The journey from Karonga to Chitimba, a distance of approximately 91 km, took us about 5.5 hours, largely due to the road’s poor condition. Although the M1 is fully paved, several sections—particularly around the Chiweta–Chitimba escarpment and near Uliwa—have deteriorated...
Karonga is one of Malawi’s northernmost and most culturally significant towns, situated on the western shores of Lake Malawi, approximately 48 km from the Tanzanian border. Today, it is a lively regional centre with a fascinating history that spans both ancient human origins and dramatic...
On the way to the border, we filled our fuel tanks and carried an extra 100 litres of diesel in canisters, as fuel supplies in Malawi can be unpredictable. When we arrived, we discovered that the crossing is not the “one-stop border” as they proudly mention on the website...
We decided to take a day’s rest on the shores of Lake Nyasa before crossing the border into Malawi. Matema is a stunning and secluded lakeside town in southwestern Tanzania, nestled within the East African Rift Valley on the northern shores of Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi). It is renowned for...
Kitulo National Park, widely known as the “Serengeti of Flowers” or the “Garden of God,” is a breathtaking high-altitude plateau in southern Tanzania. Covering 413 square kilometres across the Kipengere and Poroto mountain ranges, it was the first national park in...
Lake Ngozi is an awe-inspiring emerald-green crater lake nestled within the Uporoto Ridge Forest Reserve, about 22 kilometres south of Mbeya at an altitude of 2.620 meters. Surrounded by steep, forested crater walls, it is Africa’s second-largest crater lake and one of the...
Mbeya is Tanzania’s vibrant “Green City,” nestled in the country’s southwestern highlands at an altitude of 1,700 metres. Known for its lush mountain scenery and cool climate, it serves as a major agricultural powerhouse and an important transit hub linking Tanzania with Zambia and Malawi...
After visiting Isimila Stone Age Site, we parked for the night at The Old Farm House, about 35 kilometres from Iringa. It is supposedly a great stopover with a farm shop and an excellent restaurant. Perhaps that was true before Covid, but today it feels like little more than an overpriced...
We started very early in the morning from Arusha to reach Iringa by evening. Covering 681 kilometres in 12.5 hours, we found the road to Dodoma to be excellent tarmac. Beyond Dodoma, however, the journey became more challenging, with narrower roads winding through Tanzania’s southern...
Just a five-minute pirogue ride (5,000 MGA) across the narrow channel from the southwestern tip of Sainte-Marie, near the airport, brought us to one of Madagascar’s true tropical gems, Nosy Nato, better known as Île aux Nattes. Famous for its complete absence of cars and motorbikes, the...