By Duncan Mlanjira
With the ever-present digital fatigue overwhelming our lives — from constantly scrolling Instagram, Facebook; waking up to sad news; to being available at a ping of an email — it’s so important to get out and get hiking to get away from it all at times.
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That can be done by connecting with nature — it’s mind calming and a good way to recharge, says local tour company, Paulendo Adventures on its flier enticing people to join the Mulanje Sapitwa Hike adventure which it has organised from August 13-15.
The adventurous route is from the foot of Mulanje at Likhubula Forestry Lodge via Skyline to the rest point at Chisepo Hut for one night before moving on the following day up to peak Sapitwa where they will spend the night at Chambe Hut.
The following morning is a trek back to Likhubula via Chapheluka and in between the stops uphill there will be some entertainment activities.
Sapitwa Peak
The fee is pegged at K70,000 which includes transportation from Paulendo Adventures offices in Blantyre; parking fee at Likhubula, mattress/sleeping bag; branded T/shirt, water bottle; tour guide; first aid; meals and accommodation.
Paulendo Adventures manager, Yangairo Yangairo said Malawians should participate in promoting local tourism other than just leaving it for foreign visitors, who travel from across the world to marvel Mulanje Mountain — which is locally been described as the ‘island in the sky’.
It has been named so because it rises almost sheer from the plains below, which have an average altitude of just 650m.
Yangairo said promotion of the country’s tourism should start locally and that’s why Paulendo Adventures was founded to entice Malawians to be part of appreciating nature.
Paulendo Adventures is also organising a Lake Malawi cruise aboard the historical MV Ilala from September 3-5 to visit and appreciate Likoma Island’s historical places such us St Peters Anglican Cathedral, which is over 100 years old.
Another attraction is a visit at luxurious Kaya Mawa Lodge as well as Mwala Belu (natural rock rings); Mwala Phadzi (footprint on a rock) and Fudwe Museum — which stocks Likoma Island history and its artifacts.
The fee is at K140,000 per person which caters for travel from Blantyre to Senga Bay in Salima via Lilongwe on September 3.
Departure from Blantyre will be from 06:30hrs from Chichiri shopping Mall setting to arrive in Lilongwe by noon before picking up Lilongwe guests for Senga Bay.
They will then board MV Ilala at 14:30hrs for the Lake Malawi cruise that will cover the whole night before arriving at Likoma Island around 10:30hrs on September 4.
Aboard, the guests will be treated to dinner and breakfast in the morning as well as various entertainment activities.
Aerial view of St Peters Anglican Cathedral
After visiting the various tourist attractions at Likoma, the group shall have lunch at another luxurious Ulisa Lodge and after several other activities, they shall depart at 17:00hrs for Nkhata Bay where they will breakfast and enjoy other activities such as boat ride, feeding fish eagles, tug of war, swimming and other personal activities.
After lunch, they shall depart for Lilongwe via the Lakeshore Road through Salima before heading back to Blantyre.
The K140,000 fee will cover for the transportation — both on land and water — meals, accommodation and all activities to be enjoyed.
Just as is for Likoma trip, fee payments can be made National Bank Paulendo Adventures account # 1006755417, Top Mandala Branch or through Airtel Money 0999650826 and Mpamba 0881034149.
Adventurers at Sapitwa
Malawitourism.com says the scale of this truly magnificent mountain has to be seen to be appreciated as its bare rock flanks tower to 10,000ft (3,000m), dwarfing all that surrounds it.
Mulanje is actually a ‘massif’ of syenite and granite covering a massive 650 sq km. Erosion by rivers running along lines of weakness on the rock has resulted in deep clefts striking back into the heart of the mountain. Where they meet, cauldron-like hollows have developed.
The resulting landscape is a wondrously beautiful one of basins/plateaux, rivers, gorges, waterfalls and no less than 20 peaks above 2,500m.
Unlike some of the world’s peaks that are somewhat ‘hidden’ in surrounding ranges, there is a genuine sense of wonder and awe as you draw closer to Mulanje and see it looming over all that surrounds it.
The height of Mulanje is such that it creates its own climate, and it has a great variety of vegetation reflecting its massive range of altitude. Best known and most impressive of the forest trees is the cedar which takes its name from these mountains.
The massif stands at the northern limits of its natural habitat but this does not prevent the Mulanje Cedar rising to over 30 metres. This majestic tree stands straight and proud its 2 m trunk protected but a thick fibrous bark.
In order to market this tourism destination, Malawi Tourism, in conjunction with Mount Mulanje Conservation Trust organises an annual Mulanje Mountain Porters Race, which attracts participation from foreigners who specifically travel to Malawi for the tough event.
