Africa vacations: 10 tips for experiencing Malawi

A rhinoceros taking a stroll in Malawi. Credit: gurg.

By Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack, Borderjumpers

Malawi, (pronounced məˈlɑwi) is a relatively small country in Southeast Africa. While it might not be the easiest place for most Westerners to get to, it’s a destination worth the extra plane leg. From its impressive wildlife and diverse Malawian people to its tremendous outdoor activities and the awe-inspiring Lake Malawi, Malawi promises a rich African experience in landscape, culture, and people.

Ready to explore Malawi? Here are 10 tips to help you enjoy your Africa vacation.

1. In Lilongwe, stay at the Mufasa Lodge, a terrific budget-savvy option right in the heart of the city. The owner and staff are welcoming and offer a free night for every five you stay. The rooms are spacious, very clean and are equipped with hot showers and WiFi Internet service. The best part is that everything is within walking distance: restaurants, bars, supermarket, the post office, and bank are all nearby.

2. Visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre. A project supported by companies like the Body Shop, the Centre provides sanctuary space for rescued, confiscated, orphaned and injured wild animals of Malawi. As we toured the facility, nearly every animal we saw from baboons to alligators had a Cinderella story of overcoming insurmountable odds to survive and in most cases, return back to the wild.

The market in Lilongwe. Credit: khym54

3. Lilongwe has a number of surprisingly good food options. For Italian, try Mamma Mia’s; for Indian, try Modi’s Restaurant; for Chinese, try Oriental Restaurant (one of the few places to serve broccoli in the country).

4. Head to the Nature Sanctuary, where you can spend a day bird watching, seeing wildflowers and exotic plants, and enjoying the hiking trails. The sanctuary is by the Lingadzi river and is close to the center of the city.

5. Visit the market onMalangalanga Rd. You will find incredible art, jewelry, and crafts. In many cases, the artists themselves are selling their own creations and their sheer talent is breathtaking.

6. In Blantyre, pay a visit to the Paper Making Education Trust, an organization working to improve the quality of education and reduce environmental degradation in Malawi. After a tour of their facility, you can buy some pretty amazing gifts including elephant dung gift boxes, banana fiber hard cover books, and a range of neat baobab products.

7. Carlsberg, Carlsberg and more Carlsberg. It’s the only beer for sale in most bars in Malawi. We like Carlsberg, I drank the light brew, Danielle had the medium. You can tour the Carlsberg brewery in Blantyre which offers free tastings and a souvenir store (you’ll need to book in advance).

Lake Malawi. Credit: runfreefall.

8. In Monkey Bay, stay at the Mufasa Rustic Backpacker Camp and Lodge. It’s run by the same owners as the Mufasa Lodge and they have a private beach sitting along Lake Malawi. The hostel is rustic, no electricity, food cooked on the fire, and no Internet access. But isn’t that the point? Oh, and it’s only about $20USD for a private room.

9. Head to the Lake Malawi National Park in Monkey Bay. You’ll see an 80- year old baobabtree at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether you like scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, or hiking, make sure you plan at least an entire day in this incredible refuge.

10. Start and end your journey in Lilongwe. You can fly in/out on Air Malawi or South African Airways from Harare, Lusaka, or Johannesburg. Also, Kenya Airways flies direct from Nairobi and Ethiopian Airways from Addis Ababa. By overland, you can find an international bus to Lusaka, Zambiawhich continues all the way to South Africa (via Zimbabwe), a bus that heads to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, or you can take a mini-bus to Mozambique. The truly adventurous might make it an even more expansive journey by hitting the road afterward (or long haul international bus), heading from Malawi to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and then to SouthAfrica. Whatever you decide to do, Malawi is a destination that must be added to your list.

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BorderJumpers Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack will be blogging here as part of a weekly series documenting their travels around the world. Starting with Africa, they’re highlighting innovations working to alleviate hunger and poverty.

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