Nyika is a Swahili word meaning "bush" or "hinterland" (of the East African coast).
The name, Nyika, means "where the water comes from" as the plateau's elevation makes it wetter than surrounding areas.
:32 —Nyika Plateau in the Nyika National Park, 80 km², and two smaller patches to the north including the Mafinga Hills, on the Malawi border.