Emma has wanted to go on an Africa trip for years. She watches many documentaries about the continent and is fascinated by the great variety of cultures. She likes to get to know people and she thinks it would be fantastic to experience how people live in another part of the world. Of course she also wants to go on safari. Wow, it sounds spectacular to see all that wildlife!

Emma decides to finally take steps to make this dream come true. She doesn’t feel like making such a trip alone. So she asks her good friend Sophie if she would like to come along.

“I thought you’d never ask!” Sophie responds enthusiastically. “During our holiday to Spain you already talked about Africa, I want to experience that too!”

Preparing for an Africa trip

Together they begin to research the possibilities. They follow various social media accounts with beautiful photos, watch vlogs and scour the internet for travel companies. They would like the assistance from someone who knows the drill, because it’s all a bit too overwhelming.

They soon find out that Africa is huge. Every country has advantages and disadvantages. They want a combination of exciting safaris, enough time to relax and getting to know another culture. As long as it’s real and authentic. They don’t like the videos they find of ‘performances’ with song and dance just for tourists.

Sophie lands on the website of 1 2 Travel Africa and immediately knows for sure, Malawi is the perfect country for their trip!

Personal contact with a Dutch travel organization

We get to know each other extensively during a video call, in which Emma and Sophie talk about their plans. They really want this to be their dream trip, full of new experiences and adventure. Obviously with plenty of moments to relax as well, because it is a holiday.

We feel a connection with each other, so we start working on a proposal for their special four-week Malawi trip.

The next day Emma sends an e-mail to ask if it is possible to extend it to six weeks. They’ve talked about it again, and don’t really want to choose between everything there is to see and do. They can get more time off from work, so they don’t want to miss this opportunity. Unfortunately, everyone around them is a bit concerned. They all find Africa a bit scary, and of course the whole covid situation doesn’t help either.

We reassure them once again that most countries in Africa are not dangerous at all, especially Malawi. And that you hardly notice the pandemic here. Throughout the country you can enjoy a wonderful time without restrictions. There is an abundance of space, friendliness and vitamin D here. Especially now it’s great to escape the stress in the rest of the world!

Emma and Sophie want to experience the real Malawi as much as possible. They therefore choose to make use of self-employed drivers in each area, and where possible public transport. We suggest not to book and plan each day completely. That way, they experience even more freedom. They find it a bit too nerve-racking for now and opt for certainty, but will certainly keep the suggestion in mind for future Africa trips.

Start an unforgettable Africa trip at Lake Malawi

Finally the time has come, the Africa adventure begins!

We meet Emma and Sophie at the airport of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. The flight went smooth, they even had three seats for the two of them. They didn’t think that filling in extra forms and some checks around covid were a problem.

It’s always nice to be able to take it easy on the first day. They relax by the hotel pool and go to bed early in the evening.

After breakfast the next morning, we leave to a lodge on one of the most beautiful beaches of Lake Malawi. Emma and Sophie think the beautiful route there is already a gift. As soon as we drive onto the property, their jaws drop open.

“Wow, you can’t even see the other side! Are you sure this is a lake and not the ocean?”

There is no better place to relax. While kayaking, snorkeling, reading a book and having nice sundowner drinks on the beach, they leave the thoughts of their homecountry behind. The stress of more than two years of hard work without real holidays, disappears. This allows them to really enjoy everything again. They are full of new energy!

Read more about Lake Malawi

Sophie immediately notices how friendly everyone is. They are welcomed by all staff with a warm smile. Some chat and invite them to join them to go the village in the afternoon. Here they get acquainted with village life in Malawi.

A number of women are stirring a large pot of ‘nsima’, a maize flour porridge.

“Come join us and help,” one of the women shouts, laughing.

Emma doesn’t think twice about it. “Gosh, that’s pretty hard work!”

Of course we also have to taste the ‘nsima’ before we continue. We chat about cultural differences, prejudices about Africa and how to look at things from a different perspective. The conversations continue until dinner; a nice braai on the beach.

Read more about the people of Malawi

The next morning it’s time to travel to the next destination. One more time, Emma and Sophie look back at the shiny waters of Lake Malawi. They are a little sad to leave, but also excited about what is yet to come. It’s time for safari!

An incredible safari in Malawi

Both have never been on safari, and their eyes sparkle when we see the first baboons and impalas just after we enter Liwonde National Park.

“It’s amazing already! And what a beautiful trees everywhere!”

It’s an indescribable feeling to stay in the middle of the African bush. Especially in Malawi, where you hardly meet other travellers. You only hear the sounds of nature. At night it’s so dark that you can see millions of stars. Even the Milky Way is clearly visible!

During several game drives we see a lot of antelope, a large herd of buffalo and the lions show themselves twice. We encounter several elephant families and see a very small one, only a few weeks old. Too cute! We come across all kinds of beautiful bird species and in the distance we even see a cheetah running. Unfortunately, only the rhinos is too shy to show themselves. But, Sophie says, then they have a good reason to come back again.

