Volunteer Travel Guide Malawi

Promoted as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’, Malawi is a long, thin country renowned for the unequalled friendliness of its people, unspoilt national parks and wildlife reserves, and the beaches and tropical fish life of Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa. It is dominated by the vast lake, as well as the Great Rift Valley that cuts through the country from north to south, creating fertile valleys, cool mountains and verdant plateaus.

Lake Malawi is an irresistible attraction for travellers, with its beaches, resorts, watersports and outstanding variety of fish life a magnet for divers and snorkellers. The lake is home to a bigger variety of fish species than any other freshwater lake on earth, most of them protected within the Lake Malawi National Park at its southern tip. Most visitors head for the small, restful village at Cape Maclear, which along with its offshore islands, is part of the park. Equally popular, Nkhata Bay to the north has bays, beaches and various water activities. Spread along the length of the lakeshore are numerous traditional fishing villages, and the fishermen in their dugout canoes form a quintessential postcard silhouette against the spectacular golden sunset.

Malawi is also blessed with numerous game reserves and national parks that are uncrowded, well stocked with animals and a renowned variety of birdlife, and offer a unique wilderness experience. The northern Nyika Plateau, at around 7,500ft (2,300m), is one of the world’s highest game reserves and is a remote area located in the most unspoilt and least visited part of the country, with beautiful grasslands and waterfalls, the highest concentration of leopard in Central Africa, and famous for its abundant orchid species. To the south the best-known park is Liwonde National Park with thousands of hippos and crocodiles on the banks of the Shire River, as well as large numbers of elephants, zebra and antelope.

The southern part of the country is the most developed and the most populated. Although Lilongwe is the capital, the region is home to Malawi’s largest city and main commercial centre, Blantyre, which is a good base for visiting two of the area’s attractions – the vast massif of Mt Mulunje, offering some of the finest hiking trails in the country, and Zomba Plateau.

Malawi has remained peaceful for over a century, unaffected by war and internal strife that has torn many other African countries apart, and although poor and densely populated, the country offers visitors a wealth of scenic highlights, culture and activities.

The Basics

Time:

Local time is GMT +2.

Electricity:

Electrical current is 220/240 volts, 50Hz. Three-pin, rectangular blade plugs are standard.

Language:

English is the official language, but Chichewa is more commonly spoken.

Health:

Malaria is a risk throughout the year and is highest on the coast. Cases of dengue fever and chikungunya fever were reported in February 2006 and are transmitted by mosquitoes; precautionary measures against being bitten should be taken at all times. In April 2008, an outbreak of Rift Valley fever was reported in five regions; contact with domestic animals and mosquitoes should be avoided. All travellers coming from a country with yellow fever require inoculation against the disease. Other risks include bilharzia, tuberculosis and rabies. Tap water should not be drunk unless it has been boiled or chemically treated. Medical facilities are limited, and outside of the capital medical care may be difficult to find. Limited French medications are available in Tana and it is advisable to bring along a medical kit for private use. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised.

Tipping:

Service charges are not included in hotel and restaurant bills, and tipping is at the client's discretion. It is common practice to tip guides in the national parks.

Customs:

It is courteous to ask permission before taking photographs of people. Homosexuality is illegal. Women, in particular, should cover their legs and upper arms when travelling outside of the main tourist areas.

Business in Malawi is quite formal; business cards are usually exchanged on meeting, accompanied by a firm handshake. Punctuality is important and dress should be formal; lightweight suits with a tie are acceptable. English is Malawi's official language and all business is conducted in English. Malawians tend to be very polite and thoughtful, and expect the same treatment in return. Business hours usually start fairly early; from 7.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

Communications:

The international dialling code for Malawi is +265. The outgoing code is 101 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 10127 for South Africa). There are no city/area codes required. The telephone system is not very reliable, but Internet, email and fax are available in most towns and tourist areas. The GSM 900 cell phone network gives coverage to most of the country and is compatible with most international operators.

Duty Free:

Travellers to Malawi do not have to pay customs duty on 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco. For travellers over 16 years 1 litre spirits, 1 litre beer and 1 litre wine can be brought into the country without incurring duty fees.

Health

View information on diseases: African Sleeping Sickness, Schistosomiasis (bilharzia), Malaria

African Sleeping Sickness

Cause:
Protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei (T. b.) gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense.

Transmission:
Infection with African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) occurs through the bite of infected tsetse flies. Humans are the main reservoir host for T. b. gambiense. Domestic cattle and wild animals, including antelopes, are the main animal reservoir of T. b. rhodesiense.

