Their practice in experiential and mindful travel and their locals’ knack for identifying, explaining and sustaining the distinctive qualities of a place make them the perfect go-to people for travellers looking for unique ways to experience a destination. But sometimes, when travellers prepare to hit the road, they’re not choosy about where they want to go: they’re actively looking only for the best of the best – the best experiences in the best destinations based on information from the best travel experts.

To facilitate that process, whl.travel has announced the winners of its 2011 internal competitive performance review. Based on their work in 2011, four tour operators – one from each of four broad geographical areas – have been singled out as models for a set of whl.travel standards critical to the operation of their own businesses but also fundamental to the success of the global network. Assessment criteria included response times and customer service, maintaining an active social media presence and keeping destination Web portals up to date.

The whl.travel local partner in Malawi: The Responsible Safari Company (left to right: Chimwemwe Siyabu, Kate Webb, Dom Webb, Andrew Kayuni). Photo courtesy of The Responsible Safari Company

Malawi Triumphs in Africa

In Africa, whl.travel is anchored in about 40 destinations across 20 countries. Taking honors on this continent was the Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection for Malawi. Apart from demonstrating a strong commitment to community development through sustainable tourism initiatives, they have proven that they are serious about client services.

The whl.travel local connection in Boracay, Philippines: Go Discover Travels (left to right: Kristiana Jorjah Espiritu, Trudy Allen and Chaddy Cocjin; not pictured: Helen Atanacio and John Maclang). Photo courtesy of Go Discover Travels

The Philippines Shine in Asia and the Pacific

The whl.travel local partners in Nepal, the Philippines and northeast India stood out from the mix of more than 70 destinations in 26 countries in Asia and Oceania; however, it was the Philippines’ Go Discover Travels, one of the first partners to join the whl.travel network, that came out on top for their whl.travel Boracay Travel website. They also manage portals in the Philippines for Cebu, Palawan and Manila.

The whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece: Corfu Sunspots Travel (right to left: Sandra Broedner and Chrysa Tsakalakou; Andronikos Moutos not pictured). Photo courtesy of Corfu Sunspots Travel

Corfu Takes the Limelight in Europe and the Middle East

Corfu Sunspots Travel Ltd, the whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece, ranked above approximately 40 other destinations in about 20 countries in Europe and the Middle East. What started as a small family-run business back in 1986 has blossomed into one of Corfu‘s largest, most reputable and successful agencies.

The whl.travel local partner in Santa Marta, Colombia: Las Pleyades (Fabiola Duerig and Oliver Blanco). Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Colombia Conquers in the Americas

The whl.travel local connection in Santa Marta, Colombia, was crowned the winner in the Americas, where there are about 50 whl.travel destinations in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The site for Santa Marta is owned and operated by Las Pleyades, a small company that is a big player when it comes to developing social and environmental travel.

“While every network is only as strong as its weakest link, it’s also as ambitious as its strongest,” commented Rob Shortland, CEO of whl.travel. “whl.travel relies on each local operator to help build and develop our shared global brand. If we want travellers to support local companies then it’s essential that their service standards compete with, if not exceed, that of the large global powerhouses. Add in a large dollop of local knowledge and we’re tough to beat.”

Malawi, known as the Warm Heart of Africa, is nestled in between Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. When I first arrived here in 2005 and piled into the back of an open truck with hordes of colourfully dressed girls, the country instantly lived up to its reputation. The girls chatted with us for over four hours on our bumpy journey! We didn’t really understand each other, but the enormous smiles and happy faces were enough to serve as the basis for solid friendships during our time together on the road.

The tranquil shores of Lake Malawi are drawing more and more visitors to Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa. Photo courtesy of Kate Webb

Malawi is perhaps most famous for its dominant geographical feature; Lake Malawi is where visitors come to enjoy local culture, warm clear water and wonderfully sandy beaches almost all to themselves. While tourism is slowly picking up along the lakeshore, visitors can still relax or go kayaking or diving without stepping on others’ toes! Of course, the appeal of this small hidden gem of Africa extends beyond the lake, all the way to the peaks of Mulanje Mountain, the highest peak in Central Africa.

Day Trips

If you are staying in the cities of Blantyre or Lilongwe, you have plenty of options for day trips away from urban hustle and bustle. Many people choose to head straight to the lakeshore or Luangwa National Park, but there is another option: village visits.

The Responsible Safari Company has partnered with some extraordinary rural communities eager to welcome travellers on day visits to their villages for close-up glimpses of Malawian culture. Visits can include an afternoon playing with the children in a small orphan care centre, visiting a community project or watching traditional dancing and sampling some local delicacies. Overnight village stays are also a possibility.

Each visit has one thing in common: it always culminates in everyone singing and dancing – and that includes the visitors! A village excursion is also a fantastic way to ensure your visit to Malawi benefits local people.

On day trips to local Malawian village communities, a highlight for visitors is always the energised drums and dance party with local people. Photo courtesy of Kate Webb

Shopping

If you are looking for a truly unique gift, check out the handful of stalls situated at the base of Mount Mulanje. Here, local artisans prepare and sell crafts made from Mulanje cedar wood. As well as smelling gorgeous, it is ideal for carving intricate patterns and inscriptions.

While the Mulanje cedar is a endangered species, we have it on very good authority that selling these items – a key source of income for local communities – helps stop villagers from getting involved in the all-too-frequent illegal logging activities that remove huge quantities of this precious wood. The amount of wood used for curios is very small and can be sustainably replaced, especially when compared to what is destroyed by logging, so we are comfortable advising travellers to support these craftsmen! Even if you are not buying it is fascinating to spend time watching them.

Another highlight of shopping in Malawi is a visit to the fruit and vegetable markets. Our favourite is Bvumbwe market. Set amidst the tea estates, this small market has some of the best produce in the country.

Restaurants

The food of Malawi is perhaps not its strongest point, unless you are an adventurous eater looking to sample the field mice or caterpillars sold on kebab sticks along the side of the road!

