I’ve been in Malawi for a while now and during this time, fellow South Africans have been asking me some questions about Malawi. Honestly, these are questions I wish I could have had answers to, over a year ago before I bought that one-way bus ticket. After spending about 21 months in Malawi I feel like I am in a position, at least from a tourist perspective, to answer some of these questions.
Taking the bus is probably not the first transport option that comes to mind when travelling out of the country but if, like me, you are a budget traveller always looking for new experiences keep reading. Just A couple of months before the world was plunged into the Covid-19 pandemic, I learned that the now-closed Greyhound bus service had a new route from Johannesburg to Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu, in Malawi. Since I’ve always wanted to see Malawi and visit a friend at the same time, this got me excited. I’m no stranger to bus travel but this was my first time crossing a border using the bus. I was a little apprehensive at first because I couldn’t find enough information on bus travel across borders. This is what I know now. Since the pandemic, I haven’t travelled across borders by bus.
Note: Below is a blog by our Guest Blogger; Bessie on her Mountain Experiences. She discusses how she dealt with society's perceptions, assumptions and how she conquered her fears.
Long before hiking mountains was a thing in most parts of Malawi, that is long before people made it out as the destination for the best hyped up photoshoots, I would often get asked questions as to why I love to go up in the mountains. People never seemed to understand why someone would get up, to climb a mountain, to be in what is considered a secluded wild place like the mountain. What fun is that? What exactly do you do when you get up there?; are just some of the question I often got asked? I always seem to be the odd one out with this adventurous hobby of mine. One time I decided to hike Zomba plateau, my aunt who resides in Zomba could not believe I went all the way to Zomba just to hike the mountain. I remember her saying, 'my dear, mapiri mumakwelawa mumaopsya nazo amuna tu zimenezi (You may end up scaring off potential men with this hobby of yours my dear). It made me seem odd and strange.
Mount Mulanje presents a paradise for avid hikers and at the same time, scares most people off due to its imposing look on a clear day. The novice hiker may shy away due to the look of Manga peak from the road, or indeed the scary looking Chilemba peak as seen from the Likhubula side.
I often get questions from business travellers about what they can do with their free time if they are visiting Blantyre. You could be staying in Blantyre for a couple weeks or months and get the occasional day off. You may be in Blantyre for a conference and are able to extend your stay by a few days after your conference.
Blantyre is in close proximity to a few really good destinations. You would not even need to stay overnight, you can make day trips from the commercial city. Here are my recommendations of trips you can arrange.
For the Western World, this blog may seem a little confusing, but I will try and make my points very clear and straight forward. For generations, Africans have been reminded of their colonial history as if our pre-colonisation history has been wiped off the planet. We were a people of skill, culture and warmth before ‘the scramble for Africa’ in between 1881 and 1914. Fast forward to 2018 where westerners today travel to Africa for so many reasons and the western media have managed to paint a ‘vivid’ image of our continent to attract more people to travel here, a very big number travel to Africa for selfish reasons. For so long Africans have depended on aid from the west and Africa continues to spiral down the poverty hole. Is it time to change the thinking? Maybe.
I first read about The Mount Mulanje Grand Traverse in the The Hiking Guide To Mount Mulanjeby Drew Corbyn. It sounded like fun, but also a little terrifying. After giving it some thought, here I was planning the hike. I put word out to try and get more people for the hike, but only two signed up. Most people were unsure about the hike due to the political tension in the country – the hike was 6 days after the fresh presidential elections.
I developed the love for hiking on my 6 year travels, where I also kick started my career in Tourism. I left Blantyre (my home town) in 2009 and returned in 2015. In that time, I lived in Cape Town for three years (and hiked Table Mountain, Devils Peak and Lion’s head). I then moved to Lilongwe and eventually Ntchisi mountain for another three years. In Ntchisi completely fell in love with the woods – I did not really have a choice! and hiked all the time, with family, clients, sometimes alone, to think and clear my head. It was this time I lived in Ntchisi that I travelled south to take on my fist Mount Mulanje Challenge in 2013. Anyway, fast forward to 2015, I moved back to Blantyre for pastures new, and that is when I first heard of the Blantyre 3 Peaks Walk.
Sitting across from my wife gave me a better view of the fun great views that followed. The boat guys pushed it into the water before jumping on the boat. The anchor was lifted from the shallow bed of Lake Malawi. The engine started and I felt so excited to finally be heading to this little piece of heaven that I had, for long, wanted to see. It was a green and white boat with a little roof to provide shade in the heat of a November mid-morning. The front of the boat was enclosed with wooden panes and glass windows to keep out water splashes and the wind on windy days, I thought. The lake was so calm on the day, providing a very reassuring day on the water for us, or at least for the duration of the trip. This was our second Island with my wife after South Africa's Robben Island on our honeymoon in 2011.
The thought of hiking Mount Mulanje brings about mixed feelings for both the hiker and people you tell. Growing up in Malawi, I grew up believing a lot of things. As kids, we were told, that the highest peak on Mount Mulanje (Sapitwa) is the home of the spirits. A place that had to be respected, we were not supposed to visit, it was like trespassing on the spirits of our fore-fathers.
The Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus is reminding the general public of the travel requirements for Malawi through different points of entry including the airports and land crossings that became Effective 1st June 2022. The following are the travel requirements:
1. All intoming travellers, including Malawians, that are fully vaccinated and have an electronically verifiable COVID-19 vaccination certificate are no longer required to produce a COVID-19 PCR certificate prior to entering the country.
Presided over by His Excellency Dr. Lazarus M. Chakwera President of the Republic of Malawi. BICC Banquet Hall, Lilongwe. Monday 4th April 2022.
Zomba City Festival is a celebration of the culture, heritage and natural beauty of the one-time capital of Malawi. Expect 4 days full of activities at the city’s most vibrant locations; there will be something to enjoy for everyone’s taste. A long weekend with family fun, sports, arts & culture and live music
For more information see: www.visitzomba.com/festival
In spite of our achievements it is important to acknowledge that BAHASI also continues to face many struggles and challenges. Overall BAHASI struggles mostly with a lack of financial support. We need your help!
As we strive for a better future for Malawi attained through improving the well-being of the nation’s children, Friends of Sick Children (FOSC) is inviting you to become a FRIEND OF THE SICK CHILDREN by partnering with us in renovating and equipping the much-needed new paediatric high dependency unit at QECH.
In low income countries people have no money to bring their deceased loved-one home for bereavement and burial or cremation. Parents, family and communities need bereavement in order to cope with their loss. "Nurses for Peace” provides for the transportation home for their deceased patients.
Do help out and donate on Nurses for Peace.
Protect yourself, protect your family and protect those around you.
Stay safe!
The Economist newspaper has named Malawi as the country of the year 2020 following the nullification of the 2019 presidential elections and the holding of Fresh Presidential elections.
© Malawi 24
A leaflet of ‘Guidelines for Departing & Arriving Passengers at Airports’ was produced in November by the Ministry of Health downgrading the requirement for those with a negative test result so that they only now have to ‘self-monitor’ but can otherwise travel freely. The latest document states the following for arriving passengers:
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