Kwahuwahi Lodge

On January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 By CheetahTravelsIn lodge, Zambia3 Comments

Kwakuwahi Lodge is a beautiful higher end lodge in Mwinilunga located right on the river. It is a little bit of a walk from town, I would only walk it if you don’t have anything to carry and it is a nice day. The rooms are a bit pricy for the area, starting at 600kwa, but they have AC, comfortable beds, a view of the river, and televisions. The lodge is also a great place to go for a nice meal although their food options change daily depending on what is available, but I had the fish and chips and it was one of the best fish meals I had in Zambia. This could be a great romantic, get-away, lodge.

Georgies Lodge

On December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 By CheetahTravelsIn Zambia1 Comment

Georgies is an awesome lodge/restaurant for a getaway. It’s quiet, and along a different part of Mutanda Falls than what is normally seen. It has beautiful views, especially the sunsets. The restaurant/bar and deck area overlooks the falls. It had a nice variety of food that tasted great, and service was fast and friendly. The whole grounds are filled with different colored roses so it smells heavenly. I didn’t use the pool but it looked clean, and the kids that were in it looked like they were having a blast. There was also a giant building in the back that looked like it could be used for weddings, or a big conference. They have kayaks that you could rent out, although if you’re staying the night it’s free, and we were told you could swim but it’s at your own risk. The water was pretty cold that day so we opted out. The rooms/chalets ranged from 500-750kwa. I stayed in a 550kwa chalet overlooking the falls with a porch, grill, hot shower, tea kettle and air conditioning. Georgie herself runs the place. She is an amazingly sweet, and dedicated woman. She even offered to pick us up and drop us off at the roadside before and after our stay which helped so much. We just needed to work around her schedule a bit which was no problem for us otherwise she offered to book us a taxi from town for 150kwa. We opted just to hitch hike to and from Georgies turnoff, which was pretty easy as it is a main road. It should not be that expensive. I stayed there one of my last weeks in Zambia and really wish I found out about Georgies sooner.

Georgies Bar and Grill Facebook Page

Georgies is the pink pin on the map. If you are coming from Solwezi you will go over the bridge, and straight at Mutanda. If you’re hitching you can either get dropped at Mutanda, or shortly past it is the turnoff to Georgies, I believe there is a sign.

Victoria Falls

On October 28, 2017October 28, 2017 By CheetahTravelsIn ZambiaLeave a comment

Victoria Falls is the number one must see if you come to Zambia. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Entering the park on the Zambian side is about 7 kwacha for locals and about $10-20 for foreigners. There are curio shops, and little cafés right inside the entrance. As you’re walking through the park there are three trails… well four really. One goes up by the river before the falls, depending on the time of year is how far this trail goes. The main trail goes right in front of the falls, during high season you get SOAKED. Do not bring phones or electronics on this path, my friend lost his new iphone this way. They also sell rain coats and other bags to wear to stay dry but I think its such an amazing experience to just get soaked by the falls and to feel the mist hitting you. But I realize that experience is not for everyone. This path also leads to a bridge right in front of the falls, walk slowly as it is slippery when wet. It leads to an island/mountain/hill where you can get views of the Zimbabwe side of the falls, and the walkways on the Zimbabwe side. The second trail is more of a hike. It goes straight down into the first gorge to what is called the boiling point. From the bottom you can see where all the water from the falls comes together to push through a small opening. Seeing the strength of the water is truly incredible. Hiking this trail takes about 40 minutes each way. Bring water, and take breaks if needed. The third trail goes along the back of the gorge for more of a distance view of the falls. You also get a nice view of the bridge here, the one the first trail goes over, as well as the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Beware, we got to the end of the trail and there were men reaching through the fence trying to sell us bracelets, and to get us to come on a tour, it was a little creepy, so we just walked away. Another warning, on the boiling pot trail, and the last trail I discussed there are a lot of monkeys (baboons? Some sort of primate). They are known for steaking things from tourists, they’re definitely not afraid of people. DO NOT bring shop rite bags on the trail! The monkeys know that they contain food and they will be stolen from you. Hold on to your passport and wallet well when on this trail. The trails here are also not like those in America where there is a guard rail to keep you from falling off the edge of a cliff. You will fall off if you get to close to the edge and slip. I was trying to get a picture near the edge and slipped on the loose gravel and realized how easily I could have slid farther. Be careful and use common sense. The falls are highest in March-June, and lowest in October-January. High or low it is still incredible to see, it’s one of the 7 natural wonders of the earth and the pride of Zambia.

