This 1000-sq-km reserve isn't on the mainstream tourist track, but its plentiful wildlife means it shouldn’t be overlooked. As well as a plethora of antelopes – pukus, impalas, roans and kudus, to name a few – there are more than 1000 buffaloes and hundreds of elephants here; it’s not unusual to see herds of 30. With some 300 species in the park, Vwaza’s birdwatching is also excellent, and this is one of Malawi's best places to see waders, including storks and herons.
There are few predators, but lions and leopards are occasionally spotted, as are wild dogs passing through from Zambia.