Nature of the disease:
T. b. gambiense causes a chronic illness with onset of symptoms after a prolonged incubation period of weeks or months. T. b. rhodesiense causes a more acute illness, with onset a few days or weeks after the infected bite; often, there is a striking inoculation chancre. Initial clinical signs include severe headache, insomnia, enlarged lymph nodes, anaemia and rash. In the late stage of the disease, there is progressive loss of weight and involvement of the central nervous system. Without treatment, the disease is invariably fatal.

Geographical distribution:
T. b. gambiense is present in foci in the tropical countries of western and central Africa. T. b. rhodesiense occurs in east Africa, extending south as far as Botswana.

Risk for travellers:
Travellers are at risk of African sleeping sickness in endemic regions if they visit rural areas for hunting, fishing, safari trips, sailing or other activities in remote areas.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):
None.

Precautions:
Travellers should be aware of the risk in endemic areas and as far as possible avoid any contact with tsetse flies. However, bites are difficult to avoid because tsetse flies can bite through clothing. Travellers should be warned that tsetse flies bite during the day and are not repelled by available insect-repellent products. The bite is painful, which helps to identify its origin, and travellers should seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop subsequently. Source: WHO.
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Schistosomiasis (bilharzia)

Cause:
Several species of parasitic blood flukes (trematodes), of which the most important are Schistosoma mansoni, S. japonicum and S. haematobium.

Transmission:
Infection with bilharzia occurs in fresh water containing larval forms (cercariae) of schistosomes, which develop in snails. The free-swimming larvae penetrate the skin of individuals swimming or wading in water. Snails become infected as a result of excretion of eggs in human urine or faeces.

Nature of the disease:
Chronic conditions in which adult flukes live for many years in the veins (mesenteric or vesical) of the host where they produce eggs, which cause damage to the organs in which they are deposited. The symptoms of bilharzias depend on the main target organs affected by the different species, with S. mansoni and S. japonicum causing hepatic and intestinal signs and S. haematobium causing urinary dysfunction. The larvae of some schistosomes of birds and other animals may penetrate human skin and cause a self-limiting dermatitis, "swimmers itch". These larvae are unable to develop in humans.

Geographical distribution:
S. mansoni occurs in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, in the Arabian peninsula, and in Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela. S. japonicum is found in China, in parts of Indonesia, and in the Philippines (but no longer in Japan). S. haematobium is present in sub-Saharan Africa and in eastern Mediterranean areas.

Risk for travellers:
In endemic areas, travellers are at risk to bilharzias while swimming or wading in fresh water.
Prophylaxis (protective treatment):
None.

Precautions:
Avoid direct contact (swimming or wading) with potentially contaminated fresh water in endemic areas. In case of accidental exposure, dry the skin vigorously to reduce penetration by cercariae. Avoid drinking, washing, or washing clothing in water that may contain cercariae. Water can be treated to remove or inactivate cercariae by paper filtering or use of iodine or chlorine. Source: WHO.

Malaria

General considerations:
Malaria is a common and life-threatening disease in many tropical and subtropical areas. It is currently endemic in over 100 countries, which are visited by more than 125 million international travellers every year. Each year many international travellers fall ill with malaria while visiting countries where the disease is endemic, and well over 10,000 fall ill after returning home. Fever occurring in a traveller within three months of leaving a malaria-endemic area is a medical emergency and should be investigated urgently.

Cause:
Human malaria is caused by four different species of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae.

Transmission:
The malaria parasite is transmitted by various species of Anopheles mosquitoes, which bite mainly between sunset and sunrise.

Nature of the disease:
Malaria is an acute febrile illness with an incubation period of 7 days or longer. Thus, a febrile illness developing less than one week after the first possible exposure is not malaria. The most severe form is caused by P. falciparum, in which variable clinical features include fever, chills, headache, muscular aching and weakness, vomiting, cough, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; other symptoms related to organ failure may supervene, such as: acute renal failure, generalized convulsions, circulatory collapse, followed by coma and death. It is estimated that about 1% of patients with P. falciparum infection die of the disease. The initial symptoms, which may be mild, may not be easy to recognize as being due to malaria. It is important that the possibility of falciparum malaria is considered in all cases of unexplained fever starting at any time between the seventh day of first possible exposure to malaria and three months (or, rarely, later) after the last possible exposure, and any individual who experiences a fever in this interval should immediately seek diagnosis and effective treatment. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can be life-saving. Falciparum malaria may be fatal if treatment is delayed beyond 24 hours. A blood sample should be examined for malaria parasites. If no parasites are found in the first blood film but symptoms persist, a series of blood samples should be taken and examined at 6-12-hour intervals. Pregnant women, young children and elderly travellers are particularly at risk. Malaria in pregnant travellers increases the risk of maternal death, miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death. The forms of malaria caused by other Plasmodium species are less severe and rarely life-threatening. Prevention and treatment of falciparum malaria are becoming more difficult because P. falciparum is increasingly resistant to various antimalarial drugs. Of the other malaria species, drug resistance has to date been reported for P. vivax, mainly from Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea, with more sporadic cases reported from Guyana. P. vivax with declining sensitivity has been reported for Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand. P. malariae resistant to chloroquine has been reported from Indonesia.

