Malawi national parks on motorbike
 

I am currently planning a trip from Zambia to Mozambique with a focus on Malawi. Does anybody know which parks may be entered by motorbike and which ones are off limits for bikers?

Are the smaller dirt roads in Malawi doable with 2 on one bike or do we have to expect deep sand?

Any special recommendations?

Thanks, Oerg

I can't see why you wouldn't be allowed into Nyika on a bike. Locals use motorbikes and push bikes to get around and most of the road in from the gate is a public highway.

The tracks will vary given the time of year and regularity of use. In the rains you can get deep mud on the way up there and it can be very slippy. Plus there are some rough patches (rocky and/or water erosion). The roads on the plateau would be stunning on a bike (very few vehicles and stunning scenery) but again some are what I would call "off road" ie rocky. It depends what your bike is capable of. I would guess if you go slow and careful you'd be OK most places, most times of the year (sorry I don't ride a bike). The "main" tracks will be fine I'm sure. They should be graded.

Vwaza is a great park to visit and you could easily get there on a bike but there isn't much scope to drive around (in a car or a bike). And there's no need as the lodging/campsites are at Lake Kazuni which is where the animals all congregate. It's a massively underated park and I'd encourage you to go. However, the deal is you drive 500m to the lake and pretty much stick there (you can do guided walks). In the dry season especially there are a lot of elephant and they are not friendly. You really wouldn't want to meet some in the bush on a bike.

Nkhotakota would I'm sure be allowed too. A rough dirt track in but it's only 20km or so. You are unlikely to see any game but it's a fabulous spot to stay at Bua River. Again no real scope for driving around.

Liwonde - you'd have to check. The concern will be elephant I think. Most elephant in Malawi are jittery and more likely to charge/chase than in many other African countries. You hear of people being trampled on a fairly regular basis. The locals I lived among were terrified of them (we would sometimes have people follow us on motorbikes when we went in and out of the park - for "protection").

Majete will be the same - they may have a concern about the elephants.

If I were you I'd contact some of the operators in the parks. Pretend you may be coming to stay at their lodge and ask if you can arrive by bike. If they say yes print out the email to show at the gate in case they aren't sure. But generally parks are much more low key in Malawi and they are much less rules orientated than say Zambia, Botswana, Kenya. But that's because there are no dangerous cats for them to worry about. They are also much cheaper than anywhere else ($10pppd).

You're more likely to get deep sand around the lake - ie on tracks leading to campsites lodges from the main road - but it won't be for much distance. Worst case scenario get off and push I'd think.

Thank you very much for all your info. Rocky parts are perfectly o.k., the only thing which gets difficult is deep sand with both of us on the bike. For short distances my wife might prefer walking anyway...

Elephants generally love bikes, we almost got hunted down by one last year in Zambia. We will check carefully.

An old thread but i am planning the Malawi leg of my trip for June 2016 and planning to stop at Cape Maclear, Nkhata Bay, Nyika NP and Livingstonia.

I have emailed Nyika to confirm if I can get in by motorbike. As they have leopards and recently reintroduced lions i am not sure i will be able to do this. I will share the reply here as soon as i have it.

I am assuming that while Cape Maclear is in the Lake Malawi NP there should not be an issue getting there by bike?

Any guidance appreciated - anything else i need to be thinking about?

Also where to you go to get accurate journey times? Google maps says Cape Maclear to Nkhata Bay is 6h4m. Using the same route TomTom route planner says it is 11h29m! Looks like the latter assumes 10kms per hour going west on the M10 from Monkey Bay to the M5. Really?

I visited there by boat (about 3 hours each way across the lake) and there were plenty of vehicles around on the public access roads, including overlander organised groups.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-maclear-36397

Being Africa, it will take whatever time it takes to travel by highway.

Malawi national parks on motorbike
 

Thanks

Understood - I assume folks have a general rule of thumb of what is realistically achievable when putting a route plan together, whilst accepting that things don't always go to plan?

As this is my first 'big' trip and i am travelling solo i would sooner have a plan i can adapt or ignore as a starting point.

Cheers
Andy



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Tour groups of Overlanders tend to be following a schedule, based on "western" ideas of time and space; local people much less so - days are set aside for going to market, fishing on the lake, selling stuff on the road side to passing tourists - that is more their personal schedule rather than a consideration of "hour by hour".

Response from Nyika NP in Malawi confirming motorcycles can enter:

"Thank you for your email and booking enquiry

Yes you need to book for a camping site – rate is $15 per person per night- Include Camping site only – Exclude Drinks, meals, activities, park fees -$10 per person per day, vehicle fees -$3 per day & items of personal nature. You can enter the park by motorcycle"

Cheers
Andy

I and two others rode through Nyika Park in November. A great ride, dirt road is mostly in decent condition. Obviously rain would muddy it up, but otherwise OK for solo rider. Our ride was from Rumphi to Chitipa, where we spent the nite.

Then north from Chitipa on a good dirt road not on most maps, directly to border with Tanzania with no need to enter Zambia then Tanzania. Inquire locally in Chitipa regarding that road (it starts like 100 meters from the Malawi immigration and customs office in Chitipa, where you will want to check out of the country).

For those who don't know, you can also ride/camp in the National Parks in Uganda. Was in Murchison Falls in May, met many ellies, no problems. Will return again in about two weeks. :DI would suggest keeping helmet on if stopped and watching animals. As soon as you take it off you go from being a 'thing' to a possible enemy and the wildlife scatters.