Lake Nyasa is one of the African Great Lakes. It is located between Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. It is the southernmost lake in the East African Rift (EAR) system. The lake is also called Lake Malawi and Lago Niassa in Malawi and Mozambique, respectively. Lake Nyasa is between 350 miles (560 km) and 360 miles (580 km) long and approximately 47 miles (75 km) wide at the widest point. Lake Malawi’s total surface area is about 11,400 square miles (29,600 sq. km).

By volume, Lake Nyasa is the 5th largest freshwater lake globally. By area, it is the 9th largest lake globally and ranks as the second deepest and the 3rd largest lake in the African continent. Globally, no other lake has as many fish species as Lake Nyasa, including not less than 700 cichlid breeds. The Mozambique government officially declared the Mozambique part of the lake a reserve on the 10th of June 2011. In Malawi, a section of Lake Nyasa is part of the Lake Malawi National Park.

Lake Nyasa is considered a non-mixing lake (meromictic) because the water layers don’t mix. Moderately small thermal and chemical ingredients maintain the unending stratification of the lake’s water as well as the oxic-anoxic borderline (relating to the water’s oxygen content).

Creatures found in Lake Nyasa:

Creatures found in Lake Nyasa and surrounding areas include monkeys, hippopotami, Nile crocodiles, and a large number of African sea eagles that prey on the lake’s fish.

Things to do at Lake Nyasa:

• Fishing
• Swimming
• Canoeing
• Beach Hiking
• Village walking safari
• Snorkeling
• Boat riding
• Kayaking
• Scuba diving
• Sailing
• Camping
• Water skiing
• Trips to the islands
• Beach football

Interesting facts about Lake Nyasa:

• Lake Malawi is the ninth-largest lake in the world and the third-largest lake in Africa.
• Lake Malawi is between 560 kilometers (350 miles) and 580 kilometers (360 miles) long, and about 75 kilometers (47 miles) wide at its widest point.
• Lake Malawi is a meromictic lake (water layers do not mix). The lake has three layers, with different densities due to variations in temperature at each depth.
• It has about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) of shoreline.
• Lake Malawi is very beautiful and is appealing to tourists because of its islands and beaches. Some of the essential activities offered by the local resorts include snorkeling, boat riding, kayaking, scuba diving, sailing, camping, water skiing, trips to the islands, beach football, and many other water activities.

Importance of Lake Nyasa to its People:

As you might expect, Lake Nyasa is important to the locals for many reasons. The lake has been a key source of food for hundreds of years, and every day you’ll see fishermen out on the lake casting their nets and reels.

There are also many tourist resorts and hotels that the lake supports. Unsurprisingly a lot of the staff are from the surrounding villages. This means you’ll be able to meet many locals and perhaps even explore some of the local villages.

Best Time to visit Lake Nyasa:

Generally speaking, the best time to head to the country of Tanzania is between early May to late October. This also means the highlands will be accessible to you if you are planning to spend more time around the country. Avoid Lake Nyasa in January and February, as this is when the rainy season hits.