36 Hours in Lilongwe
w. 18 | Or maybe 48 hours and 45+ months...
For the past four years, my family has lived in Lilongwe, Malawi – a city and country we knew little about before moving here. When we moved ~8,000 miles from our home in the United States, we knew one person: Grace, an Atlas Corps alumna I met in Washington, D.C. back in 2014, who, along with her husband, made us feel like we were already home in Lilongwe as soon as we arrived. They welcomed us, lent us furniture while we waited for our shipment, and introduced us to their own friends and family. I hope I can be as friendly and helpful for others as they were, and are, for our family.
Now, we’re packing up again – this time for Senegal! My remote, portfolio career (right now consisting of work with CorpsAfrica, teaching career development with Pepperdine University, and hosting job search workshops) is coming with us, and my husband will continue working with his company for a few more months as we figure out what’s next.
Moving to a new country without a network or a clear picture of the local scene can be overwhelming. As we prepare to leave Malawi and anticipate finding ourselves in a similar situation in Senegal, I found myself collecting resources for the family moving into our home and realized others might find them useful too.
Inspired by the New York Times “36 Hours” series, I decided to create my own guide for Lilongwe. And for those staying longer than 36 hours, say, 36 months or more, I’ve added extra resources at the end to help you settle in and make Malawi home, whether for a season or a lifetime.
I’ve also created a Google Maps list with my favorite spots pinned – the places we loved, visited often, and can personally recommend. Malawi has so much to offer; I’m excited to share a piece of it with you.
Friday
2 p.m. | Meal with a mission
Kick off your weekend with a late lunch at Kaza Kitchen, where the food is as heartwarming as the mission. If you’re lucky, a musician will be set up and you can listen to their tunes, the birds, and watch butterflies flit around the indoor/outdoor space while eating my favorite dishes: ramen soup or the halloumi and greens quesadilla. If you come more than once, Tshidi, the manager, will know your name and you’ll feel like you’re in an episode of Cheers! being filmed in Malawi :)
4:30 p.m. | Stay cool, Lilongwe-style
After lunch, head over to Goody’s Ice Cream. Taste what I think is the best ice cream in Malawi, though you’ll need to try the other local brands so you can engage in an informed debate with someone later on.
6:00 p.m. | Middle Eastern meal in Malawi
Throw your ice cream cup away (or finish your cone!) and stroll over to Orchid (they’re in the same compound as Goody’s) for dinner in a cozy garden with Edison bulb lights strung over the seating area. Cross your fingers that it’s a live music night and order a Blantyre Mule (Orchid’s twist on the Moscow Mule) while you wait for your scrumptious Persian meal.
Saturday
7:15 a.m. | Spin into your day
Get your blood pumping with an early morning spin class with Anthea. You’ll need to get added to her WhatsApp group and book ahead the week before - spots fill up fast!
9:30 a.m. | Good food and gossip
Catch up on your Lilongwe gossip with your spin classmates when you head to brunch at Coco’s at Koa. The road to the restaurant is getting repaved as I type so you won’t have any issues navigating potholes. Try my favorites: avocado toast with poached eggs and an iced coffee.
11:00 a.m. | Farmers' market finds
Wander through the Farmers’ Market at Woodlands, where you’ll find everything from organic produce to handwoven baskets. Try and time your visit to Lilongwe for the last Saturday of the month so you can experience the majority of Malawi’s craftspeople and sellers in one place. Settle in for a delicious Indian lunch and watch the monkeys scamper across the restaurant rooftops (or steal your food :) If you miss the last Saturday then go to August House for a smaller weekly market.
4 p.m. | Craft brews and bar games
Head over to Bumpy Road Brewing, Malawi’s only craft beer spot. Grab a table, sip a pale ale, Coca Cola, or homemade sangria, and soak up the sunset.
7 p.m. | Mexican night
End the day with dinner at La Cantina - the only place in town for Mexican food. Try one of the margaritas and order some hot churros with chocolate sauce!
