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Do · Top sights

Things to do in Lilongwe

Lilongwe rewards slow exploration: a forest wildlife centre in the city, riverside sanctuaries, a presidential mausoleum, and markets that show the capital at work.

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The signature sights

The Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is the city's top attraction — 70 hectares of Acacia–Combretum forest with 6 km of trails, an elevated boardwalk and Malawi's only wildlife sanctuary, open daily 8am–5pm. Nearby, the Nature Sanctuary offers riverside walks of one to four hours. The Kamuzu Mausoleum honours Malawi's first president and gives real context to the country's independence story.

For everyday Lilongwe, the Old Town Market is the sensory heart of the city, while Kumbali Cultural Village stages traditional music, dance and crafts. Architecture and civic buildings — the Parliament, Maula Cathedral — round out a couple of days.