Best hotels in Zomba Plateau

Located on twenty acres of a former colonial estate just outside Zomba Nature Reserve in southern Malawi, Zomba Forest Lodge is a small, simple, slightly quirky hotel with a big heart. Originally the forest manager's residence, the charming cottage has been converted by owners Tom and Petal into a peaceful country getaway that feels far more like a friend's home than a lodge for paying guests. Surrounded by lush gardens and woodland, home to monkeys, antelope and tons of birds and butterflies, Zomba is a perfect spot for a quiet weekend or base from which to hike on the plateau.

Zomba, once the capital of Malawi, is a bustling mix of colonial architecture, dusty markets and some rather dazzling natural surroundings. Rising to the north of the city is the Zomba Plateau, with its pristine mountain vegetation, biodiverse forests and tall peaks surrounding the plateau's saucer-shaped interior. The views from up there are simply breathtaking, and Sunbird Ku Chawe Hotel on the rim offers some of the best – all the way to distant Mount Mulanje. Access is via a steep, winding road (luckily tarred), but the crisp, high-altitude air, birdsong-filled surroundings and extraordinary views are ample reward, and more.