Getting Around Malawi

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Bus to Malawi:
From Tanzania: Minibuses run all the way between Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe with stops in the Songwe border crossing, Kyela, Mzuzu and Karonga.

From Zambia: There are both direct buses and minibuses between Lusaka and Lilongwe with stops in Chipata and the Mchinji border.

From Mozambique: From Quelimane and Nampula you can get minibuses to the Milange-Mulanje border. From there you can reach Blantyre.
From Cuamba on the Mandimba-Chiponde border. From there you can reach Mangochi and Namwera.
From Cuamba you go south to Entre Lagos-Nayuchi border to Liwonde.
From Caia you can a take minibus to Vila Nova da Fronteira border to Nsanje and Blantyre.
From Tete to the Zóbuè-Mwanza border to Blantyre.

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Bicycle taxis are available in many places in Malawi. I saw them in Lilongwe, and on the countryside on the road from Lilongwe to Cape Maclear in Lake Malawi. The bicycles has a passenger pillow on the baggage rack. It's a original and funny sight.

If anyone is looking for Car hire you can contact this company in lilongwe they are at the airport as well

Blue Arrow Car Rentals Ltd.
Post.net x100,
Crossroads
Lilongwe
Malawi

Contact Person : Tonny Bunns,
Contact Telephone No.: 00265 8826 224
00265 5658 195
bluearrow2009@btinternet.com
Situated in Teptec Building, Capital City, Lilongwe, Malawi

Flying is the easiest way, with good connections to most of the large cities in Africa and then on to the rest of the world.
There are good bus services between the large cities, but locally the minibuses are great and they will more or less go anywhere. There is also a boat service which runs up and down the lake, stopping at most major places along the way.

The main roads are in a relatively good shape.
While driving i was asked by a local guy if i had a PHD. Returning the question why he asked, he said: it seems so, by the way you drive. You must have been to Africa before !!! He got me confused now.
Yes he says, in order to avoid the pot holes in the tarmac, you have to drive from one side of the street to the other. Make sudden stops, reverse the car ens.
So, he says, you have developped these skills, to drive in Malawi.
So we honour you with a PHD: Pot Hole Dodger.!!!!

Compared to other countries in Southern Africa, except for the RSA, busses are in quite a good shape. To my surprise, vehicules are checked every year, in order to be allowed in traffiic. We did not discover what this check up really was.
Busses are very crowded, hot and sticky.
A mixture of smells catches you when going on the bus. But you get used to it after a while.

I believe that public transportation was mostly available in the major cities (not so much in the rural areas, but still available), but I am not sure about their reliability. And, if you venture on your own and decide to rent a vehicle (not sure of the costs) to travel in, make sure you drive on the correct side of the street! For Americans and others used to driving on the RIGHT side of the road, get used to driving on the LEFT side! Africa is under the British rule, so the driving applies too - hence, the opposite driving side of the road in America!

MV Ilala Weekly Voyage Schedule

North Bound Voyage

Port / Day / Arrival / Departure

Monkey Bay Friday 10.00
Chipoka Friday 13.00 15.00
Nkhota Kota Saturday 00.30 03.00
Metangula Saturday 06.00 08.00
Cobue Saturday 12.00 13.00
Likoma Saturday 13.30 16.00
Chiszumulu Saturday 19.30 22.00
Nkhata Bay Sunday 04.00 07.30
Usisya Sunday 09.30 11.30
Ruarwe Sunday 12.30 13.30
Chilumba Sunday 19.00

South Bound Voyage

Port / Day / Arrival / Departure

Chilumba Monday 01.00
Nkhata Bay Monday 13.00 19.00
Likoma Tuesday 03.30 06.30
Chipoka Wednesday 04.00 06.00
Monkey Bay Wednesday 12.00

Fares

Embarkation Port: Monkey Bay

Owner´sCabin 1st Class (cabin) 1st Cl (Deck)
Chipoka 36 $ 26 $ 10 $
Metangula 95 $ 61 $ 33 $
Cobue 98 $ 65 $ 46 $
Likoma Island 106 $ 76 $ 51 $
Nkhata Bay 168 $ 121 $ 71 $

Fares are given in US $ per person (06/2004) and include English breakfast and late afternoon snacks for Cabin Classes and Continental Breakfast for Deck Class.

Don´t expect to get a decent meal!

Beside these classes there are “Second Class” and “Economy Class”. They are much cheaper and more crowed but expect to pay only about 1/10 of the first class fares. Second class is in under deck, where you can find some seats (if you are lucky), “Economy” is outside and in the front of the vessel. This is a good option! If you don´t like it there is still the possibility to upgrade the ticket.

DON´T THINK OF SNEAKING ON BOARD WITHOUT PAYING.

There are ticket checks even in the middle of night and the ticket needs to be returned when disembarking.