On Lake Malawi, you catch glimpses of local Malawian life, such as the launching of this sailing dhow. Photo courtesy of Kate Webb

Off the beaten track, though, we do have two favourite family-run places that always keep us coming back for more. The first, called Veg Delight, is in Blantyre and run by an Indian family. The owner, Aisha, is a fantastic cook who offers delicious all-vegetarian Indian and Chinese food.

The second is one of the highlights of hiking Mulanje. After your descent, you can be sure of a delicious freshly baked pizza at rustic Pizza Basilico. Positioned to give stunning views of the mountain, it delivers each and every time with some of the best food in Malawi.

For more dining options, check out our Malawi restaurant guide.

Local Treats

A river boat safari is one of the best ways to appreciate the wildlife and beauty of Malawi’s national parks.

On a recent visit to Majete Wildlife Reserve, we were passengers on a lodge boat equipped with a hamper of nibbles and gin and tonics, when we eased along the riverbank to where a group of elephants was feeding on a small island. After about 20 minutes of wonderful family interaction, the elephant mothers edged their babies toward the water. One by one they then swam across the deep river, babies dipping in and out of the fast-flowing currents and mothers doing an incredible job of ensuring everyone got across safely. Emerging on the other side, the whole family waited until reassembled and then, after a quick dry, headed off into the forest. An incredible sighting!

On a river boat safari in Malawi, you will see amazing wildlife moments such as this herd of elephants crossing the river in Majete Wildlife Reserve. Photo courtesy of Kate Webb

Night Out

Once a year, The Lake Of Stars music festival comes to Malawi. In 2004, event founder Will Jameson visited Malawi and, inspired by events like Live Aid, WOMAD and Glastonbury, dreamed of having a music festival on the shores of the lake. Lake of Stars Festival, though, would use arts-tourism to generate revenue and exposure for the country.

We have just been to the 2011 festival and it was fantastic! Under the Malawi skies, international and local bands performed right on the beach and the atmosphere was incredible. We danced the night away to the likes of Beverley Knight, The Foals and Freshly Ground.

The festival happens every October and many travellers visit Malawi at this time to combine their travels with this unique event, staying at the cool backpacker havens of Cape Maclear and Senga Bay.

All year round, for an exclusively local feel, catch The Black Missionaries, usually playing on the weekend in either Blantyre or Lilongwe.

This scene offers a glimpse of the country’s love for football, which is especially pronounced in its children. While Manchester United appear to be one of the favourite clubs, this young striker proudly displays the colours of Barcelona FC and will surely be over the moon that his team were crowned UEFA Cup champions yesterday!

Across Africa, a patch of dusty grass left uncultivated for the great village games of football is a common rural scene. Small huts often tune in for the big games and children can be seen scuffling for prize position to watch through the gaps in the walls, trying to catch a glimpse of their heroes. When we were first travelling in Africa we could always find common ground by talking about the premier league and even I – not a supporter at all (!) – found I had to back a team and to banter with the locals as to who was going to beat who.

In Malawi it doesn’t stop at football, as the girls refuse to be left out. Next to each small football pitch is usually a group of gaggling girls playing an equally passionate game of netball.

The United Nations Millennium Villages Project aims to create a unique ecotourism program that lets visitors experience firsthand how the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are being implemented in a rural community setting in Africa. The Responsible Safari Company offers valuable support to this project throughout Malawi. You can find out more in the project profile which was featured on the Travel Word last year.

The author makes a closer inspection of the paper recycling process at Nchima Paper Recycling Trust in Malawi. Good strength is required to squeeze all the water out! Photo courtesy of Will Turner.

I would spend a day with them, to experience firsthand three of four initiatives that would benefit from a tourism development project, to be supported by the GDF, that would improve the RSC’s ability to guide visitors to community initiatives. This in turn would aid local community groups by bringing in additional revenue through tourism.

In collaboration with the RSC, each grassroots community initiative had recognised that tourism could be a beneficial source of income that did not involve forsaking the needs of their local communities. The RSC, with their thoughtful and considerate approach, would provide a critical support: connecting these interesting and diverse local initiatives with the global travel market.

The ‘win-win-win’ benefits were evident: The local groups would enjoy a new way of making ends meet and forging meaningful bonds with discerning travellers; visitors would gain the kinds of unique insights that can only come from meeting with a local community and learning about their lives; and the RSC could expand their operations in line with their sustainable and responsible tourism practices.

Recycling paper at the Nchima Paper Recycling Trust is a careful and skilled process. Photo courtesy of Will Turner.

Nchima Paper Making Trust

I was warmly greeted by Chimwemwe and Andrew of the RSC, in whose company I left Blantyre, Malawi’s second largest city. Our first stop was the Nchima Paper Making Trust, where Dickson Chaona and his team have developed an inventive means of raising funds for their local community: They collect waste paper and recycle it by hand, and the new paper they create is then sold for arts and crafts at the local market. Cardboard is recycled too and used to make fire briquettes, a welcome alternative to charcoal for cooking.

When we arrived, Dickson was stirring a thick, sloppy soup of broken-down paper, water and starch. He explained to me the benefit of RSC’s visits. “It is great that they bring foreign visitors to come and see us. Raising money from these visits means that we can support more and more children in the community. These are children whose families can’t afford the school fees and without our support would not have access to any education.”

He then offered me the oversized pestle and asked if I’d like to have a go at mixing. “Our guests always enjoy giving it a try and they always buy our gift cards after our demonstration as well. A portion of the proceeds come to us, so that we make a small living too.”

The FOMO health clinic plays a vital role in the community in Malawi, where access to medical care is limited. Photo courtesy of Will Turner.

