Discovering the forgotten islands of Lake Malawi: the Marelli archipelago

Having been featured recently in David Attenborough’s latest stunning natural history series for the BBC, all eyes are on Lake Malawi at the moment. The Africa finale of ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’ focussed on the amazing fish found in the lake and there is nowhere better to view those than the islands of the Lake Malawi National Park. So, in this blog we set out to discover more about a set of little-known islands in Malawi’s the Lake of Stars!

The Marelli Islands certainly tick the box when it comes to travelling off the beaten track, neglected from many maps of Malawi or illustrated as unlabelled pinpricks just off Salima’s shore. Much better known in the Lake Malawi National Park is the thriving Cape Maclear, with nearby Thumbi, Domwe & Mumbo Islands. Yet the Marellis’ three rocky outcrops rise above this great lake’s surface, forming a secluded haven for fauna, flora & surrounding aquatic life. Join us on a photographic journey…