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Lake Malawi
Known as the “Warm heart
of Africa”, Malawi
is a small, peaceful and relaxed country with huge diversity. Throughout the
16th to the 19th century, the Africans told Arab and Portuguese traders of
one exceptional beauty, but being off the trade routes, this gem was never
“discovered” until a Scottish explorer, David Livingstone came across Lake Malawi in the mid 1800’s. Lake Malawi, part of the
Great Rift Valley, is one of Africa’s
greatest treasures. Forming a border between Mozambique,
Tanzania and Malawi, it is the third largest lake in Africa, and ninth in the world, being over 600km long
as the crow flies, 85km wide and 700m deep. There are over 550 species of
fish, mostly endemic, providing a large amount of the countries food.
WILDLIFE
Hippos: The majority of
hippos occur down south, below Sani
Beach because of the
shallower waters. We however only
encountered four hippos, all on the first day of paddling. It is highly recommended to speak to the
local fisherman continuously for advice.
Certain areas up north, such as Chia Lagoon are highly populated with
hippos, and many of the reeded points remain shallow far out into the lake,
providing perfect grazing grounds.
Crocodiles: Crocodiles
occur throughout the lake, but have mostly been wiped out by the locals. Yet again speak to the fisherman. Be aware of river-mouths and areas such as
Chia Lagoon. In the dry season they
tend to stick close to the river-mouths, but move around a lot during the
rainy season – when there are more tributaries.
Birdlife: There are
too many bird species to mention, but large populations of fish-eagles were
observed down south, and we saw less and less as we went further north. Cormorants are also abundant throughout the
lake, especially on the islands such as BoadZulu Island.
Aquatics: Malawi
is well known for having more fish species than any other inland body of
water in the world, hosting over 600 varieties of which many are
endemic. The lake is however hugely
over-fished, and many species are endangered.
Down south there are large numbers of Chambo and Kampango, which are
great to eat. Mpasa (also called lake
salmon) and catfish are also present, and snorkelling provides opportunity to
see many of the colourful Cichlids.
LOCALS
Malawi
is known as the warm heart of Africa, and
this really shone through in the people.
We found everyone could speak English, even in the most remote places,
as education is a big factor in Malawi. The people are highly religious and
passive, never being involved in a civil war.
David Livingstone played a huge role in this. During our stay in Malawi, the country was suffering
a drought, but the people still were incredibly hospitable and willing to
help in any way. Not once did we feel
threatened or have any security issues.
LANDSCAPE
The lake-shore starts off down-south
as very hilly and mountainous, with a rugged Mediterranean landscape. There are numerous islands, and the water
clarity is brilliant, and the depth varies continuously. As one heads further north (from Senga Bay upwards), the land becomes very flat
and swampy. The lake is extremely
shallow for a kilometre out, and can only be 6 feet deep. There are very few islands, and the water
is not as clear. By Ngala, the
landscape becomes lusher, with hills and mountains. The scenery is spectacular, especially by Nkhata Bay.
There are many long, sandy beaches with which the area is known
for. The water is very deep and
crystal clear. North of Nkhata Bay,
there are sheer cliffs and water-falls running into the lake. The area is extremely mountainous with no
roads by the lakeshore, possibly the most scenic part up until Chilumba. North of, the lakeshore flattens out again,
and is very similar to the Senga to Sani section.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
The roads in Malawi
are generally very good, with few patches that are in bad condition – which
are under construction. These areas
include the road from Blantyre to Mangochi,
the Cape Maclear
region, and Nkhata
Bay to Mzuzu. There are numerous roadblocks, but they are
harmless, as long as your documentation is in order. Leaded petrol and diesel are widely
available, costing between $1 and $1.50 per litre. The country is easily crossed within two
days. There are no roads to the lake
between Nkhata Bay and Chitimba due to the mountains.
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