u/HaputaleOliver

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This post is a little starter for all people searching information about Mt. Mulanje massif and Michese.

*Mountain Peaks*

Sapitwa (3.002m), Nakodze (2.964m), West Peak (2.896m), North Peak (2.796m), Khuto (2.758m), Dzole (2.717m), Namasile (2.687m), Chigaru (2.670m), Chinzama (2.666m), Manene (2.650m), Matambale (2.642m), Nandalanda (2.592m), Chambe (2.557m), Chisepo (2.382m) and Chilemba (2.359m).

*Routes*

-Fort Lister Forestry (Sombani)

-Likhubula (Skyline, Chapaluka and Milk Run)

-Lujeri Hydro Station (Minunu)

-Lujeri Shed 3 (Little Ruo)

-Malosa Forestry

-Mini Mini Estate (Nessa)

-Mulanje, Kara O’Mula (Boma)

-Thuchila Farm (Chisepo Direct. and Elephant's Head)

-Tinyade Estate (Jungle Route, Lukulezi and Otto's)

*Mountain Huts*

Chambe Hut, Chinzama Hut, Chisepo Hut, France’s Cottage, Hope Rest Cottage (CCAP), Lichenya Hut, Madzeka Hut, Minunu Hut, Sombani Hut, Thuchila Hut.

*Places to Visit*

-Dziwe la Nkhalamba Waterfalls (Likhubula Falls)

-Tuchila River

There are more rivers, waterfalls and natural pools to discover, rest and swim.

*Places to Eat*

- Mulanje Mountain Food Cottage

- Edochie Foods

- New Savanna

- Mulanje Pizza

(most guesthouses offer meals)

*Places to Stay*

Kara O'mula by Serendib

Africa Wild Truck - Eco Camp & Lodge

Hapuwani Village Lodge

Mulanje Motel

Nalipiri Tourist Lodge

CCAP Likhubula House

Gateway Lodge

Hikers' Nest

Likhubula Forest Lodge

Mount Mulanje Stopover - Likhubula

Thuchila Tourist Lodge

(More places are available).

*Next Cities, Villages and Branches*

Blantyre (International Airport), Mulanje, Likhubula, Nakholu, Lujeri, Nessa, Boma, Thuchila, Mlela, Fort Lister, Phalombe, Siana, Phodgoma, Chiringa, Nkulambe, Likanani, Gawani, Nanchidwa, Thornwood.

Please help us to grow. Share this group with all your hiking friends. Let's share stories, information and help each other with questions and answers.

Best wishes from

Haputale Oliver (Germany/Sri Lanka/Pekoe Trail)

Oliver Andrys, member of TGPAM (Tour Guides and Porters Association of Mt. Mulanje)

I love hiking, both at home and around the world. I prefer a slower pace when hiking, taking the time to rest and discover new things, cultures, and ways of life—including connecting with local people. I had particularly rewarding experiences doing this in Sri Lanka, which has become a second home to me, as well as three years ago with a hiking friend from Malawi.

In Sri Lanka, I run and support several Facebook groups dedicated to hiking and hiking trails. For Malawi, I support the "Mulanje Mountain Hiking in Malawi 🇲🇼" group of Oliver Andrys.

I launched this group knowing that while not everyone uses Facebook, many people would still love to share stories about their adventures in Malawi or simply seek advice.

I look forward to hearing what other hikers have to share about Malawi.

Hi everyone, I’m u/HaputaleOliver—or just Oliver—and I started this group r/MalawiHiking. My intended co-admin doesn't know about this yet (surprise!🥳), but he will surely be joining the team soon.

This is our new home for everything related to hiking in Malawi. We’re thrilled to welcome you!

What kind of posts are we looking for?

Post anything you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about hikes in Malawi.

Recommendations from fellow hikers are very welcome—for instance, sharing where you hiked or stayed, which public transport you used, or recommending a guide.

Community Atmosphere

We’re all about a friendly, constructive, and inclusive environment. Let’s create a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

Getting Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.

2. Create your first post today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3. If you know others who would love this community, invite them to join.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Let’s make r/MalawiHiking amazing together.

Best regards, Oliver

Am Montag waren wir mit dem Schiff von Kiel nach Falckenstein gefahren, und über den Deich zur Deichperle und zum Leuchtturm gewandert. Am Leuchtturm sahen wir mehrere Schiffe vorbeifahren. Unter anderem diese Kieler Hansekogge, als sie um 12:30 Uhr hinaus fuhr und um 14 Uhr zurück kam. Leider nur unter Motorkraft, trotz kräftiger Brise. Ich hätte die Kogge gerne mal unter Segel gesehen.

Mehr zum Thema Kieler Hansekogge

http://www.hansekogge.de/

und dem Leuchtturm Friedrichsort

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leuchtturm\_Friedrichsort

I like abandoned buildings and bungalows where inexplicable noises were heard, lights have been seen in the dark and shadows moved around. Like from colonial estate bungalows, factories, ruins or the Bogambara Prison in Kandy. Some might call those places haunted houses.

