Which bird species do you think is the biggest attraction to visitors of your lodge (please only name one species)?
White-winged Apalis
What is the name of your lodge, and since when has your lodge been operating?
Zomba Forest Lodge. We have been running it for the past 13 years.
How best to travel to your lodge?
By road
What kind of services – except for accommodation and food – does your lodge offer to visiting birders?
We have a guide who is roughly trained in birding who can take people out. We also have bird baths dotted around the garden. We also have mixed woodland around the lodge, so there are diverse habitats within walking distance of the lodge
What makes your lodge special?
The location and the fact that guests can wander the paths and explore freely.
What are the 10 – 20 most interesting birds that your lodge offers good chances to see?
- White-winged Apalis
- Thyolo Alethe
- Bertram’s Weaver
- Peter’s Twinspot
- Green Twinspot
- Red-faced Crimsonwing
- Double-coloured Forest Sunbird
- Livingston’s Turaco
- Scaly-throated Honeyguide
- White-eared Barbet
- Pygmy Kingfisher
- Brown-hooded Kingfisher
- Narina Trogon
- White-tailed Tliminia
- Tambourine Dove
- Long-crested Eagle
- Verreaux’s Giant Eagle-owl
- Grass Owl
What is the best time to visit your lodge, and why?
April – May: After the rains, when everything is vibrant, it’s better for insect-eaters
Sept Oct: better for seed-eaters.
Is your lodge involved in conservation efforts? If yes, please describe them.
Yes, Zomba Forest Lodge set up and runs Zomba TREEZ, a community-based conservation project, to help protect and reforest the outer slopes of Zomba Plateau. Please visit www.zombatreez.com for more information
What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in visiting your lodge? (for example, what to bring, how to prepare for the visit, etc.)
No, other than patience, nothing more than the usual birding equipment
Do you have activities for non-birders? If so, please describe.
Most visitors come to relax in the peaceful surroundings of the lodge. We often say that one of the main activities is inactivity. But many also come to hike and explore the beauty of the Plateau, and enjoy some of the best food in Malawi.
If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in staying at your lodge, how can they best contact you?
Email: zombaforestlodge@gmail.com
WhatsApp: (+265) 888 573 325/(+265) 884 901 709
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of 10,000 Birds?
We are Zomba Forest Lodge, a unique boutique, environmentally minded, off-grid guest house nestled on the outer slopes of Malawi’s iconic Zomba Plateau.
Tucked away in lush gardens and sitting in 20 acres of mixed woodland, Zomba Forest Lodge offers guests the opportunity to unwind, recharge, and reflect, a perfect location for a digital detox, allowing people the time to truly absorb their travel experience.
We have no electricity at the lodge, so at night the lodge and the bedrooms are lit up with candles, paraffin lamps, and solar lights, providing discreet and atmospheric illumination. Free Wi-Fi is available upon request, and our office solar system has sufficient spare capacity for charging guest devices if desired.
Being off-grid also allows our guests to enjoy a simpler, quieter, and more peaceful way of life, an opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level, even if for only a couple of days; a real boost to their well-being and happiness.
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