HIGHLIGHTS. Malawi Expedition Guide

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1 MALAWI 28 DAYS

2 Expect an enthusiastic welcome in the warm heart of Africa where you will be bowled over by the hospitality and friendliness of the locals. Conquer the dramatic peaks of Mount Mulanje, locally named the Island in the sky to take in the stunning vistas of southern Africa. Head down to the lowlands for a safari adventure, to catch a glimpse of Africa s famous wildlife including elephants and crocodiles before reaching the cool shores of Lake Malawi; where it s time to pick up your kayak for a paddle to isolated islands on the beautiful crystal clear waters. HIGHLIGHTS The purpose of this brief is to introduce your expedition opportunity. It will give you a feel for the destination and the type of activities that you will be involved in. We hope this brief snapshot will leave you feeling inspired and wanting more! Conquer Mount Mulanje Relax by the beautiful Lake Malawi Trek through spectacular scenery Contribute to a local community project Enjoy an amazing safari adventure Malawi Expedition Guide

3 MALAWI PHYSICAL RATING: Moderately challenging. CULTURE SHOCK: Eye-opening - you will experience a very different world! ALTITUDE: The expedition will not exceed 3000m. VISA: Required for British nationals. DESTINATION FACTS RELIGION/S: Christianity, Islam. CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL INTEREST: Malawi is a new country and is home to many tribes and ethnic groups; national identity is still secondary to regional identities. LANGUAGES: English, Chichewa. GEOGRAPHY: The Great Rift Valley cuts down the centre with mountains on either side. Lake Malawi forms most of the eastern border. CLIMATE: Warm year-round with cold nights in the winter (northern hemisphere summer). Temperature 20-28ºC. Seasonal summer rainfall. MALAWI outlookexpeditions.com3

4 POSSIBLE EXPERIENCES At the Itinerary Development Day, with guidance from one of our destination experts, the team will be able to choose from options to finalise their itinerary. The choices may include the project they work with, the challenge level and type of trek and where they go for some rest and relaxation! ADVENTURE If you are adventurous and love nature and beautiful scenery, then the peace and tranquillity of the Luwawa Wilderness Trail is for you! Start your three day trek at Luwawa Forest Lodge. At around 2000m above sea level, the trail passes over rolling plateaus and through lichen draped woodland, forests and rivers. There are fantastic views across the lake to Mozambique, the islands, and mountains beyond. During your trek you may spot wild animals such as antelopes, birds and monkeys and you will have the chance to see true remote hill communities. You will camp in beautiful locations and arrive on the shores of beautiful Lake Malawi. Enjoy a true taste of Africa as you head to Liwonde National Park for a thrilling safari spot many of the continent s famous animals by jeep, boat or foot! Travel across the plains and tea plantations of landlocked Malawi on your way to the country s highest peak Mount Mulanje. Follow the trails up the impressive granite massif, ascending through climate zones to the 3000m summit for incredible views across the African plains. Camp or stay in mountain huts along the way, looking out for a variety of wildlife in the forests of the mountain s slopes. Head to Cape Maclear, a small and friendly village on the southern shores of beautiful Lake Malawi. From here you can take part in a kayak trip to Domwe Island - a small, remote island on the huge lake. The team will have plenty of time to explore and relax. Why not try your hand at line fishing and enjoy your catch? Cook on an open fire on the beach as you watch the sunset over Africa. Malawi Expedition Guide

5 PROJECT You may choose to head to a rural community in northern Malawi and take part in the Vinjeru project. The word Vinjeru means intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom. This charity is dedicated to enhancing the education of young people in Malawi as well as raising awareness of poverty and illiteracy. They do this mainly through collecting educational resources, donated by individuals in the UK, and taking them to schools and individual children in Malawi, particularly in remote and rural areas. In the past, Outlook teams have assisted with construction work to help build a new nursery school and organised activities for the local children such as football or netball games and cultural activities. The experience of cultural exchange offers an amazing learning opportunity for children in remote areas. Contributing to a project is a fantastic opportunity to experience the colourful, warm Malawian culture, as well as giving a little something back to this extraordinary country. outlookexpeditions.com5

