Central Region · Malawi
Lilongwe travel guide
Lilongwe is a city in Central Region, Malawi, home to about 989,000 people.
- Best months
- April to September
- Nearest airport
- LLW22 km · Kamuzu International Airport
- Currency
- MWKMalawian kwacha
- Time zone
- Africa/Blantyre
- Language
- Chewa, English, Tumbuka
About
About Lilongwe
Lilongwe (UK:, US:,) is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has a population of 989,318 as of the 2018 Ce, up from a population of 674,448 in 2008.
The capital of Malawi, Lilongwe has a population of about 1.1 million (2015). Located at an altitude of 1050 m, the temperatures in Lilongwe are a little lower than one might expect for a city in the tropics. Warm summers and mild winters are characteristic. The rain season lasts from December to March. Lilongwe is divided into the Old Town (to the south) and the New Town (to the north) with the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary between the two.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Lilongwe
See
- Lilongwe Wildlife Centre
- Kumbali Cultural Centre
- Parliament buildings
- Kamuzu Mausoleum
- World War I Memorial tower and statue of Hastings Kamuzu Banda
Do
- Golf Lessons
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Lilongwe
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Lilongwe Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Thumbi View Lodge | 1.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Lilongwe
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lilongwe are April to September. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; January is the wettest, with about 240 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Lilongwe: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kamuzu International Airport (LLW), about 22 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The town is very spread out so getting around can be a bit of a chore. You can pick up taxis from the Lilongwe Hotel (in the Old Town) and the Capital Hotel (in the Capital City). If you're feeling adventurous, you can take a minibus. It's very cheap (1000-2000 K as of August 2024), but you will be getting very familiar with your fellow passengers. There are several routes you can take, including one that goes from the large blue bank in the new town and drops you off in the heart of the old town, next to Shoprite surpermarket.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LLW · Kamuzu International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Lilongwe
Eat
There are many local cafes, especially in Area 2, serving cheap meals such as rice, chicken, nsmia, beef. Shoprite and Spar also have deli counters with hot food, sandwiches and a bakery.
Drink
Drinking is a lot of locals favourite past times, most are friendly however girls should be wary of over-protective Malawian men! The only beer brewed in Malawi (bar Chibuku - a grainy, sand like beer coming in cartons!) is Carlsberg. Carlsberg is very local (brewed in Blantyre) and comes either normal (known as a 'Green') or Special Brew, Classic, Stout, Elephant or Light. You can also buy 'Kuche Kuche' - still brewed by Carlsberg but coming in a bigger bottle, less percentage and aimed more for tourists. Glass bottles come in a deposit form in Malawi (so expect to pay 25 kwacha extra per bottle, unless you return some).
Stay safe
Transport is not always easy to get at late hours of the night so always make sure you have means of transport to getting back to where you're staying. Taxis are available. Lilongwe is said to be unsafe at night so don't walk alone after dark.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Lilongwe: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Lilongwe?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lilongwe are April to September. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; January is the wettest, with about 240 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Lilongwe?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kamuzu International Airport (LLW), about 22 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Lilongwe?
Malawian kwacha (MWK).
Nearby
Destinations near Lilongwe
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.