Preparation for Overland trip to Malawi

DESTINATION MALAWI 2016

With the collapse of the Rand, we again decided to overland during May & June rather take a trip across to Spain with Lake Malawi being the choice of final destination before turning back.  After last years' trip to Namibia during the same period, we decided this is possibly the best time of the year to travel locally for a number of reasons:

• outside of school holidays
• before the vacation period for the Europeans / Americans 
• still warm enough to camp comfortably
• mosquito infestations not as bad as summer

The route we finally selected would be through South Africa into Botswana, then after a few days in Botswana, through to Livingstone, Bengweulu National Park, South Luangwa and onto Lake Malawi with Cape Maclear being the turning point.  Route back would be back through Zambia via Livingstone through to northern Nambia & then back to Cape Town.  

The initial idea was up through Kruger Park into Mozambique via Pafuri & into Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe.  From there we would then cut across eastern Zimbabwe & take the Tete corridor through Mozambique to get to Malawi.  This would have provided up with opportunities to visit new destinations but the risk in Mozambique with Renamo & Frelimo back at war again was just too much of a risk to us as we are  travelling alone.  Gonarezhou will have to be a trip in itself for a future date.

The original plan was:

		From	To	Country	Dist	Time	Accommodation
Sat	14 May	Cape Town	Kimberley	SA	961	10h 27m	Mein Heim Guest Farm
Sun	15 May	Kimberley	Serowe	Botswana	870	9h 51m	Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Mon	16 May	Serowe	Serowe	Botswana			Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Tue	17 May	Serowe	Makgadikgadi Pans	Botswana	246	4h 24m	Lekhubu Island
Wed	18 May	Makgadikgadi Pans	Makgadikgadi Pans	Botswana			Lekhubu Island
Thu	19 May	Makgadikgadi Pans	Livingstone	Zambia	498	8h 41m	Peregrine’s Nest Bushcamp
Fri	20 May	Livingstone	Livingstone	Zambia			Peregrine’s Nest Bushcamp
Sat	21 May	Livingstone	Luangwa Bridge	Zambia	725	10h 1m	Bridge Camp Luangwa
Sun	22 May	Luangwa Bridge	Cape Maclear	Malawi	698	10h 18m	Fat Monkeys Camping
Mon	23 May	Cape Maclear	Cape Maclear	Malawi			Fat Monkeys Camping
Tue	24 May	Cape Maclear	Cape Maclear	Malawi			Fat Monkeys Camping
Wed	25 May	Cape Maclear	Cape Maclear	Malawi			Fat Monkeys Camping
Thu	26 May	Cape Maclear	South Luangwa NP	Zambia	493	9h 21m	The Wildlife Camp
Fri	27 May	South Luangwa NP	South Luangwa NP	Zambia			The Wildlife Camp
Sat	28 May	South Luangwa NP	South Luangwa NP	Zambia			The Wildlife Camp
Sun	29 May	South Luangwa NP	Bangweulu Game Reserve	Zambia	305	10h 45m	Shoebill Island Campsite
Mon	30 May	Bengweulu Game Reserve	Bangweulu Game Reserve	Zambia			Shoebill Island Campsite
Tue	31 May	Bengweulu Game Reserve	Bangweulu Game Reserve	Zambia			Shoebill Island Campsite
Wed	1 Jun	Bengweulu Game Reserve	Fringilla	Zambia	649	10h 28m	Fringilla Lodge Campsite
Thu	2 Jun	Fringilla	Kafue NP	Zambia	250	4h 30m	Mayukuyuku Camp
Fri	3 Jun	Kafue NP	Kafue NP	Zambia	57	2h 41m	Kainga Safari Lodge Rapids Camping
Sat	4 Jun	Kafue NP	Kafue NP	Zambia			Kainga Safari Lodge Rapids Camping
Sun	5 Jun	Kafue NP	Kafue NP	Zambia	139	5h 21m	Nanzhila Plains Safari Camp
Mon	6 Jun	Kafue NP	Katimo Mulilo	Namibia	280	8h 12m	Namwi Island Lodge Camping
Tue	7 Jun	Katimo Mulilo	Bwabwata NP	Namibia	338	3h 47m	Ngepi Camp
Wed	8 Jun	Bwabwata NP	Bwabwata NP	Namibia			Ngepi Camp
Thu	9 Jun	Bwabwata NP	Bwabwata NP	Namibia			Ngepi Camp
Fri	10 Jun	Bwabwata NP	Windhoek	Namibia	951	9h 54m	Monteiro Camping Windhoek
Sat	11 Jun	Windhoek	Vioolsdrift	SA	810	8h 56m	Fiddlers Creek Rest Camp
Sun	12 Jun	Vioolsdrift	Vioolsdrift	SA			Fiddlers Creek Rest Camp
Mon	13 Jun	Vioolsdrift	Cape Town	SA	676	7h 33m

As per usual, we booked very little accommodation in advance rather relying on finding appropriate lodging as we wended our way around the various countries.  Our pre-booking went as far as Kubu Island in Botswana which proved to be advantageous as we made some significant changes on the road.

I contacted Zippisat & loaded more airtime onto the Satellite phone as I was concerned regarding the route from South Luangwa up to Bangweulu as the roads may be pretty difficult it being so close after the rainy season that we would be travelling through the park & up the escarpment.  I contacted the team from Shoebill camp but they weren't able to provide me with too much information so it would be pretty much checking the status once we were at the Wildlife Camp in Mfuwe.

The Hilux required very little attention other than a new aluminium bash plate that I had fitted at R&D Offroad in Bracknell.  They also had a look at & repaired the swing arm for the left back spare tyre as it was starting to sag & touch the plastic plate on the bumper.  Tanks were full, spare 40l diesel loaded on the roof rack, fluids checked, tyres checked & pumped and the vehicle was ready to be packed.

I took the backseat out & fitted my homemade shelf to hold the 3rd battery, 40l Engel fridge that we would use as the freezer, camera equipment & clothes.  By the time we had loaded all, the rear of the cab was loaded to headrest level.  The Garmins were loaded with the route plan, laptop & ipad updated with the latest version of Tracks 4 Africa & all the electronics fully charged.

Ang did the shopping for the trip as well as the last minute alcohol purchases - one needs at least 2 bottles of gin "to keep the mosquitos away".  Drawers were packed, Engel 60l fridge loaded with food & drinks & the final camping bits & pieces filled the balance of the canopy.  By Friday evening, 13 May, we were ready for departure the next morning