Malawi as your holiday destination

TRAVELLING IN MALAWI

Planning a holiday to Malawi? Fantastic choice! Wondering about the ideal time to visit and how to prepare? We give you an overview, covering essential pre-trip considerations and valuable tips for a memorable safari trip in Malawi.

Best Time to visit Malawi

Travelers can visit Malawi the whole year through, however it is good to keep in mind the pros and cons of the different seasons. Malawi has a hot summer rainfall season from November to early April so the best time to visit is during the dry local winter months April to late October. Winter gets chilly high up on the northern Nyika Plateau but down on the shore of Lake Malawi you can expect warm, sunny, and dry days, great beach weather! This is also when to go to Malawi for the best game viewing, much of the vegetation has thinned out and animals are concentrated at rivers and permanent waterholes.

In the mid-summer months of January and February, temperatures can get uncomfortably hot and humid; rainfall is at its highest, and so is the risk of malaria, while some of the roads in the national parks become impassable.

For Malawi, recommended vaccinations are DTP, and vaccination against hepatitis A/B. Malaria occurs Malawi, especially in the wet season so prophylaxis is recommended. Ask your local health services for the most updated advice on vaccinations and preventative care.

Most EU citizens do not need to apply for a visa for Malawi for a visit of less than 30 days. However, always check your own personal situation and in either case ensure and that you have:

Currency
The local currency in Malawi is the Kwacha although US Dollars are widely accepted throughout the country. Credit card acceptance is improving but do not rely on it in Malawi’s more remote or less visited destinations. For your daily expenses it is always important to have a wallet with smaller bills and keep the rest of your cash separated and out of sight.

Especially when you spend several days in more remote areas, like wild parks, ensure you have enough cash on you. Foreign exchange services are not easy to find. Furthermore, it is recommended to take a ‘mix’ of means for payment, including cash (USD), a debit card and a credit card (VISA or MasterCard). There are always cases in which you cannot pay with your normal debit card.

ATM
There are ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) in the larger destinations of Malawi. Remember that for every transaction you will be charged additional banking fees. Also do not forget to change the security settings of your bankcards to ‘Worldwide’ if necessary – ask your local bank for instructions.

Ensure that you are well prepared to have a secure journey to Malawi. The chance that something happens to you or your family before or during the trip is small, however, it is important to get the right insurance. It can save you costs and a lot of trouble! We strongly recommend a travel and cancellation insurance, so that any unexpected costs due to illness or accidents, costs of replacing stolen or lost baggage or necessary repatriation are covered.

We advise you to contact your local insurance agent or bank for information about the possibilities. Also, we recommend that you contact your healthcare provider to inform you about the coverage of possible medical expenses.

Tipping in Malawi
As is common around the world, tipping in Malawi is completely voluntary and dependent on the quality of the service you have received. At Explore Malawi, we believe that good service should be rewarded, but you should also be mindful of the potential impact that tipping may have on the local community. Tips can make a large difference to those in the service industry, such as waiters, guides, and trackers. However, there’s a fine line between the right amount to tip and tipping too much: excessive tips can really affect the balance of the local economy.

In restaurants it is usual to give a gratuity of about 5-10% of your bill. Drivers and guides also appreciate a gratuity as this is often not just an extra, but most often forms part of their salary which a family lives from. In guesthouses and hotels, you will mostly find a ‘tip-box’ for gratuity which is then shared amongst everybody, as also the gardener contributes to you having a comfortable stay. People that do you a favor in public, like cleaning your window or watch your car, would normally receive gratuity too.

Food
The cuisine of Malawi has not been influenced by many other cultures, and as a result, it has remained very traditional. There are many farmers in Malawi and the population grows much of its own food. The country is known for its ‘tuck shops’, small shops found in rural areas that sell a variety of snack foods. These foods include meat pies, sausage rolls, bunny chow (rolls that have been deep fried and stuffed with a mix of curry meat and potato mix. Lake Malawi is not only a popular tourist destination, it is also a source of great fresh fish that is the country’s specialty.

Drinks
Tea is the second largest export crop in Malawi and as such, it is of an incredibly high quality. It is advisable to Avoid drinking tap water, but to drink bottled water instead when travelling through Malawi. Of course, South-African wine is sold in abundance and is of high quality and also Malawian Gin is popular. Good beers are more commonly brewed in Malawi and Carlsberg is the most common beer in the country.

Photography
Malawi guarantees you the most beautiful pictures. For the real hobbyists, a telephoto lens is a must for wildlife-photography. However, keep some rules in mind while taking pictures. If you want to take pictures of people, always ask for their permission first. Especially at places that are popular for tourists, locals may ask for money for a picture. Negotiate friendly and do not secretly take a picture. ​

Tips for reading
There are many good guidebooks about Malawi, such as the Rough Guide, Lonely Planet and Bradt. For those guides that are specifically about Malawi’s nature you can always visit a local bookstore.