FOMO Orphan Daycare Centre

Next we headed further south into the countryside, infamous for its mountainous outcrops and exquisite patchwork quilt of tea fields. It looked divine as the sun glistened on the silvery leaves.  We were heading to FOMO, an orphan daycare centre in the Mulanje district. As we arrived at one of the 13 centres, we were met by a flurry of feet as all the children rushed together and broke into huge smiles and song. It was quite a welcome, one that I doubt I’ll ever forget!

We then moved inside for a display of traditional song and dance. I was thoroughly enjoying the performance; the kids’ agility and rhythm was breathtaking. But I couldn’t help thinking that some visitors might feel a little uncomfortable with the display.

“Do you think this might be regarded as a little exploitative?” I asked FOMO manager Zoe Nthala. “Well you should ask the kids. The fact is, this is what they love to do and practice for fun, every day. Traditional song and dance is a big part of Malawian culture, and the children just love having people to perform to!”

A warm welcome is always guaranteed at FOMO Orphan Daycare Centre, Mulanje, Malawi. Photo courtesy of The Resonsible Safari Company

Our FOMO tour then moved on to a health centre, driving school, tailoring school and computer lab. All of these facilities are available to the disadvantaged children in the region, a staggering total of 4000 of them. Each child can receive a basic daily meal, enough clothes to cover their back and a scholarship covering the cost of their school fees.

“How do you manage to do so much?” I asked. “We do a lot with very little and it’s a real community effort. We help each other, grow our own maize to feed ourselves and we waste nothing,” said Zoe. “We rely solely on private donations and we are so grateful for the support of RSC. Not only do they bring paying visitors to us, whose contributions go a long way, but they also arrange for their guests to bring clothes, school equipment, toys, etc. We all like having visitors come and meet us, and they always seem to have a good time too.”

Nancholi Youth Organisation

Our last stop was at a community tourism initiative on the outskirts of Blantyre recently established by local nongovernmental organisation, the NAYO (Nancholi Youth Organisation) centre, and made possible with guidance from both the RSC and the NAYO centre. I met the management team, who provided an informative introduction to the work that they were undertaking to help the community and area’s most vulnerable residents, particularly those suffering from health problems. They shared their ambitious plans, noting that financing was, as usual, the principal problem. The appeal of sustainable revenue from tourism was a welcome alternative to hit-and-miss grant funding.

The local secondary school at Nancholi awaits funds to continue its construction. The school's management hope to receive some funding support from NAYO. Photo courtesy of The Resonsible Safari Company

I was accompanied on a visit of the facility by a trained volunteer, who invited me to meet some of the program’s beneficiaries. This included a chat with an HIV patient who was benefitting from some home-based care. She explained to me the difficulties of coping with the disease that affects so many people in Malawi as well as the wider region. The help she was receiving from NAYO was vital, as she could not afford to travel to the hospital; in addition, as a widow, she struggled to look after her family.

It was a powerful and moving moment for me. Despite such a heart-wrenching encounter, it was reassuring to know that she and others in the neighbourhood in a similar position might be receiving some assistance.  But how many others go without?  How many more people could be helped if more travellers visited the project? It put into perspective just how beneficial a $25 tour fee can really be.

Looking Back to Look Ahead

As we made our return journey after a fascinating and inspiring day, I continued to pepper my hosts, Chimwemwe and Andrew, with questions. Their enthusiastic and informed responses never faltered.

The exuberant children at FOMO Orphan Daycare Centre are always keen to play and perform for visitors. Photo courtesy of The Resonsible Safari Company

“We are very passionate about working with these communities. It is vital that the benefits of tourism reach the people of Malawi and we can directly achieve this by running tourism initiatives with grassroots organisations,” commented Chimwemwe. “It’s fantastic to share this unique side of Malawi with visitors. We are very excited about starting our GDF project because this will allow us to share the benefits even further.”

I couldn’t agree more. Looking forward, more than ever, to the launch of the GDF, I also anticipate hearing from others about what I know will be their most memorable day in Malawi.

The Malowolo Customs of Northern Malawi

A Malowolo ceremony occurs when both a boy and a girl tell their families about their plans to get married, but there is no big celebration as there is with a Chinkhoswe. A date is set for both families to meet, to get to know each other and to agree on the bride price, or lobola. This price can be either in the form of cash or cattle. In most cases the amount set depends on the girl’s level of educational – the more educated she is, the higher the bride price. During this cultural ceremony, only close family members are allowed to attend. The boy may choose to pay the bride price straightaway or may pay in installments. Either way, the two are then considered engaged.

On the day before the traditional Chinkhoswe engagement celebration in Malawi, friends and family drink and dance late into the night in honour of the couple-to-be

The Traditional Chinkhoswe Celebration

Although traditional Chinkhoswe celebrations have always been big in Malawi, nowadays people prefer small gatherings and invite only close family members and friends. After the girl and the boy have informed their families about their intention to get engaged, a day is set for family representatives from both sides to get introduced and agree on the date of the engagement ceremony. Once the date is set, the families inform their village chiefs about the engagement after presenting them with money or live chickens. Preparations for the engagement may then begin.

It is usually the girl’s family that assumes most of the responsibility for the planning; the venue for the celebration is often at the girl’s home. In advance of the festivities, women pound maize to make flour for the traditional dish called nsima and prepare a traditional drink called thobwa. Traditional dance rehearsals begin and new clothes for the young couple are bought.

The night before the engagement day, relatives and friends from both families dance all night and drink thobwa as a way of showing their happiness. The next day, the women rise early to prepare food for the guests, a major undertaking as the event itself is often open-door rather than invite-only – anyone who knows the betrothed or any of their family members is welcome. In most cases the ceremony begins soon after lunch and there is always a lot of singing, dancing, eating, drinking and giving of kwachas, the local currency of Malawi, to help the couple with their wedding preparations.

