BELOW YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO REACH US, THE CLIMATE, BANKING AND MORE
Nkhata Bay is on the Northern lake shore, 48 km from the capital of the Northern region Mzuzu. 400 km from Lilongwe, 400km from the Tanzanian border.
Nkhata Bay is a major port of call for the Ilala ferry which arrives on Saturday afternoons from Likoma Island and the South, goes North to Ruware and Chilumba for one night then returns to leave on Monday evenings to the islands and South again. If you are planning to arrive on the ferry we will always meet the ferry when it arrives on Sundays and offer a free pick up service. If you will be leaving on the ferry we can organize a transfer for you.
If you are arriving by public transport we offer a free transfer service to the lodge, it is only 10 minutes walk but we know you will be tired and it always seems further when you have to carry your bags. Every one at the bus depot knows us so if you ask for a taxi or boat transfer we will pay the driver when you arrive.
If you are coming from Lilongwe by public transport it is much easier to travel by bus to Mzuzu and then take a taxi or minibus down to Nkhata Bay. There are many bus companies offering a good service leaving from Lilongwe, it is a 5 /6 hour journey. We recommend that you avoid the bus station in Lilongwe. The axa bus company runs a daily bus from Lilongwe City Mall to Mzuzu at midday and the Sosososo bus company runs a service from the Game Complex Car Park, to Mzuzu leaving at 7 am or 2 pm. From Mzuzu you can get shared taxis or minibuses or private taxis to Nkhata Bay, it is a 45 minute drive. There are routes coming up the lakeshore road direct to Nkhata Bay but they tend to be much slower and so only recommended if you plan on spending a few nights at Senga Bay or Nkhota Khota on the way.
Coming from Blantyre there are night buses that go directly to Nkhata Bay leaving at 5pm daily, otherwise it is advisable to break the journey by staying in Senga Bay or Lilongwe.
Coming from the North, Tanzania and the national park of Nyika plateau , then you will pass through Mzuzu and on to Nkhata Bay. There is good public transport daily, either the big buses or minibuses.
Please be warned if you are coming from Mbeya in Tanzania, there are a lot of very good con artists operating in the bus station. It is not possible to buy tickets from Mbeya to Mzuzu or even anywhere over the border into Malawi. Only buy tickets from the official ticket offices or better still once you are on the right bus. It is possible to reach the border by minibus, then the border is small enough to walk across and you can then catch minibuses to Mzuzu or Karonga. Also take care of the money changers, there is a foreign exchange office on the Malawian side just opposite the customs department.
The Climate
The dry and cool season runs from end April to end September, during this time there is rarely any rain, blue skies, hot sunny days but cool evenings. The lake is at its best for swimming, calm clear waters. You may need light weight warm clothing for the evenings in Nkhata Bay and warm clothes if you plan to visit the highlands of Nyika, but the temperatures are very pleasant during the day times.
The hot season runs from October to end December, this is when temperatures can reach the high 30’s but not all the time. But it is more humid as the rains build up.
Rainy season is from January to April, with the most rain falling in March. However this is a beautiful and exciting time of the year with spectacular storms and when everything is lush and green. In Nkhata Bay it does not rain that much, mostly in the very early morning hours, with the rest of the day hot and sunny. It does not rain everyday, usually for a few days in a row and then a few dry days in between. All the major roads in Malawi are in good condition with tarmac and so the rains don’t hamper transport.
Banking
There are now banks in Nkhata Bay which will change travelers cheques and foreign currency. They also have an ATM that accepts only Visa cards. Otherwise there are all the major banks in Mzuzu, one hours drive on one of the minibuses that travel between the two cities all day.
WE ACCEPT VISA CARD PAYMENTS
Health
There is a government hospital and a private doctors clinic in Nkhata Bay where you can get treatment for all minor illnesses, malaria, sprained ankles etc. For any serious injuries there are good hospitals in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.
There has been no Bilharzia ( shistosomiasis ) found in the waters of the Nkhata Bay area to date, a German research group comes to test the waters yearly. Any where were you find rocky shores, deep and agitated water the parasite can not live, so we are lucky that we do not need to worry when swimming at Mayoka.
The taps in the bar and restaurant at Mayoka Village have safe drinking water that has been filtered and chlorinated. The bathrooms do not have treated water.
Shopping
Nkhata Bay is the center of the Nkhata Bay district and so has a good supermarket, lots of small shops and a market where you can get all the basics. For a better variety of fresh vegetables and better cuts of meat or for more unusual items like sun cream you will need to go to Mzuzu.