Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi. It's a very green city, to the extent that sometimes you wonder if there is a city centre at all as buildings in the new town at least are divided by patches of grassy land and trees.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The capital of Malawi, Lilongwe has a population of about 1.1 million (2015). Located at an altitude of 1050 m, the temperatures in Lilongwe are a little lower than one might expect for a city in the tropics. Warm summers and mild winters are characteristic. The rain season lasts from December to March. Lilongwe is divided into the Old Town (to the south) and the New Town (to the north) with the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary between the two. The Old Town is built around the former village of Lilongwe, while the New Town (also called City Centre or Capital City) sprung up after first president, Dr. Hastings Banda, moved the capital from Zomba to Lilongwe.
The town is very spread out so getting around can be a bit of a chore. You can pick up taxis from the Lilongwe Hotel (in the Old Town) and the Capital Hotel (in the Capital City). If you're feeling adventurous, you can take a minibus. It's very cheap (1000-2000 K as of August 2024), but you will be getting very familiar with your fellow passengers. There are several routes you can take, including one that goes from the large blue bank in the new town and drops you off in the heart of the old town, next to Shoprite surpermarket. Moto-taxis are also ubiquitous and a ride should cost between 1500-2500 K as of August 2024; bargain.
1 Lilongwe Wildlife Centre (on the opposite side of the road to the old nature sanctuary). Every day: 08:00-17:00. It is back down towards old town by the bridge over the river, look out for the sign. It is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre that provides excellent tours of the centre and its wilderness zone, a wide range of wildlife and good value for money. Volunteer opportunities are available. Café-restaurant on premises.Since Covid-19, the centre does not provide tours to see animals but you can still walk along the river on 3 trails (2-5 km) to try to spot vervet monkeys, crocs, duikers and birds. Citizen: 1500 K, International: 5000 K.
Golf Lessons, Lilongwe Golf Club. Very cheap compared to western prices with an excellent 18-hole course. Challenging for even pros.
There are many local cafes, especially in Area 2, serving cheap meals such as rice, chicken, nsmia, beef. Shoprite and Spar also have deli counters with hot food, sandwiches and a bakery. Sana (Opposite Diplomats pub). Sells meals such as curry, pizza, and burgers. Good quality for price. Chicken Inn (Next to Shoprite). Like KFC and surprisingly very good quality. Good chips, and sells ice cream. Korea Garden Lodge, 5 minutes walk from Mabuya Camp, Mufusa Lodge or old town. Hotel serving Korean food in the restaurant. Mixed reviews. Around US$30 for a double with shared bathroom, US$55 for one with ensuite (July 2013). The Wi-Fi they give you is very slow.
Drinking is a lot of locals favourite past times, most are friendly however girls should be wary of over-protective Malawian men! The only beer brewed in Malawi (bar Chibuku - a grainy, sand like beer coming in cartons!) is Carlsberg. Carlsberg is very local (brewed in Blantyre) and comes either normal (known as a 'Green') or Special Brew, Classic, Stout, Elephant or Light. You can also buy 'Kuche Kuche' - still brewed by Carlsberg but coming in a bigger bottle, less percentage and aimed more for tourists. Glass bottles come in a deposit form in Malawi (so expect to pay 25 kwacha extra per bottle, unless you return some).
Transport is not always easy to get at late hours of the night so always make sure you have means of transport to getting back to where you're staying. Taxis are available. Lilongwe is said to be unsafe at night so don't walk alone after dark.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €9 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Jul, Lilongwe typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 1 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-25. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy