Our weekend started a day earlier than expected, so we took advantage of the day off to head up to Nyika National Park. Nyika means “where the water comes from,” and Nyika National Park was created in 1966 as a water conservation effort to protect the water that flows into Lake Malawi. About 30% of the Lake Malawi’s water originates in the park. Within a few years, the park was expanded to include over 3,000 km2 of forest and grasslands that bridge the border of Malawi and Zambia. These land are home to many species of animals, including zebras, antelope, elephants, hyenas, and warthogs.
On our drive to Nyika, we had a true Malawi experience and took turns riding in the back of a pickup truck. Six hours later, we cooked a quick dinner and ate our meals by the fireplace. We prepared all of our food for the weekend on a wood burning stove, and had some delicious meals like vegetable curry and beef stirfry. After cooking and eating together, we settled into our cozy cabins where a warm fire was waiting for us. The next morning, we started by going on a guided walking tour with our guides, Blessings and Wonderful. Blessings taught us about the rich history of the park, and explained a lot of facts about the animals and animals that we could find in the park. There are many types of antelope in Nyika National Park, and we learned how to tell them apart by their physical appearance. Not only that, but we saw a huge herd of zebras! We were able to walk close to the zebras and took some amazing photographs! Later in the evening, we went on a driving tour and saw many different animals, including some hares and owls. We finished the night with some stargazing, but we weren’t able to see much because it was so cloudy.
The next morning, some of us set off on mountain bikes to explore. After a tough ride uphill through the man-made pine forest, we arrived at an overlook. From there, we saw the endless rolling hills of the plateau. We rode for 14 kilometers, and saw a variety of animals, plants, and breathtaking scenery. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience!
(Verbal consent was obtained before taking the pictures)
