The park's hilly terrain features dambos and miombo woodlands as the dominant vegetation, which support a variety of mammal and bird species.

[5][6] The nonprofit organization African Parks started managing the reserve in 2015,[7] and immediately began working to make Nkhotakota "ecologically and socially sustainable" by increasing animal populations and reducing poaching by hiring and training rangers.

[8][9] The organization's twenty-year agreement with Malawi's government through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife was administered by the Public Private Partnership Commission.

[18][5][24] In 2015, The Maravi Post said that Nkhotakota had the potential to restore locally extinct black rhinoceros, cheetah, lion, and African wild dog populations.

[10] In 2019, camera traps recorded the presence of roan antelope and honey badger in the park; both species were thought to be locally extinct.

[25] British philanthropists and a Malawian opened the Tongole Wilderness Lodge in May 2011, which has contributed to revitalization efforts to restore miombo woodlands, increase animal populations, and expand the size of Nkhotakota's team of 27 rangers to further protect wildlife.

[5] It offers modest accommodations, wildlife viewing, and other activities, as well as day trips to Chipata Mountain, which has a campsite frequented by self-navigating tourists.