Where Wilderness Connects: Exploring the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area

The journey began in North Luangwa National Park, Zambia’s most remote wilderness. Here, the dedicated teams of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) shared how decades of conservation work are bringing black rhinos back to these ancient landscapes. Meeting the rangers who spend weeks on patrol, and the communities who are helping protect wildlife while building new livelihoods, was both humbling and inspiring.

We followed the recently launched Amatololo Loop, a wild passage through the park, before making our way to the Katumbi border post into Malawi. The contrast was striking: vast savannahs gave way to rolling hills, pine forests, and the cool air of the Nyika National Park. At Chelinda Lodge, we were immersed in an ecosystem unlike anywhere else in Africa, where leopards roam montane forests and orchids bloom along crystal-clear streams.

Further south, the wetlands of Vwaza Marsh offered a different kind of magic. Hippos wallowed in shimmering pools and elephants foraged in thick woodlands. Finally, the journey ended on the golden shores of Lake Malawi, where communities are embracing tourism that celebrates both natural beauty and cultural heritage.
This experience wasn’t just about landscapes and wildlife, it was about people. Along the way, journalists had the privilege of sitting with wardens, rangers, and local community leaders, hearing their stories of resilience, passion, and partnership. It’s their commitment that makes this TFCA so extraordinary.

The MAZA TFCA is supported by Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), whose investment strengthens cross-border conservation and tourism, with on-the-ground implementation led by FZS in North Luangwa and Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) in Nyika and Vwaza. The tour itself was planned and led by Boundless Southern Africa, with support from the Joint Action NaturAfrica / Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management (C-NRM) Programme and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – a partnership programme between the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the European Union (EU) and the German Government, as part of a wider effort to grow tourism across the SADC TFCAs.

The Malawi-Zambia TFCA isn’t just a destination, it’s an unfolding story of conservation success and community empowerment. For travellers seeking raw wilderness, cultural authenticity, and the chance to contribute to something bigger than themselves, this cross-border gem is waiting to be discovered.

To date, coverage from our Malawi–Zambia TFCA media trip has included features in Weg! and Go! magazines (South Africa) and both a feature and additional article in Travel Africa magazine (United Kingdom), both are currently available for purchase. This exposure has delivered a combined reach of 91,194 and an estimated Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) of €97,000. Additional print articles and a segment for German radio are forthcoming.

Find attached below and link to MAZA TFCA destination brochure: https://boundless-southernafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/12-12-2023-MAZA-WEB-RES.-copy-optimized.pdf

Find link to MAZA TFCA video below.

For more information, contact: Nicholas Tucker on nicholas.tucker@gopa.eu