The traditional exchange of chickens between the families of the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be in Malawi seals the Chinkhoswe engagement deal in the eyes of Malawian culture

A Game of ‘Guess Who’ and a Ritual Exchange

During the ceremony, the parents from both sides are introduced to the guests, after which a representative from the girl’s family (usually an uncle) is asked to stand just before the boy arrives. When the boy enters, he is with three or more friends and the girl’s uncle is asked to single out the groom-to-be. This is a demonstration of the girl’s family’s familiarity with the boy. Women from the girl’s side are then asked to accompany her in. She also arrives with four or more girls, but all of them are covered from head to toe in matching pieces of cloth called zitenje. The boy is asked to point out his bride-to-be from this group of girls without the girls uncovering themselves. If the boy is not able to identify her on his first try, the women watching tend to sing jesting songs to tell him he has lost the game!

After the boy has found his fiancée-to-be, the family representatives from both sides commence a ritual exchange of chickens. Relatives from the girl’s side take a hen and those from the boy’s side take a cockerel, swapped as a symbolic demonstration that the girl is now part of the boy’s family and the boy part of the girl’s. Later on, a whole roasted chicken is shared with tall family representatives, confirming that they will help the couple with all their issues. The representatives then share the chicken with other relatives who also agree to help settle issues in the new marital home.

Engagement ceremonies are a fascinating glimpse of traditional culture in Malawi’s villages, but times are changing. Perhaps due to Western influences, people also organise ring ceremonies during which the boy gives his bride-to-be a ring as a symbol of commitment between them, a gesture that makes their engagement official.

Contact your whl.travel local connection in Malawi for more about this and other ceremonies, not to mention accommodation, tours, activities and local hints about the country.

In support of this, The Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection in Malawi, has partnered with local community-development organisations to create an exciting range of voluntourism opportunities. Combining the thrill of travel with the knowledge that one is lending a hand to the people in Malawi, many travellers now contribute their time to development initiatives working in education, healthcare and agriculture.

Skilled volunteers at the Kingussie HIV Workshop in Malawi assist the overworked medical staff in the rural community clinics

Done in the right way, we believe voluntourism is a key ingredient in a recipe to ensure that locals benefit from tourism anywhere in the world. We know from experience that Malawi is better explored and appreciated when visitors get under the skin of the country, the powerful added advantage being the improvements delivered directly to the host communities. When locals see the potential for gain from tourism, we are confident they will be more willing to support and protect the beautiful and diverse landscape of lakes, mountains and rivers that makes Malawi so unique.

Donating Much-Needed Resources to Schools

Some of the more persistent problems with education in Malawi are the lack of teachers in primary and secondary schools, inadequate teaching and learning resources and poor classroom conditions. The Responsible Safari Company has therefore linked with several rural schools and provided skilled volunteer teachers who have helped to alleviate the shortages. Some volunteers have also donated teaching and learning resources.

Last month (October 2010) a qualified teacher trainer ran a two-week teacher-training programme in a small government primary school. Through The Responsible Safari Company, the school now receives many visitors who either use their skills or donate much-needed resources.

Many schools in Malawi, especially in rural areas, lack vital resources and skilled volunteers who can offer teaching, teacher training or learning resources

By supporting a small number of schools in Malawi, we feel we make a more meaningful impact than if were to tackle a larger group. Long-term sustainability and a concern about community over-dependence on external aid have strongly influenced our decisions about the kinds of voluntourism programs we administer. Our efforts may be small in contrast to the enormity of the issues surrounding education in Malawi, but we know what we do well – like maintaining direct contact with the projects and schools we assist – and are proud of the results.

Helping Malawi’s Overworked Medical Professionals

Malaria, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and an insufficient supply of skilled doctors to deal with it are just some of the major health challenges in Malawi. In response to this, we regularly collect medical supplies from visitors and distribute them to community clinics across the country.

As further outreach to rural clinics, we have placed skilled volunteer professionals alongside the permanent Malawi staff. At the time of writing, three volunteer doctors are working at a community clinic in Mulanje district for a period of three months.

Other volunteers have donated seeds and helped to prepare land for both individual and community gardens. The shared plots are a vital source of income to the local population – profits from the sale of vegetables is used to support different community projects, such as a food program at a community nursery school or the repair of nearby boreholes (water wells).

Volunteers from a Scottish rugby team and local community members work together to build a community centre on the outskirts of Blantyre City, Malawi

Community Action

We take every opportunity we can to support the youth in Malawi. This year, we joined forces with a rugby team from Scotland and supported the construction of a community hall on the outskirts of Blantyre City. The team raised funds in the UK, which they delivered when they came and worked for 10 days alongside community members to build the hall. It was an incredible achievement, enjoyed by both the visitors and local Malawians. Income generated from rental of the community hall will be used to support local community projects.

In addition to volunteering, the young Scots played in local football and rugby matches and donated many teaching materials to the local school. Their visit really contributed in a positive way to the whole community and many lifelong friendships were made!

Even A Few Hours Make a Difference

Day visits to community projects are a great way to provide an alternative income for rural initiatives and can be deemed an alternative model of voluntourism. Spending a few hours involved with a project can give visitors a unique look into the challenges facing a country; visitors return home with an awareness that often leads to future support.

For example, we have launched day excursions to a small boatyard on the shores of Lake Malawi. Visitors spend an hour learning about traditional boat-building methods and can walk around the boatyard to speak with the carpenters. A very motivated Malawian called Joseph runs the boatyard and, at the end of each visit, he talks to the visitors about a range of local community initiatives. Time and again these visitors have returned home and continued to support the boatyard and the community programs, sending donations as well as returning to pitch in on these projects themselves.

