The M5 Lakeshore Road between Nkhata Bay and Nkhotakota is one of Malawi’s most important transport routes. Renowned for its spectacular scenery, it winds through rolling hills, lakeside villages, and the vast Vizara Rubber Plantations. At the same time, it has a reputation among overlanders as one of the country’s most vulnerable roads, with reports of severe potholes, damaged bridges, and seasonal washouts.
Before setting off, we had heard countless stories and read numerous reviews warning about difficult road conditions. Concerned by these reports, we spoke with several truck drivers along the route to get firsthand information. To our surprise, every one of them told us that the road was currently in good condition and posed no significant problems—a stark contrast to the experiences described by many overlanders online.
As it turned out, the truck drivers were right. In fact, the M5 proved to be the best stretch of tarmac we had encountered anywhere in Malawi up to that point. We covered the 190-kilometre journey in about six hours, with most of the delays occurring in the final 50 kilometres, where extensive roadworks were underway. Chinese contractors are currently widening sections of the road and upgrading it to a modern highway standard.
That said, the road’s reputation is not entirely undeserved. During the rainy season, overflowing rivers can submerge sections of the route, erode road surfaces, and damage bridges, including those over the Luluzi and Dwangwa rivers. These conditions can lead to temporary closures and make travel challenging. For now, however, we found the M5 to be a surprisingly smooth and enjoyable drive, offering some of the most beautiful road scenery in Malawi.
