Zomba: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Zomba is a city of 118,440 people in Malawi (Southern Region), 949 m (3,114 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Chileka International Airport (BLZ), 49 km (30 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Zomba runs from about 11 h 15 min a day in late June to 13 h 5 min in late December (computed for -15.39° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Zomba is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Chileka International Airport (BLZ), 49 km (30 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 7,628 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Zomba: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Zomba · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Lilongwe, 228 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Blantyre, 55 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Tete, 204 km (Mozambique)
- Quelimane, 324 km (Mozambique)
- Chipata, 347 km (Zambia)
- Lichinga, 231 km (Mozambique)
- Mocuba, 240 km (Mozambique)
- Gurúè, 178 km (Mozambique)
- Mandimba, 120 km (Mozambique)
Common questions
Which airport serves Zomba?
Chileka International Airport (BLZ), 49 km (30 mi) from the centre.
How big is Zomba?
About 118,440 people live in Zomba (GeoNames).
What time zone is Zomba in?
Africa/Blantyre, currently UTC+2.
What currency is used in Zomba?
The Kwacha (MWK). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Zomba?
Lilongwe (228 km), Blantyre (55 km), Tete (204 km), Quelimane (324 km), Chipata (347 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.