Darron Raw (@swazitravel) – the whl.travel local connection in Swaziland
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Elsie C. Orabona (@UbatubaTravel) – the whl.travel local connection in Ubatuba, Brazil
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Kate (Ward) Webb (@rscmalawi) – the whl.travel local connection in Malawi
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Neil Lyon (@lyontours) – the whl.travel local connection in Port Elizabeth and Addo National Park, South Africa
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Nicola Swann, (@TheFarHorizons) – former whl.travel local partner in Uganda
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Rajendra Sapkota (@WHLNepal) – the whl.travel local connection in Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal
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Sonja Grau (@kaunostours) – the whl.travel local connection in Dalyan, Turkey
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Thomas Holdo Hansen (@whlcambodia) – the whl.travel local connection in Siem Reap, Cambodia
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Tomaz Martinek (@travelslovenia) – former whl.travel local partner in Slovenia

Willie Ki (@borneoecotours) – the whl.travel local connection in Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia

All of these #whltravel tweeps, plus those presented on Make Travel Fair and all the rest, can be found on the WHL Group Twitter list.

Malawi is one of Africa’s little known treasures. Surrounded by the much larger countries of Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, Malawi is a narrow nation, only slightly smaller than North Korea, that runs north to south along the Great Rift Valley. It’s been called ‘the warm heart of Africa,’ something you will know is true once you hear your first mwalandiridwa (welcome).

Hippos laze in the Shire River, which runs along the western border of Malawi’s most prolific wildlife park, Liwonde National Park

The diversity of landscapes in Malawi is truly astonishing for such a small country. Elevations range from just above sea level to 3,000 metres at Mount Mulanje, which can be explored on a hike or, for the more daring, on a summit trip. Nine game reserves and national parks await nature and wildlife aficionados and are best experienced on a Malawi tour or safari, easily accomplished from the capital city of Lilongwe or the commercial centre of Blantyre. Also within easy reach are Malawi’s two UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Sites: Lake Malawi National Park, known for its endemic fish populations, and the culturally important Chongoni Rock Art Area, which dates back to the late Iron Age.

Amidst all the other sights, Malawi’s most famous natural attraction is the spectacular freshwater Lake Malawi, stretching for 584 km along nearly half of the length of the country. Its delightful waters are the focus of many activities, like PADI diving courses, snorkelling and kayaking, although landlubbers too may enjoy it from the shore on a horse’s back (followed by a swim with the horses) or in the saddle of a bicycle.

As perfect bases from which to discover Malawi’s myriad attractions, a careful selection of hotels, safari lodges and campsites round out the offerings provided by www.explore-malawi.com, whl.travel’s first destination portal in Malawi.

This Web portal now links travellers to local specialists, The Responsible Safari Company, on whose behalf Kate Ward says, “We’re thrilled to be part of such an exciting new initiative that offers independent travellers access to a quicker, easier and cheaper way to book their travel in Malawi. The combination of online bookings with local-travel initiatives provides travellers with a unique opportunity to tailor-make their own experiences. With its diversity of plateaus, mountains and national parks, in combination with the stunning shores of Lake Malawi, Malawi is an extraordinary destination and we hope that this new site will play a part in the development of the country’s tourism industry.”

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IN CHICHEWA / MU CHICHEWA:

Malawi ndidziko limodzi laling’ono lodziwika mu Afirika ndipo lidazunguliridwa ndi mayiko ena akulu monga Mozambique, Tanzania ndi Zambia. Dziko la Malawi ndilocheperako kuyerekeza ndi dziko la North Korea ndipo likupezeka kuchokera ku mpoto kukafika ku mwera kwa chigwa chachikulu. Dziko la Malawi limadziwika ngati ‘Dziko la anthu amsangala mu Afirika,’ mungavomereze izi pokumva mawu oyamba akuti mwalandiridwa.

The Gule Wamkulu, or Great Dance, is a masked ritual and symbolic dance performed in Malawi at important ceremonies and funerals

Chilengedwe cha dziko la Malawi ndichozwizwitsa poyerekezera ndi kuchepa kwa dzikoli ndipo mitunda yake ndiyokwera kufikira mamitara 3,000 pa phiri la Mulanje lomwe ndilotheka kukwera ndi miyendo ndikufika pamwamba penipeni pa phiriri. Ku Malawi kuli malo asanu ndi anayi wosungiramo nyama zakuntchire omwe ndi wokongola mododometsa ndipo ndikotheka kukawona malowa kupyolera m’maulaendo osiyanasiyana ponyamukira m’chigawo chapakati ku Lilongwe kapena chigawo chakumwera ku Blantyre. Malo ena osavuta kufikako ndi malo awiri a UNISCO ku Malawi omwe ndi: Lake Malawi National Park, malowa amadziwika ndi mitundu yosiyanasiyana ya nsomba yochuluka kuposa kulikonse pa dziko lapansi. Malo ena ofunikira kwambiri makamaka kuchikhalidwe chathu ndi a Chingoni Rock Art Area omwe adalipo angakhale nthawi yomwe anthu adayamba kuphunzira kugwiritsa ntchito zitsulo (Iron Age).

Nyanja Ya Malawi yomwe ili ndi madzi oyera bwino ndiyodziwika kwambiri kuposa malo ena onse azachilengedwe ku Malawi ndipo nyanjayi ndiyayitali kufikira makilomita 584 – kutalika pafupifupi theka la dziko lonse. Zochitika zosiyanasiyana ndi zambiri munyanjayi, monga: maphunziro azosambira kukawona nsomba, zomera ndi zonse zopezeka pansi pa nyanja, zosambira kukawona nsomba, zomera ndi zonse zopezeka pansi pa Nyanja ndiponso kuyendetsa bwato za pulasitiki, ngakhale anthu amene sadziwa ndipo sakonda masewero a m’madzi ali ndi mwayi osangalala kunyanjaku pokwera a bulu mbali mwa nyanja (kenako kulowa m’madzi ali pa mnsana pa bulu) kapena kukwera njinga.

Malo ogulitsirapo zokopa alendowa ndiwoyamba ku Malawi kukhazikitsidwa ndi a whl.travel ndipo ndiwothandiza kuti mudziwe zinthu zopatsa chikoka za ku Malawi, malo monga mahotela ndi maloji aliponso ndipo adasankhidwa mwachifatse www.explore-malawi.com.

