into something of a beer den at night.
• Near the bus station, a side-street pizzeria run by an entertaining couple, Paolo and Emanuelle, serves decent thin-crust pizzas from a wood-fired oven. Next door, Paolo's trading post stocks a few western luxuries.
• Macondo Camp in Chimaliro serves Italian food.
• For a drink, Casablanca in Ekwendeni, on the road to Rumphi and Karonga, is a lively bar with a good atmosphere, popular with locals and expats alike, and cheap drinks.

What to see and do

Three days in Mzuzu

Day one: Start in Mzuzu itself, getting your bearings in the city centre before wandering out to the neighbourhoods that give the place its character — Chibavi, Luwinga, Katoto, Zolozolo, Masasa and Chibanja each have their own feel. In the evening, head to Mzoozoozoo for a lively introduction to the city's music and food scene.

• Mzuzu city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods
• Mzoozoozoo

Day two: Head south into the Viphya Mountains and the Viphya Plantation, where you can walk or drive through the rolling hills and plantations of the Northern Region. Return to Mzuzu for dinner at Joys Restaurant Lodge or Mapale.

• Viphya Mountains
• Viphya Plantation
• Joys Restaurant Lodge
• Mapale

Day three: Use your last day to explore further afield or to relax. If you're travelling onward, Mzuzu Airport connects the city, and routes from Tanzania via Mbeya, Kyela or Karonga are options for continuing your journey. Alternatively, spend the day at a guesthouse such as Flame Tree Guest House before departing.

• Mzuzu Airport
• Flame Tree Guest House