Chishimba Falls

On September 10, 2017September 10, 2017 By CheetahTravelsIn ZambiaLeave a comment

If you’re in Kasama I would definitely try to reserve a day for a day trip, or even a camping overnight trip to Chishimba falls. It’s not too expensive to get in, maybe $10 for non residents, I’m not quite positive as I got in for 8kwa on a work permit. There’s three falls. When you first enter is the smallest fall, there is a picnic area, a swimming area, people selling curios, and a place to order food and beers. You can also bring food and charcoal and use the grills. Then there’s a short hike to the upper falls and a little longer hike to the main lower falls. The lower falls are a beautiful site no matter the time of year. During dry season you can swim at the top of the falls (at your own risk) but I wouldn’t recommend swimming there during rain season, you’ll get swept off the edge and there’s no coming back. The falls are tall and you can stand at the edge and see for miles into the valley. If you’re interested in camping I don’t think its more than $20 for non residents. Bring your own tents and sleeping bags. There is an insaka/shelteroverlooking the lower falls on the edge of the cliff, try to snag that spot if you can. Its unbelievable falling asleep under the galaxies and hearing the roar of the fall all night. The only thing is the bathroom is back at the entrance near the bar so try to go before it gets dark, and hold it til light in the morning. It’s safe, but not fun to hike all the way back in the dark, and its not nice to go number 2 in a public space. Really the only way to get to the falls is with a taxi which is a bummer. So if you can try to find other people to share it with. I guess you can try hitching, you’ll be able to find a ride out of town easy enough, but finding someone going from the turn off to the falls might take a while, and it would be a long walk.

One Love Cafe and Art Gallery

On August 3, 2017October 29, 2017 By CheetahTravelsIn MalawiLeave a comment

Kelvin, the owner, is a fantastic Rasta man committed to making his guests comfortable and have fun. His place is located within a 5 minute walk of Mayoka Village towards town. This great little café is on a porch that overlooks the lake. He has great tea, and a variety of food. I suggest the banana pancakes, I could eat those all day. Outside the café Kelvin sells artwork (paintings, carvings, jewelry etc) made by him and his friends. It’s a great place to hang out or to buy souvenirs as he will negotiate a price with you but wont be as pushy as some of the vendors next door. When I was there in 2015, he was also talking about staring his own lodge on the hillside, so that might be finished by now, I would like to try staying there if I returned to Nkhata Bay

Mayoka Village – Nkhata Bay

On July 30, 2017October 29, 2017 By CheetahTravelsIn MalawiLeave a comment

I absolutely loved this place. It’s a little haven away from reality. The prices were great. Accomodations range from camping, to dorms, to private chalets. I stayed in a chalet for most of the trip, and then switched to the dorms for the last few days. The chalets are clean, with mosquito nets and fans. Our chalet had a beautiful wrap around porch, outdoor shower, and a nice indoor one too. The dorms are clean as well, and I felt safe keeping my belongings on my bed. There is a nice outdoor shared shower and a compost toilet for those of you that are eco friendly. Everywhere you go on this compound overlooks the bright blue lake. It is on the edge of a cliff, there are a lot of stairs so this place definitely isn’t wheelchair friendly, or “I have bad knees” friendly. It’s a good workout though. They have different dinners scheduled every night for decent prices. There were other travelers coming in and out all week, so it was a great place to meet people. The owner was very friendly and helpful, I suggest getting to know him and his family, they have a ton of interesting stories and advice. As far as the lake, Mayoka has kayaks for guests to use, a raft out on the lake, and they occasionally do boat trips out to a cliff that, if you’re brave enough, you can jump off of into the lake. Occasionally you’ll see a monitor lizard, they live among the rocks, but they try to stay out of your way. Everything you buy here is put on a tab. You can pay off your tab in Malawian Kwacha or USD whenever you’d like. Butterfly Space is a lodge right next door and they sometimes have small concerts and art activities going on that you can join in on. I’d recommend going to visit it at least. Mayoka is about a 15 minute walk to town with gorgeous views of the lake the whole way, it also passes through a pretty decent art market. The men will be pushy with getting you to buy their things, but don’t forget to bargain for prices!

http://www.mayokavillagebeachlodge.com

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