There are certainly plausible natural explanations for many of these observations—such as beams creaking due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, branches brushing against walls, windows or roofs, seeds and fruit falling onto the roof, monkeys and squirrels running around, mice living in the spaces between ceiling and floor, or animal noises at night. Nevertheless, some experiences remain unusual or inexplicable to those who encounter them. That is how ghost stories originate.

I would like to collect such stories and share to my friends and followers regardless of whether or not they can ultimately be explained. If you know of any such experiences or stories, I would welcome your contributions.

We (international couple) just traveled with a backpack through Malawi from north through monkey bay to Lilongwe and had a hard time finding any prices beforehand, so we’re sharing all the stuff we paid where we had to haggle/negotiate - in the hope it will help the next traveler 😊 There is currently a severe fuel price crisis so prices are massively higher than what we found googling ourselves beforehand and even since 1 year ago. We found overall traveling to be slightly more expensive than Tanzania or Kenya.

At the border we exchanged money (Tanzanian side), with some heavy negotiating we got to 1USD to 4000 Kwacha, then because we had many small notes (10s and 20s) we agreed on 3900 kwacha per USD. Later we saw a local man exchange Tanzanian shilling to Malawian kwacha for a (converted) rate of 4050:1 to USD.
On Talkremit you can transfer money for currently around 3600:1 to Airtel money. We heard you get a better rate using XE, but as of writing the transfers are very unreliable and often don’t go through, so we stuck with TalkRemit.
Exclaimer: on your very first transfer with TalkRemit you get a special high exchange rate, so make sure to exchange as much as possible (max about 190USD)!

At the border (Tanzanian side) SIM CARD with 9GB for 1 week from a local vendor - 2k for SIM and 7k for data (later top-up on airtel app is 5,6k for 11GB & 1 week. Don’t be alarmed your SIM card will be under the name of the guy who sold it to you, that’s normal practice in Malawi)

Malawi/Tanzania Border to Karonga (shared taxi) - 10k pP
Karonga to Chilumba (shared taxi)- 10k pP
Chilumba up to Mushroom Farm Eco Lodge (2 motorcycles with 1p each) - 30k each motorcycle (apparently it is 25k from the bottom in Chitimba to the lodge but you can negotiate to 20k; we got a good deal from Chilumba. It’s a tough ride so make sure your backpack is strapped to the bike and not on your back)

In Livingstonia:
fries in village - 3k
Avocado - 500 each
Bananas - 100 each
Bread (half loaf) - 1k
Tomatoes (3x) - 1k
Eggs - 500 each
Necklace - 10k (without negotiation because we liked the guy)
Softdrinks - 1,5k each

Motorcycle Mushroom farm to the Phwezi Junction (2people 1 motorcycle) - 35k
Phwezi junction to Mzuzu (shared taxi) - 17k pP
Mzuzu to Nkhata bay (shared taxi) - 10k pP
In Nkhata Bay:
avocado medium sized- asked for 2k each (locals pay 1k here).
Bag of the classic ring puffs - 1,5k
Water 1L - 1k

Local cargo boat to Likoma - 15k each (would not recommend though, more than 10h on wavy sea through the dark with no lights, no life jackets, and some animal cruelty. Even some locals said it’s too unsafe for them)
Motorcycle from port to Mango drift (2people on 1 motorcycle) - 15k
Visiting the cathedral is free even though there are people at the entrance claiming you need a tour.

Motorcycle monkey bay to Cape Maclear Thumbi Lodge(2motorcycles for 3 people) - 36k (we later heard from the waiters that the cost should be 10k pP during day and 15k pP during night, with discounts for multiple people on one bike. Arriving in the dark from the Ilala it was not a pleasant arrival in monkey bay and people gave us outrageous prices around 100k so please stay patient and you will meet more reasonable people once the scammers realized you’re not easy game)

In Cape Maclear:
Small wooden necklace - 8k
2 magnets - 5k each
Bowa game (medium sized) - 35k
Tailored shirt & pants - 25k each
Fried sweet potatoes - 200 each
Bananas - 3x for 1k
Water 1L - 1,5k
Soft drinks - 2k each
Breadrolls - 250 each
Off-brand ring puffs - 500 for a pack
In general the prices in the „resort side“ of town are 30% more expensive than in the „local side“ of town which is further east past the little bridge. Vendors on the west of thumbi lodge were cheaper than in the main lodge area. The ones inside the lodge are of course the most expensive.

Motorcycle Cape Maclear to Chirombo junction (1motorcycle and 2 people) - 30k
Shared minibus Chirombo to Lilongwe - 30k pP
Motorcycle Lilongwe bus station to old town mall (10min and two people on one motorcycle) - 5k
Lilongwe craft market: Very large wooden hippo (80cm long and 15kg) - 150k
Large sized Rhino (35cm long, 3kg) - 80k
Coca Cola - 2k

Best of luck for your travels and may you fall in love with Malawi the same way we did 🇲🇼

Hi! I'm going hiking in the Mulanjes in a couple weeks time and I was wondering if anyone has tips and tricks for the trek.

Also I was wanting to know if there is signal coverage on the hike to Sapitwa from Likhubula and what network it would be. I have tried searching online and have found varying results so any input would be highly appreciated.

Thank you!