In 1875, Christian missionaries tried to create a utopian town in what at the time must have felt like the heart of the African continent. Naming it Livingstonia after David Livingston, the embodiment of the pioneer African coloniser, they originally settled at Cape Maclear on the south shores of Lake Malawi, but were forced to abandon the settlement because of malaria and instead looked for a spot further up in the mountains. The spot they found not only avoided malaria, but, because it was up in the mountains on a plain that had a different climate, provided farming opportunities. The missionaries had indeed found the right sight for their vision of Livingstonia utopia
Today, Livingstonia still has that vibe with its tree-lined streets, cooler climate, former colonial buildings such as the church and museum, and separation from the main road that hugs the west shore of Lake Malawi. More than anything, it just feels like a trip to what another future of Africa could have looked like, and a very pleasant detour from the usual spots in Malawi
To get there – you’ve basically got the option of walking from the lake (15km / 9.5miles, will take around 3.5hours and an elevation gain of 850m / 2800ft) or driving up the very windy and bumpy road (takes around an hour). My suggestion is to do a combo of both – get a ride up to the Mushroom Farm Ecolodge, which breaks up the ascent so you only have 7km / 4.5miles and 1.5hours with 220m / 720ft of incline to get to Livingstonia. From here, you can check out the views, the waterfall and the farmland around you without the uphill slog – bear in mind it gets very hot in Malawi!
Where to stay – the Mushroom Farm Ecolodge is the obvious option as it could break up your journey to Livingstonia, but I’d also highly recommend staying by the lake in one of the various campsites nearby. We camped for 2 nights there and you also have the option of rooms available at places like the Hakuna Matata Hostel. It felt quite magical being able to wake up and kayak around this quiet section of lake and a bit of a must if heading up to Livingstonia