- Type
- Freshwater
- Typical depth
- 18 m
- Level
- Beginner
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Water temp
- 24–29 °C
- Current
- None
- Access
- Open access
- Min cert
- Open Water
- Freshwater
- UNESCO World Heritage
- National Park
- Rift Lake
- Endemic Cichlids
- Rocky Outcrops
- Warm
- Clear Water
- No Current
When to dive
Lake Malawi (Cape Maclear, southern end) is the world's richest freshwater fish lake — home to at least 700 species of cichlid (some estimates put the figure as high as 1,000), the great majority endemic. The lake's southern end is protected as Lake Malawi National Park, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for its global significance to biodiversity conservation. Surface temperatures stay warm (24–29 °C) and visibility is excellent (15–25 m). Diving focuses on the rocky underwater outcrops where mbuna cichlids defend territories among boulders — colours rival a tropical reef. Calm dry season (May–Nov) is the best window; rainy season (Dec–Mar) drops viz and brings storms. No current. Most divers wear a 3 mm shorty.
14.0167° S, 34.8833° E
Marine life
- Other
- rocky boulder gardens, vast majority of cichlid species are endemic — found nowhere else
- Reef fish
- mbuna cichlids (rock-dwelling, hundreds of endemic species — Pseudotropheus, Labeotropheus, Melanochromis, Tropheops), utaka cichlids (open-water schooling), peacock cichlids (Aulonocara), dolphin cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii), catfish
Dive clubs that visit this site
- Aqua Africasource
Nkhata Bay, Malawi · Dive centre
- Aquanuts Divers Malawisource
Kande Beach, Malawi · Dive centre
- Cape Maclear Scubasource
Cape Maclear, Malawi · Dive centre
- Kayak Africa (Mumbo Island)source
Mumbo Island, Cape Maclear, Malawi · Dive centre
Sources
Bring Lake Malawi into your dive plan.
Open the planner with this site preselected on the map.
Open the planner →