Malawi is a little-known gem of a country in the heart of central southern Africa that offers a true African experience at a relatively low cost. It is a long and narrow landlocked country, covering more than 1000 kilometres from north to south.

Lake Malawi, nearly 600km long and up to 80km wide, dominates the countryside. When David Livingstone arrived at the lakeshore in 1861, he was the first European explorer to see the Lake, and was so awestruck that he started missions here.

There is no country in all of Africa that has its geography so sculptured and determined by Africa's Great Rift Valley, the largest single geographical feature on Earth.

This ancient 5000 km-long geological formation bisects much of Africa from Egypt to Botswana and boasts a bewildering array of habitats and lush vegetation.

Towering mountains, lush, fertile valley floors and enormous crystal-clear lakes are hallmarks of much of the Rift Valley - and Malawi displays them all. Fertile soils are a result of the Rift Valley and evidence of this is to be found everywhere in Malawi. Throw a seed to the ground and a plant grows there.