A boat safari on the Shire River is a great way to experience Liwonde National Park. We enjoy the large numbers of hippos that don’t mind our presence. One curiously sticks its head above the water. Just after the ranger warns Emma to keep her hands inside the boat, we see a huge crocodile sliding into the water. Oops…

Emma and Sophie find the most memorable moment of the safari, the night they wake up to a lot of noise next to their tent. A gigantic elephant bull has decided that that tree is the tastiest, and pulls of branches for half an hour. They are too nervous to breathe, but when the elephant calmly moves on, Emma and Sophie are quite disappointed that it’s over.

Read more about safaris in Malawi

A bit of history in Zomba

After this spectacular start of their Africa trip, we bring Emma and Sophie to Zomba. In the previous capital of Malawi, Joseph is already waiting. He takes us on a walk through the cosy town.

He explains about important old buildings and the history of Zomba. As soon as Sophie asks him about the differences between life in Malawi then and now, Joseph starts talking. He shares the stories his grandfather and his father tell him over and over again. Then he makes an honest comparison with his own life. He talks about the challenges, but emphasizes that after rain there is always sunshine. That is, if you keep your faith, work hard for your dreams and most of all; never stop smiling.

Emma and Sophie are clearly fascinated by this energetic young man. They barely give him a chance to chew during lunch. Fortunately, he likes to talk.

“But only,” he says, “if I can inspire people with my chatter!”

The healing power of a forest

Because of the many stories, we have to rush to get to the accommodation before dark. Narrow winding roads lead us higher up to the Zomba Plateau, which towers over the town like an impressive giant.

Here we planned to say goodbye to Emma and Sophie, so that they would continue their journey on their own. Fortunately, the people of this lodge are super hospitable and have a room available, so we don’t have to drive back so late.

We secretly love staying a bit longer to enjoy this piece of paradise!

This intimate lodge is located in the Zomba Forest. Everywhere you look, you see trees, shrubs and flowers. Dozens of birds are chirping and occasionally you can see the special Samango monkeys with their extremely long tails high up in the tree tops.

The air is clean and fresh. You take a deep breath and feel your lungs doing a happy dance.

Emma and Sophie thought they were already fully relaxed, but apparently it can be even more.

They start the day with some yoga and a meditation in the green garden. As soon as the two curious lodge dogs gently come to say hello, they know it’s time for a healthy breakfast. This place is not only known for the beautiful nature and total tranquillity, but also for the tasty food. Three times a day you enjoy the most delicious local products, which are prepared with great love. Vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for here!

Independently continuing this Africa trip

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Emma and Sophie. It was special to experience this start of their first Africa trip together. It was also a lot of fun, but they are looking forward to traveling “without training wheels” and enjoying all that Malawi has to offer on their own.

They will stay here in the Zomba Forest for a few more days. They alternate reading books in the garden with beautiful walks. The combination with the delicious, healthy meals and yoga and meditation moments, make these the kind of days they didn’t know they needed.

The owners of the lodge are amazing people and love to chat. In the evenings they have deeper conversations about the hard work they do to protect nature around here. Emma and Sophie are so impressed that when they say goodbye, they decide to make a donation to the foundation that was set up for this purpose.

The huge positive impact of booking locally

The walks on and around the Zomba Plateau were a warm-up for the next step of their trip.

Edward, a young local driver, takes them to Mount Mulanje. Along the way, he explains how he uses his income to send his two sisters to school. Since their father suddenly passed away a few years ago, the family has suffered to make ends meet.

They no longer had food on the table every day. Their mother, with a heavy heart, decided to take the children out of school. Edward only had a few months left before his graduation. He found a job on a farm and worked hard to pay for his own school fees. His employer respected this greatly. He saw that Edward had more potential than walking around with wheelbarrows. He decided to help him get started with an interest-free loan, from which Edward could get his driver’s license.

Now he works as a taxi driver. With the money he earned, he was able to pay off his loan. He now ensures that his younger sisters can go back to school.

“Unfortunately, still not all children have access to education,” Edward explains to Emma and Sophie, while driving. “Girls in particular often do not go to school, which means that they have a lot of difficulty finding a job later on. I want my sisters to have better opportunities in their lives. I like to work very hard to contribute to that.”

As soon as his sisters also have their diplomas, Edward wants to start saving to buy a car of his own. As he thinks about this, his eyes begin to sparkle with pride.

When planning their Africa trip, Emma and Sophie thought they understood why we wanted them to use local drivers. But now that they hear Edward’s stories, they really understand how much impact you can have as a traveller.

Of course this special Africa trip in Malawi doesn’t end here. Next time you’ll be able to read more about Emma and Sophie’s Africa experiences. If you’re on our inspiration email list, you won’t miss out!