Sunday
6:30 a.m. | Birds and breakfast
Wake up early for a private bird watching session with Isaac1 at Kumbali Country Lodge or the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre. Isaac is a treasure trove of knowledge on Malawi’s birdlife and whether you’re at Kumbali or the Wildlife Centre, you’ll feel like you’re on safari even though you’re still within Lilongwe city limits.
9:30 a.m. | Farm-to-table brunch
After your morning walk, settle in for brunch at The Farmer’s Daughter. Expect farm-fresh ingredients, beautiful outdoor seating, and some of the best food in town. You don’t have to plan to run into friends when you go - they’ll already be there :)
12 p.m. | Light lunch
Hopefully you’re hungry again! Head to Cup N' Roll in Four Seasons for a light lunch on your way out of town. If you stay through Sunday evening, you’ll catch live jazz.
1 p.m. | Shop with heart
Pop over to Kibebe and YEWO (both ensconced within the Four Seasons complex, along with Cup N’ Roll), two standout shops known for ethically made, beautiful Malawian goods. Whether you’re looking for jewelry, textiles, or gifts, you’ll find treasures you’ll want to take home (and you’ll have a hard time deciding what to keep and what to give to friends!).
Staying longer than 36 hours? You’ll want to know about the following people/places/things to settle into life in Malawi.
WhatsApp Groups/distribution lists to join: You’ll need to ask to be added to most of them (I’m happy to facilitate for as long as I’m a member :) I recommend joining as many as possible when you first arrive, archiving them so your WhatsApp inbox isn’t chaos, and then referencing them as needed.
Battle of Chefs Africa/Family Food Festival - next one is August 30 at BICC. Mark your calendars!
Movie Nights & Events - essential for knowing what’s happening around the city!
Anelia the Bagel Lady - join her WhatsApp broadcast to know what she’s selling each week, get deliveries, and be sure to check out her WhatsApp status updates to know what’s happening around town.
Lilongwe Ultimate Frisbee - they play every Sunday (and sometimes during the week) and have regular tournaments throughout the year with the team in Blantyre.
Utawaleza Book Club - I only attended one meeting (oops!) but wish I could have joined more. Super thoughtful and interesting group.
Groupie - for sharing random questions about life in Malawi and if you’re looking for obscure or not so obscure items.
For Sale Groups - if you want to buy or sell treasures.
Kids, dads & mums - hodgepodge of pediatric recommendations/advice and events for kiddos.
Spin Studio with Anthea - set a timer for Friday afternoons when she opens up a poll so you can sign up for her classes for the following week!
Friends of Kuti - fun wildlife reserve to visit not too far from Lilongwe. Charming A-frame cottages and lots of fun animals.
Household/2nd Hand Sales - for pre-loved items.
LSPCA (+265 995 02 78 15) - for anything animal related.
Activities: Message me/comment below and I’ll share their numbers with you so you can sign up for private lessons. All are wonderful with kids and adults!
Tennis with Acton or Prisca
Learn Chichewa with Austin
Piano with Priston
Personal training with Gracious
Travel Advice/Tour Guides: No need to plan everything yourself when you visit Malawi - check out the people/resources below to plan the perfect trip to the Warm Heart of Africa.
Kay de Silva: Warm Heart Adventures - amazing person. You’ll love traveling around Malawi with her.
Manjolo Travel - best Instagram/YouTube page with nearly every tourist spot in the country.
Photography: You won’t regret getting family photos (or updated headshots!) by either of the photographers below. I’ve used them all and love the images they’ve created.
What other businesses am I missing? What questions do you have about moving to, or living in, Malawi? Please share them in the comments below!
With love and lemons,
Jennifer
The WhatsApp group he leads is called TFD- Birding Saturday. Edit that his bird watching walks at Kumbali normally happen on Saturday, not Sunday. But I bet if you reach out to him you can arrange for a private walk at the Wildlife Centre!
The cake at Urban cafe... the halloumi sandwiches at Kaza! They are truly delicious. Reading this piece was a nice stroll down memory lane from my time in Lilongwe several years ago.
Nice job! In 1999, we put together the Lilongwe Super Terrific Fun Guide. We updated it for a few years until 'The Eye' magazine came out. There are soooooooo many hidden gems in Malawi!