Nestling at the southern extremity of the Great Rift Valley, landlocked Malawi is a green, fertile, densely populated country - one of Africa's most beautiful. Known as the Warm Heart of Africa, it is a green, fertile, populated place, whose people are renowned for their friendliness. Its mountains and plains, forests and rivers, conceal remote lodges and an exceptional array of birds - many of which are rarely found elsewhere.

The country's predominant natural feature is the huge Lake Malawi, home to numerous gaily-coloured cichlid fish. The lake covers much of the country and its white sandy beaches, clear waters and remote island hideaways rival any in the Indian Ocean. Various resorts offer a full range of water sports, and can be combined with Malawi's national parks, or the nearby Luangwa Valley in Zambia, to make an unbeatable holiday.