Livingstonia is a site of particular historic and cultural interest. Located on the Khondowe Plateau, near Nyika National Park, Livingstonia is an early Christian mission. Established in 1894, Livingstonia was Dr. Robert Laws’ third and final attempt to establish a Presbyterian settlement in Malawi. The Laws’ family home is now a lodge and museum.
The area boasts panoramic vistas of Chitimba Bay and the Livingstone Mountains across the lake in Tanzania. For visitors who want to spend the night walking distance from Livingstonia, The Mushroom Farm Eco Lodge is a good choice. The lodge was carefully designed to blend in with the natural forest surroundings. Each guestroom features a private balcony and open-air shower (with hot water). Lodge amenities include picnic tables, barbecue grills, and free Wi-Fi and cell phone/computer charging station. The Mushroom Farm Eco Lodge is glorified camping at its best.
Livingstonia was founded in 1894 by missionaries from the Free Church of Scotland.[1] The missionaries had first established a mission in 1875 at Cape Maclear, which they named Livingstonia after David Livingstone, whose death in 1873 had rekindled British support for missions in Eastern Africa. The mission was linked with the Livingstonia Central Africa Company, set up as a commercial business in 1877. By 1881 Cape Maclear had proved extremely malarial and the mission moved north to Bandawe.
This site also proved unhealthy and the Livingstonia Mission moved once again to the higher grounds between Lake Malawi and Nyika Plateau. This new site proved highly successful because Livingstonia is located in the mountains and therefore not prone to mosquitoes carrying malaria. The mission station gradually developed into a small town.
Livingstonia is an outstanding example of the work of the Scottish missionaries in Malawi, following in the tradition established in the 1870s. The site of the mission is a case of third time lucky. The original Livingstonia site chosen by Dr Robert Laws, a disciple of David Livingstone, was on the lakeshore at Cape Maclear.
