Extraordinary Africa>Malawi>Lake Malawi>Chintheche Inn
Chintheche Inn is a simple and friendly lodge with a lovely location on the northern shores of Lake Malawi.
What’s Chintheche Inn really like?
As one of the longer standing lodges on the lake shore, Chintheche has snaffled a gorgeous spot, with distant mountains towering behind and sandy beaches along clear lake waters in front. The lodge is long and low, with verandahs overlooking the lawn and the lake, and cheerful, slightly nautical décor. The nine standard guest rooms are in bungalow style blocks outside and include one family room. Chintheche is not a deluxe option- the rooms are simple, but comfortable enough, with tiled floors, whitewashed walls, and functional ensuite bathrooms. The newer luxury rooms are larger, a little more stylish and overlook the lake. There’s a lounge, a bar and a restaurant serving food that’s plentiful and wholesome, though not gourmet. You can normally find some wifi in the main area of the lodge too, though we’d stress that guests should not expect the sorts of speeds or reliability they’re used to at home.
What can I do at Chintheche Inn?
While most travelers associate snorkeling with the ocean, Lake Malawi actually has some rather wonderful snorkeling with a huge array of brightly coloured ciclids to be spotted – Chintheche provides snorkeling equipment. Around 20 minutes drive away there is also a scuba diving centre. As an aside, we must mention that you should always take local advice on bilharzia when swimming in African lakes, but we have swum in Lake Malawi ourselves with no ill effects and would be delighted to do so again! Unusually for the lodges on the lake shore, Chintheche does have a pool if you are concerned about this. The lodge also has kayaks, mountain bikes, and horse riding can be arranged nearby for an extra fee. One of the things we’ve always loved about Malawi is the people, and should you be similarly charmed, it’s also possible to arrange a guided tour of one of the local villages from Chintheche.
Giving back at Chintheche:
The owners of Chintheche are committed to Malawi and a contribution from your stay goes towards helping to improve the long term future of Malawi’s people and its gorgeous natural environment. Chintheche plays host to Children in the Wilderness – a week long camp where local children come to stay at the lodge for conservation and environmental education. Chintheche is also the base for the “Root to Fruit” nursery planting indigenous trees to help with reforestation.
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