6 EXAMPLE ITINERARY The below itinerary has been created by our Expedition Planner as a guide. DAY 1-2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5-8 DAY 9 DAY 10 DAY DAY 16 DAY DAY 19 DAY DAY 23 DAY DAY 26 Depart from the UK. Your flight will be overnight and involve a transfer. Welcome to Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa! Orientation in the capital city, Lilongwe. Acclimatise to the culture and the climate, and prepare for the next phase of your expedition. Travel to Luwawa Forest Lodge in the Luwawa Forest Reserve on the Viphya Plateau. Trek along the peaceful Luwawa Wilderness Trail. After an acclimatisation hike you will complete three days of trekking eventually arriving on the shores of Lake Malawi. Spend some time relaxing at the Kachere Kastle Resort on the shores of the lake. Make any preparations for your upcoming project phase and travel to the project site. Over the next few days you will be contributing to an important community project in rural Malawi. You will be helping to build a nursery school, working alongside the locals. Return to Lilongwe and visit the Ministry of Hope, a local organisation established as a response to the overwhelming number of orphans in Malawi. Travel to Liwonde National Park crossing the Shire River by boat to get to your camp. Enjoy a true African safari experience in one of the best stocked national parks in Africa. Make final preparations for your next trek and travel through villages and tea plantations to the small town of Mulanje, located at the base of Mount Mulanje. Trek to the plateau of Mount Mulanje before exploring the trails of one of the best hiking locations in the country. Travel to Cape Maclear on the shores of Lake Malawi. Take your kayak and paddle to Mumbo Island, explore the island and spend the evening by a campfire under starry skies. Stock up on souvenirs and enjoy the hospitality and friendliness of the extraordinary Malawi people one more time. DAY Depart Lilongwe. Arrive in the UK the following morning. Welcome home! Due to the changing nature of the world over the build up period, Outlook may be required to change aspects of, or the order of the itinerary. Outlook will consult with the Link Teacher/Group Leader and all participants if this is the case. Malawi Expedition Guide

7 WHAT S INCLUDED UK BUILD UP* Itinerary Development Day Expedition Development Day Final Preparation Day TRAINING Expedition Training weekend in the UK with your Expedition Leader. LINK TEACHER TRAINING Leader Team Training including first aid. LEADER TEAM COMPOSITION At least 1 Link Teacher and an Outlook Expedition Leader. FLIGHTS International flights. INSURANCE Comprehensive overseas insurance. TRANSPORT All overseas transport. IN DESTINATION All food and accommodation. All group activities including any entrance fees. All R&R activity. WHAT S NOT INCLUDED Spending money for gifts / souvenirs whilst on expedition. Inoculations, prophylaxis and personal medicine. (All participants based in England and Wales receive 10% discount at Nomad Travel). Visas and passports please see page 3 to see which visas are required. Personal belongings insurance (this may be covered by your household / contents insurance). Cancellation insurance. Personal equipment (e.g. rucksack, sleeping bag, waterproof clothing); all participants receive 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor. Transport to and from UK-based training courses, to the Final Preparation Day venue and from the airport. Food and accommodation in the UK, unless specified. * Please see website for more information. outlookexpeditions.com7

8 HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR EXPEDITION We hope you have decided that this is the expedition for your school or group. To launch all you need to do is follow these steps: CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL MANAGER Discuss convenient dates for us to come and run an assembly and information evening. Once these dates have been agreed you will be assigned a School Account Manager. They will become your point of contact at Outlook from now until after your return from the expedition. PRESENTATION AT YOUR SCHOOL We will run an assembly presentation for your students and an information evening for students and parents at your school or venue. APPLY ONLINE Students will apply online to join the expedition and pay a deposit. phone INFO@OUTLOOKEXPEDITIONS.COM online