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Cape Maclear, Malawi

Safety

Safety in Cape Maclear, Malawi
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?

People’s Opinions

  1. Cape Maclear is an EXTREMELY safe area. Our squad was perfectly okay to walk around at night time without issue. Just don’t go swimming in the Lake from sunset-sunrise.

Ministry Summary

Ministry Summary in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Breakthroughs? Suggestions? Concerns? On a scale of 1-4 (1 being not at all, 4 being absolutely) how strongly would you recommend another World Race team go to this ministry location & why?

People’s Opinions

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Accommodation Specifics

Accommodation Specifics in Cape Maclear, Malawi – Debrief Location
Occupancy (how many people can stay comfortably)? Room layout (how many per room)? Restroom info (toilets, showers, etc.) Also list any extra accommodations / amenities, such as but not limited to: free Wi-Fi, paid Wi-Fi, free drinking water, sheets included, hot water, swimming pool, bar, lockers in dorm, etc.

People’s Opinions

  1. They have plenty of room and were in the process of finishing probably 15 more rooms that hold 2 people each while we were there. They were set behind the restaurant. They have a really nice pool. It is not huge but great to sit and relax in while looking over the lake. You do have to pay for wifi but airtel has data that works in the area. Hot water is in some of the rooms but not all. Every room does have a working shower and toilet….if it isn’t they will fix it super fast.
  2. The rooms at Thumbi View hold anywhere from 2-6 people. Some of the rooms have bunk beds, some have queen beds, some have twin beds. You could easily sleep on sleeping pads on the floor.They have flushing toilets and running water. Some of the rooms have hot water for showers. You can buy wifi there, and Chris and Noleen provided drinking water for us. There is also a bar where you can buy sodas and snacks. They are right on the beach so you can go swimming anytime!

Lodging

Lodging in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Where did you stay? What were the accommodations (sleeping arrangements, toilets, showers, etc.)? Cost (per person per night in USD), Contact info.

People’s Opinions

  1. This place is incredible. Im not logistics, so I don’t know the price deets. It was under construction when we were there. So half of us were in the back house area with half finished rooms, which was fine, but there was no hot water. Rooms were still nice though and beds were comfy with mosquito nets provided. Mentors and SQLs stayed in a separate house which was super nice. They provided us breakfast and dinner, both which were great and dinner was buffet style!!! The pool was just finished before we got there so that was a great amenity and they also have a fire pit which is really fun to have worship around. They also had free kayaks. The hosts are INCREDIBLE and friendly and accommodating and have hosted many WR teams before. Can’t get much better than here for debrief.
  2. We had the same experience at Thumbi View Lodge! Would absolutely recommend. Chris and Noleen are amazing, and they’ve had tons of experience with WR teams. Generations of racers have stayed there for debrief. We have a squad of 50, all of whom stayed in the rooms, as well as 3 SQLs, 2 coaches and 1 squad mentor who were all able to stay in the house.
  3. Absolutely go to Thumbi View Lodge. Chris and Noleen are AWESOME!! They love having Racers there. They have great food and really nice comfortable rooms. You can buy wifi there that works pretty well. They charged us $12pp per night, and that included breakfast and dinner.They also have a house that can be used to house squad leaders, mentors and coaches. It isn’t air conditioned, but if you are doing a debrief in Cape Maclear it’s a nice set up for coaches/mentor because it has space for them to meet with teams and it keeps them nearby but still separate.
  4. Thumbi View LodgeCan accommodate entire squads and is at a beautiful location right on the lake.World Race Discount:Lodging – $6 per personBreakfast – $2 per personDinner – $4 per personTalk to Noleen at info@thumbiviewlodge.comhttp://thumbiviewlodge.com/They love having WR squads here and have felt super encouraged by Racers. Please stay here!

Debrief Location Specifics

Debrief Location Specifics in Cape Maclear, Malawi – Debrief Location
Did your team debrief at this facility or elsewhere? What space did you use? Suggestions/recommendations. Contact info if applicable.

People’s Opinions

  1. Thumbi View has enough space to have sessions and 1-on-1s on their property.

Food / Meals

Food / Meals in Cape Maclear, Malawi
What did you eat? Where did you get the food? Cost (per person per day in USD)? Contact info (if applicable).