Malo awa ogulitsirapo malonda azokopa alendo tsopano amalumikiza ogula am’mayiko osiyasiyana ndi ogulitsa aku Malawi, The Responsible Safari Company, ndipo woyimira kampaniyi a Kate Ward akuti “Ndife osangalala koposa potenga nawo mbali munjira yatsopanoyi yogulitsira malonda okopa alendo yomwe idzilola alendo kugwiritsa ntchito njira yachangu, yosavuta ndiponso yotsika mtengo pomwe akonzekera ulendo wawo wodzawona Malawi. Kagulidwe aka kamalaonda okopa alendo kuphatikiza ndi mchitidwe wa zokopa alendo mogwirizana ndi chikhalidwe cha m’dela zimapatsa alendo mwayi opambana kuti awone ndikutenga nawo mbali m’zachikhalidwe chosiyana ndi chawo. Malawi ndi dziko lododometsa chifukwa cha zachilengedwe zosiyanasiyana monga mitunda, magomo ndi malo osungiramo nyama zakutchire omwe amapezeka m’dzikoli ndipo tikukhulupirira kuti njira yatsopanoyi yithandiza kutukula ntchito zokopa alendo ku Malawi.”

Visitors having lunch with a Millennium Villages Project family in Mwandama, Malawi

This new collaboration reinforces TRSC’s strong ethical values and reaffirms its belief in sustainable travel and ecotourism as important supports for local socio-economic development. The MVP is also a valuable addition to TRSC’s growing portfolio of hands-on volunteer-placement opportunities and responsible initiatives in Malawi and Zambia, which so far include teaching in rural schools, village homestays and volunteering at a medical clinic or orphanage.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

This UN initiative began in 2000, when world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit adopted a UN Millennium Declaration to “develop a concrete action plan for the world to achieve the MDG and to reverse the grinding poverty, hunger and disease affecting billions of people.” There are eight development goals, which seek to tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges, from eradicating poverty, hunger and disease to ensuring environmental sustainability. These goals have a deadline of 2015 and the clock is ticking…

What is the Millennium Villages Project?

The Millennium Villages Project came into existence with an understanding that the communities living in extreme poverty in Africa are unable to make the investments in human capital and infrastructure required to reach MDG targets. It offers a bold, innovative model for helping rural African communities lift themselves out of extreme poverty and have a chance of achieving the MDG by 2015.

A visitor tries out the water pump at Millennium Villages Project in Mwandama

The main Millennium Village Project site for Malawi is the Mwandama cluster in the Zomba District, in the south of the country. Mwandama is located in the only region in the world that has seen both a rise in temperature and a drop in rainfall in recent years. These changes have led to recurrent famines, the result of which is nearly 90% of people in the Mwandama Millennium Village cluster live in extreme poverty. In addition, largely privately owned tobacco plantations surround the area, which has had a significant impact on the development of the communities. Plantation owners restrict the use of roads to the villages and the easy availability of work on the plantations gives families an excuse to keep their children out of school. The whole community-development approach of the MVP therefore suited the needs of Mwandama, where, in 2005, the project began to improve living conditions for the population of 35,000 villagers.

Experience Life in a Millennium Village

Visitors to Mwandama MVP can spend a half or full day with the community. On arrival, guests are greeted by a guide from the community-run ‘ecotourism’ committee. The next few hours are then spent seeing and learning about different development initiatives designed to address the main areas covered in the MDG: education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure. The guide explains the challenges the community faces, the programs that have been implemented and the effects they have had. By visiting different villages and speaking with community members, guests discover the huge improvements to life in Mwandama, but also gain an understanding of the residents’ uncertainties about what will happen once the UN leaves.

Boys posing by the grain store at the Millennium Villages Project of Mwandama

Making Sustainability a Priority

The Mwandama ecotourism committee consists of 10 community members, of which six are men and four are women, all overseen by a representative from the UN. The Responsible Safari Company contributes all money generated by the half- and full-day visits to an MVP community ecotourism fund.

Kate Ward, joint owner and manager of The Responsible Safari Company, believes that village visits are an enlightening and invaluable experience for international visitors keen to observe a large community-development initiative in action. “We are proud to have worked hand in hand with United Nations community link coordinators to ensure this model of ecotourism is sustainable,” says Ward.

It is actions like these that make the MDG in Africa seem increasingly achievable.

For more information about Malawi, including accommodations, tours and activities, voluntourism and lots of insider tips, contact TRSC, your whl.travel local connection, at www.explore-malawi.com.

Every month, we delve into the travel experiences of people in the extended WHL Group network. This month we talk to Kate Ward and Chimwemwe Siyabu, both of whom work for The Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection, based in Blantyre, Malawi.

Kate (right) and Dom (centre) own and run The Responsible Safari Company in Malawi, together with their colleague, Chimwemwe (left)

KATE WARD is British and, together with Dominic Webb, directs of The Responsible Safari Company (TRSC). She has a Masters in International Development and Education and runs the responsible travel side of the business. (In June 2009, TRSC was the first company in Africa to be recognised with two-star eco-certification by Sustainable Travel International.)

WHL Group: Which is your favourite WHL Group destination and which would you most like to visit?

Kate: My favourite WHL Group destination would have to be Malawi! We are about to launch our new whl.travel site and spending time uploading all the information I realise what a wonderfully diverse destination it is. I would most like to visit Bolivia. Dom and I are trying to put together a trip to South America next year and I am hoping Bolivia will be the highlight!

WHLG: What would you never travel without?

Kate: My cotton shirt – perfect for hot days and balmy evenings, easy to wash, easy to dry and it doesn’t matter how creased it gets!

WHLG: What do you miss most about home when travelling?

Kate: My bed and bath.

WHLG: What’s the most interesting trip you’ve ever taken?

Kate: Picking up a dhow in Lamu, Kenya and sailing around the islands, sleeping in our hammocks Robinson Crusoe–style under the stars – perfect. When I was 16, I travelled to Israel and found the history and politics fascinating.

