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Lying just over 80km south-east of Lilongwe, Dedza is a town of interest for a variety of reasons. At 1600m (5300ft) it is the highest town in the country. It sits in a beautiful landscape of forests and highlands, with the tree-covered Dedza Mountain rising up immediately behind the town.
The area has been settled since pre-historic times and artistic traditions old and new are still to be found. At the Dedza Pottery craftsmen can be viewed in the workshops and factory, producing a variety of items, from mugs and dinner services to table lamps and tiles. Many are decorated with brightly coloured designs or local scenes and all are sold at the factory shop. Dedza Pottery products are found all round Malawi, as well as being sol
d for export. With a charming tea shop selling delicious cakes, the pottery is a popular stop between Lilongwe and Blantyre. New in 2007 is Dedza Pottery Lodge - offering the chance to stay at Dedza, and see something of this wonderful area, including visits to a local village.
In the forested granite hills around Dedza is the Chongoni Rock Art Area. Numerous natural shelters house ancient rock paintings which constitute the densest cluster of rock art found in central Africa. They reflect the comparatively scarce tradition of farmer rock art as well as paintings by BaTwa hunter-gatherers who inhabited the area from the late Stone Age. The symbols in the rock art, which are strongly associated with women, still have cultural relevance amongst the Chewa, and the sites are actively associated with ceremonies. The area has recently been declared the a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
