The capital of North Malawi is Mzuzu, a settlement standing at the junction of the lakeshore road (M5) and Malawi’s main north-south highway (M1). The town has a pleasant feel to it and has grown very rapidly in recent years, having only become the northern capital in 1960. It is very conveniently located, in a shallow depression at the northern limits of the Viphya Highland, just a short drive from Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi, and is a useful starting point for excursions further north to highlights such as the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
Mzuzu works well as a service centre for the more remote areas in the north of Malawi and has all necessary facilities such as banks, petrol stations, supermarkets, post office, etc. There is a good, bustling market that is well worth a visit and Mzuzu’s location on the main route to Tanzania, means there can be a wider range of goods available than one might otherwise expect.
The venerable Mzuzu Club offers a round of golf, but beyond that, the market and use of the shops and services, there is little to detain visitors who are usually only in need of an overnight stay in the town at most.
There are a few simple hotels and lodges in Mzuzu and there is an airport on the edge of town. Malawi Airlines doesn’t currently fly there, though Ulendo Airlink began using Mzuzu in 2019.