Geographical distribution:
The risk for travellers of contracting malaria is highly variable from country to country and even between areas in a country. In many endemic countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean region, the main urban areas, but not necessarily the outskirts of towns, are free of malaria transmission. However, malaria can occur in main urban areas in Africa and India. There is usually less risk of the disease at altitudes above 1,500 metres, but in favourable climatic conditions it can occur at altitudes up to almost 3,000 metres. The risk of infection may also vary according to the season, being highest at the end of the rainy season. There is no risk of malaria in many tourist destinations in South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Source: WHO.

Contacts

Visa Agencies

Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com

Tourism

Malawi Ministry of Tourism Parks and Wildlife, Lilongwe: +265 (0) 177 5499

Malawi Embassies
Malawi Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 797 1007.

Malawi High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 8458 7714/ 8455 5624.
Malawi High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 236 8931.
Malawi High Commission, Tokyo, Japan (also responsible for Australia): +81(0)3 3449 3010.
Malawi High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 0146.

Foreign Embassies in Malawi
United States Embassy, Lilongwe: +265 1 773 166.

British High Commission, Lilongwe: +265 1 772 400.
Canadian High Commission, Lusaka, Zambia (also responsible for Malawi): +260 (0)1 250 833.
Australian Embassy, Harare, Zimbabwe (also responsible for Malawi): +263 (0)4 852 471.
South African High Commission, Lilongwe: +265 1 773 722/597.
Embassy of Ireland, Lilongwe: +265 1 706 405/408.

Malawi Emergency Numbers
Emergencies: 997 (Police); 998 (Ambulance)

Airports

Lilongwe International Airport (LLW)

Location: The airport is situated 12 miles (19km) from Lilongwe.

Time: Local time is GMT +2.

Contacts: Tel: +265 (0)176 0266.

Transfer to the city: Buses and taxis are available to the city centre.

Car rental: Most major car rental companies are represented at the airport.

Facilities: Facilities include a bank and bureaux de change, post office, restaurant, bar and duty-free shopping.

Departure Tax: US$30, payable in US Dollars.

Blantyre-Chileka International Airport (BLZ)

Location: The airport is situated nine miles (16km) from Blantyre.

Time: Local time is GMT +2.

Contacts: Tel: +265 (0)169 4322.

Transfer to the city: A bus service is available to the city centre.

Car rental: Car rental is available.

Facilities: A restaurant and bar are situated in the terminal building.

Departure Tax: US$30, payable in US Dollars.

Climate

Winter is the best time to visit Malawi, coinciding with the dry season, and lasting from May to October. The dry season is also the best time for game viewing and hiking. June and July are the coolest months with average daytime temperatures of 70ºF (21ºC), and colder nights especially in the highlands. November to April is the hot, humid rainy season with more rain falling on the higher plateaus than around the lake, with temperatures reaching up to 90ºF (mid-30ºCs). Some roads may become impassable during heavy rains.

Passport & Visa

Visa Agencies:
Avoid the stress and queues, get a visa agency to arrange your visa.
Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com
Global Visas, London, UK. 0207 190 3903 or www.globalvisas.com

Entry requirements for Americans: US passport holders require a passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK passport holders require a passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days, irrespective of endorsement in passport.

Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals require a passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Entry requirements for Australians: Australian nationals require a passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans require a passport, but no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals require a passport, but no visa is necessary for a stay of up to 90 days.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a passport, but no visa is necessary for a stay of up to 90 days.

Passport/Visa Note: All visitors must have a return or onward tickets, all documents necessary for return or onward journeys and sufficient funds for their duration of stay. Extensions on visas are possible. Persons entering Malawi other than via a border immigration post must report to an Immigration Officer at any Immigration Office after arrival.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate