Malawi is an amazing country with an astonishing variety of habitat and wildlife which will both captivate and mesmerise you. Often forgotten due to its high profile neighbours Tanzania and Zambia, this narrow strip of land has a lot to offer. Being less travelled, much of Malawi is untouched by mass tourism and makes a fantastic location for a cycling challenge. The majority of the 211km route is on unused dirt roads with a stunning variety of habitat. Day three acts as a warm up as we cover less distance and visit a traditional village where we learn about Malawian customs and farming practice. Days four, five and six all provide a stiff challenge as we cycle through a stunning variety of habitat to reach Lake Malawi. We encounter pine forest, open grassland, dense jungle, tea and rubber plantations.  The landscape changes gradually during the challenge and becomes more flat as we move away from the Great African Rift and approach Lake Malawi. After four days on the bikes we enjoy some R&R at the beautiful Lake Malawi.

Day 1: Depart Dublin.
Depart Dublin for Lilongwe. Overnight flight.

Day 2: Arrive in Malawi.
Arrive in Lilongwe in the afternoon and drive for four hours to reach Luwawa Forest Lodge. Overnight lodge.

Day 3: Donija village cycle; 24km, 6 hrs cycling.
Cycle in a circular route to Donija village returning to the Luwawa Forest Lodge in the evening. Overnight lodge.

Day 4: Luwawa to the Kasito Resthouse ; 44km, 8 hrs cycling.
Cycle north to the Kasito Resthouse enjoying some tough climbs with amazing scenery throughout. Overnight camp.

Day 5: Kasito Resthouse to the Kawalazi Estate; 75km, 10 hrs cycling.
A long day today with plenty of downhill sections through beautiful jungle, villages and grass land. Overnight camp.

Day 6: Kawalazi Estate to the Chintheche Inn; 68km, 7 hrs cycling.
Cycle through a large rubber plantation to reach one of Lake Malawi’s best beaches. Overnight camp.

Day 7: Chintheche Inn to Lilongwe.
Drive back to Lilongwe. Overnight hotel.

Day 8: Depart Malawi.
After a relaxed morning depart Malawi in the mid-afternoon on an overnight flight for Dublin.

Day 9: Arrive in Dublin.
Arrive in Dublin in the early afternoon. Challenge ends.

Country Information

Area: 118,484 sq km                               Population: Over 15 million

Official Languages: English, Chichewa

Religion: Christian 80% , Muslim 13% , Others 7%

Local Time: GMT +2.00

Foreign Exchange
Local Currency: Malawian kwacha
Currency for Exchange: USD easiest to exchange
Where to Exchange: Most major towns – your Expedition Leader can advise you on arrival. Travellers’ cheques or cash are advised as means of exchange.
ATMs: Major credit cards are able to withdraw funds from ATMs but there are few machines, even in tourist locations.
Credit Cards: Credit cards are not widely accepted in Malawi.

Up-to-date information concerning global exchange rates can be obtained at www.xe.com.

Climate
Malawi’s climate is hot in the low-lying areas in the south of the country and temperate in the northern highlands. The altitude moderates what would be an otherwise equatorial climate. Between November and April the temperature is warm with equatorial rains and thunderstorms, with the storms reaching their peak severity in late March. After March, the rainfall rapidly diminishes and from May to September wet mists float from the highlands into the plateaus, with almost no rainfall during these months. Up-to-date information on the weather can be found at www.wunderground.com.

Visa Requirements
At the time of writing, British and Irish ctizens do not need a visa to enter Malawi. Visa requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.

Vaccinations & Prophylaxis
We recommend consulting your national website for expert advice:

Ireland: www.tmb.ie
UK: www.nhs.uk
US: wwwnc.cdc.gov

Please consult your local healthcare provider for further advice. Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.

Electric Supply & Plugs
Electric Power is 230V running at 50Hz. The Plug type used is: G

For more information contact us by email on info@earths-edge.com or call on one of the following numbers;

Ireland: +353 (1) 4433314
UK: +44 (20) 81338682
USA: +1 (415) 315 9411