Mafinga Central, Mountain peak at the border of Zambia and Malawi

Mafinga Central is the highest point of the Mafinga Hills on the Zambia–Malawi border, at 2,339 metres (7,674 ft). The ridge is built of quartzites, phyllites and feldspathic sandstones of sedimentary origin. Nearby stands Mafinga South at 2,337 metres, close enough that a more accurate survey is still needed to confirm which peak is higher.

The peak remained largely unknown to the wider world until 2014 when an international team from the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Malawi conducted the first detailed survey of its elevation. This expedition brought scientific documentation to a mountain that had been part of local knowledge but was not recorded in international geographic records.

The mountain has long served as a landmark for people in the region who traditionally graze livestock and farm the surrounding lands. The landscape around the summit reflects this centuries-old relationship between communities and the terrain.

The usual approach starts from Chisenga in Malawi, the nearest town, so plan the crossing of the Zambia–Malawi border on the Mafinga Ridge in advance. The 2014 team found the summit slightly higher than the nearby Mafinga South, but a more accurate survey is still needed to settle which peak is higher. Allow time for the quartzite and phyllite ground on the ridge, which is rough underfoot.

The Luangwa River rises on the western side of the Mafinga Ridge, not at the summit itself. The ridge is made of quartzites, phyllites and feldspathic sandstones of sedimentary origin. The 2014 team found Mafinga Central slightly higher than Mafinga South (2,337 m), though a more accurate survey is still needed to confirm which peak is higher.