Dom sailing around the island of Lamu in northern Kenya

WHLG: What is your funniest travel experience?

Kate: In 2005, Dom and I joined an all-night party on an island in the middle of the Zambezi. A tiny bar, a bit too much to drink, watching the sun set and rise over the mighty Zambezi and dressing up in ridiculous costumes all led to an unforgettably funny 12 hours.

To finish a 12-month trip, in 2005 Dom and I crossed South Africa from Johannesburg to Cape Town by vegetable lorry – two days spent on the road, with one night spent in the cab of the lorry. What astounded us more than anything was the driver drove for about eight hours nonstop between stops!

Our first trip to Malawi saw us travelling for five hours on the back of a pickup accompanied by piles of fish from the lake, chickens and a dog who was repeatedly sick throughout the journey from eating the rotting fish! Our backpacks had their first proper wash after that journey!

WHLG: What is your scariest travel experience?

Kate: Hitchhiking through Botswana, we stopped off for fuel and Dom got out to buy some drinks, at which point our lift decided that he would drive off with me, saying he would just be five minutes. One and a half hours later we returned, having stopped for drinks with his friend, to Dom waiting completely terrified that I had been abducted and working out how he was going to tell my parents. We bought mobile phones at our next stop!

The local bus from Kampala, Uganda, through to Nairobi, Kenya, has to be my most terrifying journey, after an equally terrifying white-water rafting experience on the Nile.

WHLG: If you could go on holiday with anyone famous – living or dead – who would you take?

Kate: Michael Palin or Sir David Attenborough.

WHLG: Describe the best and worst accommodation you’ve ever stayed in.

Kate: The worst was a small guesthouse in Mombasa, Kenya. Just winding down after a day on the road to suddenly realise that my mattress is wet – it was soaked in urine!!!!! They didn’t even offer us our money back or another room!

The best accommodation is a very hard choice. Do you go with location, rooms, service or all three? I have gone with rooms and that would be Ras Kutani Beach Lodge in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

WHLG: Describe your earliest travel memory.

Kate: Driving through France with my parents rowing about how to get through Paris. Doesn’t everyone from England have the same first travelling memory?!

Kate teaching adult literacy classes in Uganda

WHLG: Please briefly explain what you think local travel is.

Kate: Local travel is travel that encompasses all things local to a destination: buying your vegetables from the market, listening to a local jazz band, watching a community football match, eating sugarcane straight from the field, pounding cassava in a rural village.

WHLG: In what ways do you see local travel benefiting the country in which you live?

Kate: Local informed travel increases awareness of environmental issues, which in turn increases the demand for the government and larger organisations to be more responsible. For example, battling the pollution of Lake Malawi.

Use of local employment is key to the wonders of travelling local in Malawi and is helping to boost the local economy. Visiting your driver’s/guide’s family after your safari. Chatting with your Mulanje porter after a day hiking. Visiting the United Nations Millennium Villages and learning from the community about ways in which life has changed.

Eco-tourism: community committees using the structure of ecotourism to provide alternative income. Njobvu Cultural Village, Liwonde National Park. Visiting an orphan care centre in Mulanje and donating educational resources. Buying recycled paper cards from a small roadside building where community volunteers use office waste from Blantyre to make recycled paper products.

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CHIMWEMWE SIYABU is Malawian and works as a travel consultant for the Responsible Safari Company. She has never left Malawi, but dreams of doing so sometime in the future! Since joining TRSC, she has a newfound passion for travel and the environment.

WHL Group: Which is your favourite WHL Group destination and which would you most like to visit?

Chimwemwe: Middle East sounds cool! Am sure visiting it would be the greatest adventure, especially Oman. Experiencing the beautiful, exciting and interesting side of this destination would be quite interesting. I would love to learn more about the culture, lifestyle, entertainment and history.

WHLG: What would you never travel without?

Chimwemwe: My Bible and a map. I know these two always lead my way.

WHLG: What do you miss most about home when travelling?

Chimwemwe: I know this may sound really weird, but it’s true… I miss our bathroom! I don’t feel comfortable using new bathrooms and this makes me feel like going back home and using the bathroom, then coming back.

Chimwemwe giving an inspirational talk at an orphan care centre in Mulanje, Malawi

WHLG: What’s the most interesting trip you’ve ever taken?

Chimwemwe: The trip to an orphanage in Mulanje, Southern Malawi. I loved the way we were welcomed and how excited the children were to see us. Dancing and giving an encouraging speech to the children were the highlights! Above all, watching my boss (Kate) giving a speech alongside an interpreter whom she wasn’t sure was telling the children what she was saying was the best part.

WHLG: What is your funniest travel experience?

Chimwemwe: Visiting a lodge located at the edge of Mount Mulanje with my friends and challenging ourselves to find the main water source of the swimming pool at this lodge. We followed its main pipe into the bush only to find that the source was a beautiful small waterfall. We all wished it hadn’t been discovered in the first place so that we could give it a name!

WHLG: What is your scariest travel experience?

Chimwemwe: The first time getting on a boat was when I visited this farm in Mangochi and it was on a dammed lake. I was 10 years old and together with me were my sister and my cousin. Just after about a kilometre from the mainland into the water, all of us got scared and started crying. To make things worse, the guide refused to take us back because he thought after some time we would calm down, but his thinking was wrong! Since then water activities haven’t been an interesting sport for me.

WHLG: If you could go on holiday with anyone famous – living or dead – who would you take?

Chimwemwe: The former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. I am sure it would be more of an educational trip with long, slow lectures, rather than a holiday!

WHLG: Describe the best and worst accommodation you’ve ever stayed in.

Chimwemwe: I am not sure if I have ever stayed in any accommodation worthy of being called the best. The worst accommodation had furniture that was being eaten up by termites and I was afraid to sleep on the bed (which was also being eaten up) and unpack my stuff.

WHLG: Describe your earliest travel memory.

