What to expect in Malawi

On the whole, the driving conditions in Malawi are good. The main problem areas are the unexpected sections of pot holes on the tarmac roads along with the great number of potential roadside hazards such as people weaving along on over-laden bicycles, children playing, ox-carts, goats and dogs. You need to be on your guard as you never know when one of them will suddenly veer across your path!

As with most of Africa, possible food and fuel shortages can occasionally cause a few problems. Towns in Malawi are fairly highly populated and those not used to dealing with this could be wrong-footed.

Here is a summary of what to expect

Please note that the above is an indication of the general conditions. There are always exceptions to the rule and it is possible you will encounter different conditions depending on your itinerary and the remoteness of the regions you go to.

Ever-changing scenery

Much of Africa has the most incredible, dramatic and impressive scenery yet the lack of contrast can sometimes be monotonous for those driving long distances. This is not the case in Malawi. Even on a short journey, there is so much variety and the driving is a real joy. Numbers of tourists are relatively low too, something that adds to the feeling of exclusivity and adventure while you are here.

Driving instruction

Even though driving conditions are easier in Malawi than many other countries we travel to, we still think it’s a good idea to do an off road driving course before departure as it could be easy to lose control of the vehicle on certain road surfaces, if you have no prior experience of them. Please let us know if you are interested in having some instruction before you go and we will point you in the right direction. The courses are normally either a half day or full day and are great fun in their own right. If you do book a course, we are always happy to speak to them and go through with them the kinds of conditions you could experience on your safari.