Adventures – Malawi

• Day 1 : Karonga, coming from Tanzanian border 1,5h of mini bus
• Day 2 & 3 : Livingstonia and around
• Day 4 : 124 km – 3h of mini-bus to Mzuzu and 46km – 1,5h of mini-bus to Nkhata bay
• Day 5 : Nkhata Bay, canoying and bathing
• Day 6 : Boat to Likoma 72km, 10h
• Day 7,8 & 9 : Likoma island
• Day 10 : Heading to Mozambique by small boat from Likoma

Some days around Livingstonia

Get on the bus going from Karonga to Mzuzu and stop at Chitimba. Grab any car that goes up to Livingstonia and stop for a night or two in Mushroom Farm – see tips for more details. You can arrange a lot of walks around: we did the one that goes to Livingstonia for the view and the well preserved-village, and the short one to Manchewe falls. You can also visit the local communities around.  Take a day to rest and enjoy the peacefull air of the farm, taking a nap in the hamocs, siping a home made cocktail or looking at the view from your terrace.

Likoma Island

The trip to Likoma can be long and painful, but it worths the reward. Stay 2 or 3 days on the island. Mango Drift is the best option to sleep and benefit from the beach. You can walk all over the island, visit the nice church and market of the main village, play beach volley, snorkel and swim on the shores of the island. If you are a bit curious, you can also visit a witch african doctor – interesting experience. The island is quiet, people are the friendliest on the island, landscapes are nicer. Should definitelty make a stop there. A good starting point to cross Mozambique border.     

Population

16,7 millions

Urbanization

15,7 %

Life expectancy

53 YO

Literacy

75 %

GDP / capita

900 $

Exports

Tobacco

1. Star gazing and milky way watching in Likoma Island every single night
2. Waking up with a view other the lake in Mushroom Farm
3. Kindness and friendliness of Malawian people

1. Expensive boat trip (half day or full day) around Lake Malawi
2. Unreliable and poor conditions of transport over Malawian lake

• Withdrawing money in Nkhata Bay might be a nightmare. All the ATMs of the city weren’t working with all our 4 credit cards and the payment terminal in the hostal was off. We had to lend money from 2 friendly tourists… This seems to happen a lot, so take this as an advice, withdraw money in Mzuzu before heading to Nkhata Bay.
• Mushroom farm near Livingstonia is a wonderful place to stay and rest. You will sleep in a tent or wooden cottages, all with breathtaking views over the valley and lake Malawi. The 2 american owners really make the difference: an ecological touch, delicious veggie food and a nice touch of vintage decor. Some tips: book ahead because capacity is limited, and be patient to wait for a car that will bring you up to the farm (10 km of steep road) for some kwachas.
• The boat adventure. A good but expensive option to reach either Chizumulu or Likoma islands is to buy a ticket from Ilhala ferries. At the time, the boat was not running, but the service was supposed to start again soon. We took the local ferry from Nhkatay Bay to Likoma, make sure to ask for the days and time of service. The trip lengh was almost 10 hours – do not believe anyone telling you it will last 4-5 hours.