Lilongwe to Ihla/Pemba/Ibo & return, camping w/baby

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carollins
carollins

Wife and I have just decided to go to ocean for New Years from Lilongwe (12 days trip) and want advice about roads, camping, and kid.

  1. What is approximate drive time from Mandimba (Mangochi, Malawi border post) to Nampula? with baby stops, etc. can this be done in 1 day? Inadvisable to drive at night? (absolutely no problem in Malawi, though conventional wisdom is 'do not drive at night')

  2. Any recommended camping in Ilha de Mocambique, Pemba, Ibo, and in between? We can self-cater to some degree, but prefer some facilities, local food, cold beer, etc.

  3. Is it worth driving back via Montepuez/Marrupa/Lichinga? We are in high clearance 4x4 with all-terrain tires, so no problem with poor roads, but do not want to spend a week on this track if that is the condition in rain.

  4. I am researching 'ecolodges' from engineering perspective, any thing interesting to visit on this route? i.e. real eco-lodge, not typical generator/septic tank set up.

  5. Any other advice for baby or family activities?

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rudik
rudik

My wife and I did the trip from Blantyre via Mandimba to Ilha less than two months ago at the end of September. We used public transport and I posted a summary report on Mozguide (http://www.mozguide.com/fala/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3205).

Even taxis and buses do not do the stretch between Cuamba and Nampula. As the train was not running that day we had to resort to pick-up trucks from Cuamba via Gurue and Alto Molocue and a bus from there to Nampula. I was led to believe that the road between Cuamba and Nampula was in a very bad condition - but, as you have a 4x4, you may be OK. The taxi that took us from Mandimba to Cuamba took about 3 1/2 hours. From Cuamba to Nampula (the long way round) took us a full, very long, day.

I believe there is camping close to Ilha, but not on the island itself. For accommodation suggestions see my report.

For very good info, browse the various sections of the Mozguide web-site.

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carollins
carollins

I found your trip report, and I posted on the Moz site already, along with Lilongwe Chat. Sounds like the northern road (lichinga to montepuez) is pretty good but for one 60km section, which degenerates to the point you are negotiating a maize field?! Others have done the route cuamba to nampula no problem, but not so recently as you.

So we will probably do an out and back, and at least for the return we can gage time to get us into LLW by Sunday, or plan to take the detour you describe if the road is so bad.

thanks

Edited by: carollins

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