Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MINI-ITINERARIES: CENTRAL MALAWI
How Long & How to Get There
If you've got your own wheels, head to
Mangochi
from Lilongwe and spend a few days making your way up the
coast, through
Cape Maclear
,
Senga Bay
, and on to
Nkhotakota
. You'll have to limit yourself on public trans-
port - perhaps head straight for Cape Maclear for a couple of days and then bus it up to Nkhotakota via
Monkey
Bay
. Then either drive yourself around
Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve
for a day (you'll need a 4WD), bus it and
get picked up by
Bua River Lodge
, or arrange a day trip to the reserve through one of the lakeshore lodges. After
you've had your fill of wildlife, head north to the
Viphya Plateau
, where you can stop off for a day or two's hik-
ing and cycling through the hills. Minibus and bus drivers will drop you off at the turn-off to one for the lodges if
you don't have transport.
How Much?
In this part of the country there's something to suit every style and budget, from dirt-cheap campsites to five-star
lodges.
Budget
If you're looking for beach frolics on a budget, head for backpackers' favourite, Cape Maclear, where you can
camp for around US$5 or bed down in a dorm for around US$10. Bua River Lodge in Nkhotakota Wildlife
Reserve has, aside from its luxury safari tents, budget accommodation from around US$17 per head, and in the
Viphya Plateau the wonderful Luwawa Forest lodge also has bunks and cheap camping with million-dollar views,
aside from its more upscale cabins.
Midrange
Both Senga Bay and Cape Maclear have some good options for midrange travellers and you can pick up a room
for US$50 to US$60. All midrange lodges have restaurants serving a mixture of Malawian and European food.
Top End
The strip of beach between Mangochi and Monkey Bay has a couple of large resort hotels where you'll find a
double room from around US$100 and up. Pumulani (
Click here
)
, a super luxury lodge in Lake Malawi National
Park, costs US$460 per person all-inclusive.
Tip
Don't miss a walking safari in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, and if you're feeling
really
intrepid you can kayak (
Click here
) past crocs.
Viphya Plateau
ELEV 1200M
The Viphya Plateau forms the spine of central and northern Malawi, snaking a cool path
through the flat scrubland, dusty towns and sunny beaches that reign on either side. It may
be called a plateau, but there's nothing flat about this part of the country in looks or in at-
mosphere. Tightly knit forests give way to gentle valleys and rivers, and huge granite