Chimwemwe: Going to Lake Malawi with my family in a car that was fully packed with food, clothes and bedding, and sleeping in the same car in the middle of nowhere because the driver was too tired. It was so amazing to watch the sun rising with a beautiful orange colour shining from the horizon.

WHLG: Please briefly explain what you think local travel is.

Chimwemwe: This is where people from abroad visit specific local areas in order to see and understand local things found in that area.

WHLG: In what ways do you see local travel benefiting the country in which you live?

Chimwemwe: Malawi is benefiting in ways like:

• Job opportunities – within tourism industry, e.g. porters and guides
• Local community economies – visitors pay to visit different local places, e.g. visiting a local village and spending overnight in a local hut
• Environment – local people are encouraged to take care of their environment through civic education and are introduced to new ways of managing their environment, e.g. using rocket stoves instead of three stones that consume too much firewood
• Skilled labour – visitors who are skilled assist local people in different areas of life, e.g. teaching at a local school or working at a local clinic
• Community development – local travellers may choose to support projects taking place in a given community, e.g. helping to build a local school block

With the Sphinx bearing witness, the Tour d'Afrique riders assemble near Cairo, Egypt, in preparation for the first kilometre on day 1 of their four-month, 11,800-kilometre trans-African pedal (photo by Brian Hoeniger)

Pedal Power

As a recreational biker and former humanitarian aid worker in Africa, I had dreamt of cycling the Tour d’Afrique since it was first held in 2003. Having zero long-distance cycling experience, I was both intimidated and inspired by the prospect of biking across Africa, so I trained hard on Toronto’s bicycle paths and on a stationary bike. In the end, I completed the tour in two halves, riding from Tanzania to Cape Town in March to May 2008 and from Cairo to Tanzania in early 2009, all without a serious hiccup, aside from a few falls and the obligatory stomach upset.

For first-timers, the allure of long-distance bicycle touring quickly becomes apparent. You are rewarded not merely by encounters with new lands and cultures and by the physical conditioning of riding 80 to 180 kilometres day after day, but, above all, by the incredibly intense feeling of freedom that comes with having nothing to do except cycle down the African road, eat and sleep. It’s all too easy to become completely removed from the world of workstations and laptops, and, with between 50 and 65 other riders sharing the adventure, the camaraderie among the tour riders and the largely volunteer staff is strong.

On the Tour d'Afrique, in northern Kenya, the roadblocks and hazards are not exactly run of the mill (photo courtesy of Tour d'Afrique Ltd)

An African Dream

If anything, the four months exceeded my expectations as the challenge of a lifetime. There were many highlights, but some memories definitely stand out. Discovering how friendly the Sudanese people are – contrary to the country’s reputation in the western press – was enlightening. In fact, on several occasions I was invited by shopkeepers to share a meal of fuul (mashed fava beans) and pita bread. As Sudan is a Muslim country, there is virtually no crime to speak of and there was nowhere I felt safer on the entire trip.

Ethiopia’s biblical landscapes, unique cultures and cuisine were definite eye-openers as well. In Gondar city, the capital of Ethiopia in the 16th and 17th centuries, King Fasiledes’ castle, a World Heritage Site, is a must-see. On a rest day at Bahir Dar on the shores of Lake Tana, a group of us took a boat to ancient island monasteries, where we viewed manuscripts of the Ethiopian Coptic Christian Church dating back to the 10th century. Washed down with Dashen beer, Ethiopia’s fiery national food staples of injera (flat pancakes made from teff flour), wat (stew) and kitfo (steak tartare) are beyond delicious, although an acquired taste for some!

The sheer majesty of Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is breathtaking and, by contrast, makes Niagara seem a mere trickle. Whether you choose to get soaked at the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (meaning ‘the Smoke that Thunders’), go white-water rafting or bungee jumping 100 metres down from the bridge separating Zambia and Zimbabwe, or just enjoy the view over a buffet breakfast from a hotel balcony, the falls live up to their billing as one of the world’s seven wonders of nature.

A local bike shop in Tanzania helps a Tour d'Afrique rider with some repairs (photo by Brian Hoeniger)

The wildlife is another unforgettable aspect of the trip. I will long treasure the experience of heading out at dawn with birdsong and my bike as the only sounds, not to mention the day I cycled past a family of elephants at 6:30am just outside of Kasane, Botswana. I will never forget one Zambian farmer commenting that “The elephants are really bad this year!” as he bemoaned the damage to his crops and gardens, much the way rural Canadians might decry deer or wolves for wandering into their yard.

A sublime sense of accomplishment and a delicious bowl of soup at the end of the toughest days always seemed to make me forget about tired muscles, and finding the elusive cold beverage on a really hot day was bliss. Although I’m not normally a fan, a chilled fizzy drink has never tasted better than on a dusty African roadside.

The Experience of a Lifetime

There are crazy bus drivers in Sudan and southern Tanzania who will force you off the road. In Ethiopia, where the population has exploded to almost 80 million, you are unlikely ever to be alone and guaranteed to be pestered and plunked by stone-throwing shepherd boys (“You! You! You! Give me money!”).

The Tour d'Afrique is, in the end, about the strength and determination of one person and his/her bike (photo courtesy of Tour d'Afrique Ltd)

That being said, provided you watch over your health, know your limits and when to slow down on an off-road rock-strewn downhill, you will be fine. There are some rainy days, but the tour has been designed with the prevailing winds and seasons in mind. Sunshine and warmth typically predominate, including a few days of extreme heat. Perhaps the biggest setback is packing up the bike at journey’s end and bidding adieu to Africa and new friends, knowing it’s time to go home and back to work.

In short, the Tour d’Afrique challenges riders physically and mentally like nothing else, with rewards of unsurpassed and diverse terrain, and an incomparable feeling of achievement that few have the opportunity to experience. Seeing the funds I raised for the Tour d’Afrique Foundation converted into bicycles for African community health and development workers was the icing on the cake.

If I can do it, then believe it or not, so can you!