Mangochi is a town in southern Malawi positioned near the point where Lake Malawi narrows into the Shire River. Its location has made it an important centre for trade, fishing, transport, and commerce in the southern lakeshore region. The town has a busy market and provides a useful base for exploring the surrounding lakeshore, river landscapes, and nearby wildlife areas.

Mulanje is a town in southern Malawi at the foot of Mount Mulanje, a large isolated massif that rises sharply above the surrounding tea-growing plains. The mountain is known locally as Mulanje Mountain and includes a series of granite peaks, forested slopes, valleys, streams, and waterfalls. Sapitwa, the highest summit, reaches about 3,002 meters and is the highest point in Malawi.