People’s Opinions

  1. Breakfast and lunch were provided. Breakfast usually eggs and toast and instant coffee or tea is included. Dinner was buffet style. Most of us upgraded our coffee in the mornings to a huge french press for cheap. Thumbi view runs off a tab basis which is super convenient. There are tons of beach restaurants for lunch or you can buy things like avocados, PB, eggs on the street. You can also pre-order lunch at Thumbi in the morning if you want to eat there.
  2. We also paid $12pp for lodging which included both breakfast and dinner! They would rotate breakfast option everyday and dinner was all the same (we at buffet style).They are also able to cook for Vegetarians and Vegans if you ask!We ordered lunch at breakfast time so that they can be prepared to cook for the masses. There are also restaurants all over the place near the Lodge. We walked down on the first day, introduced ourselves and what we were here for, and asked their preference for large groups. Most places asked that we walk down to their place and order/pay right after breakfast as well.Mgoza has LOTS of vegetarian/vegan options!
  3. We ate breakfast and dinner at Thumbi View, and they cooked some awesome meals for us. It was included in our lodging price of $12pp.For lunch we gave each person their extra money for the day and everyone went to various lodges around the area. Chris and Noleen helped us organize orders so that the food was ready when Racers had lunch time, otherwise it would have taken hours for them to cook the food.A really good place nearby is Thomas’ lodge. They have awesome chicken curry. Cape Mac Lodge has the best ice cream, definitely worth it. Another place is Mphipe Lodge next door, which is a great place to sit at and drink coffee or tea.

Transportation

Transportation in Cape Maclear, Malawi
What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.

People’s Opinions

  1. The lodge offers airport transfers for $120 USD (payable in Kwatcha)

Medical

Medical in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Information on local hospitals / doctors / pharmacies. Where would someone go in a medical emergency? (addresses and contact info).

People’s Opinions

  1. There is an Irish clinic in Cape Maclear, and the doctors and staff speak English. The doctors are knowledgeable and it’s efficient, unless you need x-rays. They don’t have much machinery. There are no private rooms or drinking water.

Communication

Communication in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?

People’s Opinions

  1. There is WIFI at the lodge that you can buy. Airtel has service in Cape Maclear

Financial

Financial in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Location of banks or ATMs, notes about transaction fees, best places to exchange money, and other money related advice.

People’s Opinions

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Translators

Translators in Cape Maclear, Malawi
List any local translators – name and contact information, languages spoken

People’s Opinions

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Off Days / Fun Activities

Off Days / Fun Activities in Cape Maclear, Malawi
What activities did your team experience? Recommendations? List locations/contact info. Any locations to be avoided? Any extra safety tips for off days?

People’s Opinions

  1. Kayaks at Thumbi and you can have them for as long as you want. You can rent snorel gear on the street for super cheap and snorkel around the island across the lake. Our whole squad did a snorkel trip to the island across the lake which was fun to do together. We took 2 boats over together and they made us lunch (which was spaghetti sandwiches lol) and provided snorkel gear. We chilled on the beach for around 2 hours and on the way back they fed the eagles. We did a sunset catamaran ride one night with a group of around 15. This was one of my favorite activities I’ve done on the race so far. We brought speakers and they let us fill up a cooler and we danced and hung out on the boat for a few hours. It was an absolute blast and really fun to do with a big group of friends. And the sunset is incredible. We hiked the mountain behind the lodge. It’s part of the national park. I think you were supposed to pay entry fee but we never saw anyone at the gate so we got in for free. If you are up for it, sunrise hike is absolutely worth it. We got up at 3:00am with headlamps and did the hike. It’s a pretty difficult and strenuous hike and takes a few hours but absolutely worth it. Make sure you have a map or know exactly where you are going because trail markers are virtually nonexistent and we got super super lost. Don’t do the loop like the map says, just go down the same way you went up.
  2. Noleen set up a snorkeling trip for us that was only $5 a person. It was a half day and it included lunch, snorkeling, and a boat ride around to see the wild eagles. It was awesome!You can also rent kayaks through Thumbi View, and it’s fun to walk around the beach and the market.

Other Important Contacts

Other Important Contacts in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Additional ministry opportunities, local pastors, etc. Relationship & follow up suggestions

People’s Opinions

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Tips

People’s Opinions

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Additional Info

Additional Info in Cape Maclear, Malawi
Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?

People’s Opinions

  1. There are ZERO ATMs in Cape Maclear!! Make sure you pull all necessary funds out before you get there!
  2. Apparently there are parasites in Lake Malawi. They’re not deadly, but you will need to take parasite meds (that you can get at any pharmacy without a prescription) 3 months after your last swim.