Information about Malawi

The friendliest people in Africa. Ages old culture, tradition and crafts, high mountain peaks, white water rivers and brad blue lakes. Africa’s Big Five in magnificent natural settings; Malawi has it all..

We’ve tried to summarize high quality reliable tourism, wildlife and cultural information about Malawi. Below you see different sections of information for a great prepared time in the warm heart of Africa

Small is beautiful as E.F. Schumacher famously proclaimed. Nowhere is this more true than in Malawi. One of the smallest countries in Africa, it is tucked between the three giants Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia. Malawi is so small that it is often overlooked, and that’s partly why it is such a magical destination.

Malawi is a distillation of the true African experience. Here you see the kind of heart-squeezing scenery that has made Central Africa famous. Here is the region’s highest peak. Here you can view families of elephants as they splash in the shallows of one of Africa’s majestic rivers, and see the great ginger form of Pel’s fishing owl in a forest of palm trees.

Sit on a perfect beach. Let your eyes feast on the wide wonder of turquoise water, blue sky and a distant shoreline of misty mountains. Rocky islands float on the water as fragments of a fantasy, capped with a green jungle.

Lake Malawi is the most beautiful feature of the country. Along the south-western reaches, the lake, somewhere in its two million years of existence, has drawn away from the edge of the Rift valley leaving a wide level plain dotted baobas, palms and umbrella trees. The water’s edge is lined with golden beaches, irresistible to holiday makers, and the sparkling water is alive with the most beautiful fresh-water fish in the world. Located in the heart of this all is our Mufasa Backpackers Lodge in Monkey Bay.

Even the prices are good! Although the country can now boast world class tourist accommodation, when translated into hard currency our Lodges and extra services are astonishingly inexpensive. Malawi attracts adventurous spirits, many of them budget travelers, and there are plenty of establishments providing adventure activities – fuelled by hearty meals – at low prices – as well as simple accommodation, perfectly in keeping with the surroundings.

Although there are six local languages in Malawi, Chichewa being most commonly spoken, the official language is English. Wherever you go, you are more than likely to be understood. And where you are not, the real wealth of Malawi will come to your aid – for this is the warmest, friendliest nation in all of Africa. And gifted too. Malawi wood-carvings grace museums, art galleries and churches around the world. You will find you can’t go home without a small memento of what is sure to be your most memorable visit to Africa.

Getting to Malawi

Visas

Quite a lot of nationals don’t need a Visa for Malawi. For instance the most Commonwealth counties, Belgium, Holland, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain, United Kingdom, USA, are free of Visas. Check with your travel agent or a Malawi Mission abroad; regulations change from time to time. Your passport should be valid for at least six months.

Customs and Immigration

Officials try to make your arrival and departure as trouble-free as possible. The usual personal allowances are granted and tourists rarely have problems at Immigration.

Injections

Please consult with your travel-doctor for the needed injections in Malawi. The Malawi government does not state any official required injections, but it is advisable to consult your doctor for injections as TBC, DTP and yellow fever. Also Malaria tablets are a pre, although Malaria is easily treatable at the local hospitals.

When to Visit

Malawi is always beautiful. The cooler months, May to August/September, are more comfortable for travelers  from the northern hemisphere, but the lush, green summer, November to April, is also a good time to visit if due care is taken to avoid mosquito bites. May and June combine the best of both seasons – cooler, still green with great visibility – and are especially good for photography. Country dirt roads are sometimes impassable to normal vehicles during heavy rain, but the general roads in Malawi are in good condition.

Game viewing is the best in the hottest times of the dry season when the animals are forced to visit water sources, but the countryside is more attractive in the wetter, greener months. Bird watchers enjoy their best sightings in October and November. Check for school holiday dates, particularly for those in South Africa, when more tourists visit Malawi and our lodges fill up.

From Europe and North America
Airlines flying to Malawi to/from Europe:

  • Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa)
  • KLM ( via Nairobi with Kenya Airlines)
  • South African Airways (via Johannesburg)

African airlines

  • Air Malawi
  • Air Zimbabwe
  • South African Airways
  • Kenya Airways
  • Ethiopian Airlines

Airports

Most international flights land at Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, but several flights, e.a. those from Johannesburg and Harare, land at the business centre of Blantyre in the south.

There are internal flights throughout the country.

All passengers on non-scheduled flights are required to pay an airport tax of US$ 30,- on international flights and MK200 on domestic flights.

Travel Suggestions

What to wear

What else to take

Electricity

Malawi uses the Britsh three pin square plug and a 240 volt supply, so please take proper adapters and a transformer if necessary. Expect for some real rural area’s, electricity is widely available and decent reliable.

Security

Malawi has long been famed as the friendliest country in Africa – and this is still true. But be aware that urbanisation and poverty have brought a slight  rise in crime statistics. As in everywhere else in the world, take a good lookout for your valuables and take good precautions.

Money

Banking Hours

Health