Stunning scenery, easy access, clear paths and well-maintained huts make Mount Mulanje a fine hiking and trekking area. The mountain rises steeply and suddenly from the undulating plain to the highlands, surrounded by near-vertical cliffs of bare rock, many over 1000m high. Mulanje's peaks (including the highest in the country, Sapitwa, at just over 3000m) often just above the mist that frequently surrounds the upper slopes, giving the mountain one of its local names, 'Island in the Sky'.

You can reach most of the peaks without resorting to technical climbing. If you're thinking of visiting, be prepared for sudden downward shifts in temperature, rain and poor visibility at any time of year. Buses run between Blantyre and Mulanje town, which is located in the South Eastern corner of Malawi, about 290km southeast of Lilongwe.