Kuti Wildlife Reserve — Attraction in Salima

I was in Lilongwe for work and was looking for an easy weekend trip. A friend who used to live in Lilongwe recommended Kuti.

They were having a birding weekend; I am not a regular birder but I like birds and it sounded fun so I joined in on two birding walks - they lended binoculars and were really inclusive in explaining the different birds and sharing their knowledge. We saw many really great birds - including the rare African pygmy goose!! - and the scenery/walking was really beautiful.

In addition to the birding walks, I rented a bike and biked around the reserve and did several walks on my own (when it was not too hot!!). It is a really cool and unique experience to be able to roam freely on a wildlife reserve like this, given there are no predators. Got to see some great animals close, including zebra, baboons, and nyala.

A colleague who lives in Lilongwe shared that Kuti had been left in a bit of disrepair under previous ownership. I can testify that this new ownership is really committed to the reserve and realizes what a special place it is. They are putting a lot of work into making it a great place, and I would recommend anyone who has a love for nature and conservation to visit in order to promote these efforts!

The management are really engaging and care a lot about the work that they are doing here. And the staff are so great! Very responsive and kind. Geofred in particular was super welcoming...

I had the best weekend staying at Kuti! The accommodation is spacious, clean, well laid out, and they have hot water showers! You are right in the middle of the bush, so baboons are a common sight right on your front porch and in the surrounding trees next to your villa. I walked all around the reserve and was lucky enough to see the giraffe, many zebras, impalas, waterbucks, antilope, wilderbeasts, and so many monkeys- it was an absolutely incredible experience. I also ate all of my meals in the restaurant, and the food was excellent and very well priced. The entire staff really went above and beyond to make my stay pleasant and comfortable, they all love their jobs, and it shows through their hospitality. I highly recommend visiting and staying at Kuti- it really is an amazing, peaceful experience! Thank you to all the Kuti staff for making wonderful memories for me! I can’t...

Had a dissapointing experience at Kuti. Arrived wanting lunch, we were seated in the dining area and then told that there was no cook to make food. We then decided to drive through the reserve in our car, they showed us a map of where to go, the signs were so terrible that we ended up on a 4x4 trail in a rental car and we were not the only ones. We realised that we were going to get stuck and decided to back track. Luckily we did because there was a mini bus full of people that were on the same 4x4 route just before the soft sand and would have gotten stuck with us unable to return. On top of all of that we only saw a Zebra in a parking lot. Kuti has potential, but...