Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The
Ilala
ferry stops at Ruarwe village, 20 minutes' walk south of the lodge. Alternat-
ively, 'Jack Boat' leaves Nkhata Bay on Wednesday and Friday at 12pm for Ruarwe
(eight hours; call 0999-071914 to book a place). Monkey Business (
Click here
)
can
also charter a boat (MK3000) anytime to reach Zulukhuni Lodge - speak to Khumbu. You
can book the lodge at Kaya Papaya (
Click here
)
in Nkhata Bay.
Chintheche Strip
About 40km south of Nkhata Bay, this endlesss stretch of golden sand fringed by woods
and dazzling blue water, known as the 'Chintheche Strip', is a destination for weekenders
from Lilongwe and self-drive travellers. Swim, horse-ride, cycle or just flop and wait for
the approach of fish eagles whose crowing punctuates the still of the vast denim sky. Ch-
intheche was also home to the original Lake of Stars festival before it moved south. Ch-
inteche Inn is now organising a new 'Moon Rock' festival, focusing on local bands.
Most lodges are situated at least 2km east of the main road that runs between Nkhata
Bay and Nkhotakota. If you're travelling by bus, the express services may not stop at
every turn-off, but minibuses stop almost anywhere on request. The access roads for the
majority of the lodges require 4WD or a high-clearance car, as the tracks are pretty bad.
LIVINGSTONIA TAKE TWO
If you're visiting one of the lodges on the Chintheche Strip, you should try to visit the
Old Bandawe Mission
, a
cavernous church built between 1886 and 1900, which was the short-lived location of the Livingstonia mission.
Dr Robert Laws moved the mission north to Bandawe from its original site at Cape Maclear when members of his
flock kept falling ill with malaria. Unfortunately, after a few years, the same thing happened at Bandawe, and Dr
Laws eventually moved the mission to the cool, malaria-free hillside town of Khondowe, in 1894.
Perhaps the most interesting thing at Bandawe is the graveyard where several of the early Scottish missionaries
are buried. It's some 400m from the church in a hauntingly beautiful spot - their graves silhouetted against the
lake and surrounded by a series of low white walls. The church is near Makuzi Beach Lodge. Follow the signs to
the lodge from the main road and the church is 2.5km down the track.
