Zomba Plateau and Mount Mulanje

Malawi is more than just game-viewing safaris, and yes, more than the lake. Two magnificent areas in Southern Malawi are the Zomba Plateau and Mount Mulanje. We drove through this area going from Majete to Liwonde, staying over at the Huntington House on the Satemwa Tea Estate. We toured the tea factory and had a lovely sundowner cocktail on a mountaintop on the estate. It was lovely to visit and you could take hikes in the area, but the larger area in general, the Zomba Plateau, is excellent for hiking, with many nature trails—some leading to waterfalls. Other hikers will seek out Chingwe’s Hole, a natural hole hidden by moss-covered trees that locals say is “bottomless” (in fact it is not, though that didn’t stop chiefs of old from tossing their enemies in the hole).
Next to the Zomba Plateau, the Mulanje Massif is a granite peak that towers over the surrounding Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve. Mount Mulanje is 3002m in height, with a variety of routes up from the plains to the summit. Ten huts are scattered along various trails offering shelter every three to six hours, on average. A week would be a good amount of time to cover the trails with the huts, meaning you would have seen a good portion of the massif. But for the experienced and dedicated, you could handle Mulanje in 2-3 days, depending on your speed. No real equipment is needed, other than sleeping bags, warm gear, and good boots. 
For those interested in hiking the Zomba Plateau or climbing Mulanje, know that Adventure Life can customize a trip to make the most of your time there. The dry months of April to September are best, and they are typically cooler as well. Plus the lack of rain keeps the rivers from flooding.