Nkwichi Lodge
Lake Niassa

Nkwichi Lodge is a small and very special eco lodge secluded within the Manda Wilderness Conservation Area on the Mozambique shoreline of Lake Malawi, known locally as Lake Niassa. Set on a stunningly soft white sand beach (nkwichi translates as 'squeaky', as the sand is so clean and fine it squeaks when you walk on it barefoot), the lodge accommodates just 14 guests in wonderfully unique dwellings comprising 6 chalets and 2 houses (good for groups and families), each hidden between granite boulders and thick woodland. They come with wide verandahs, en-suites bathrooms with bathtubs carved out of the surrounding rock (bathe by candlelight as you stargaze) and giant four-poster beds fashioned from gnarled tree trunks and built by hand by local villagers. Nkwichi prides itself on practicing responsible tourism and by staying at the lodge guests are contributing to nature and the development of the community.

The communal building of the lodge is a glorious double story thatched structure with an open-plan layout and soaring views of the lake; this is where the dining room and bar are located. However, food at Nkwichi Lodge is served wherever and whenever guests would like. There is no TV or swimming pool – why would you need one when you have the gin-clear waters of Africa ’s 3rd largest fresh water lake just meters from every chalet, teaming with a kaleidoscopic array of fish…

Your days here can be spent relaxing on the beautiful beach or taking to the lake to go snorkelling (there are up to 1,000 different species of fish in the lake!), canoeing, fishing, on a sailing trip or stand up paddle-boarding. On dry land you can visit a local village, go hiking, or have picnics on deserted beaches. For an extra magical and romantic night, the lodge has a ‘Lake of Stars’ Bed, where you can sleep out under the stars on a secluded beach – spellbinding!

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.
Bill Bryson