May 7 2026 - Last Day Exploring Lilongwe Malawi Travel

Location: MalawiSummary:Today was my last full day in Lilongwe, Malawi, and I spent it wandering around the neighborhood to soak in more of the city. One thing that really stands out here is how properties are walled in — fancy ones and regular ones alike. Walls go up first, then security guards come with them. It gives an impression of safety, though you have to wonder why the walls are needed in the first place. That said, I consider Malawi a pretty safe place and had no issues walking around. At the local gas station, I learned something interesting: the fuel trucks come all the way from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, which is a journey of about 3 to 4 days. In the southern city of Blantyre, fuel might come from Beira in Mozambique, which is a bit closer at 1 to 2 days of travel. It really puts into perspective how challenging logistics can be in a landlocked country like Malawi. I also came across a foreign exchange bureau, which reminded me of how much of an adventure dealing with money is here. At the bank, you get about 1,700 kwacha for a US dollar and around 2,000 to 2,100 for a euro. But on the black market, you could get nearly twice that amount. The forex office offered a huge range of money transfer services — MoneyGram, Western Union, HelloPesa, Mukuru, RIA Money Transfer, Moto Money, Maura Money, and WorldRemit. That's a lot of options. For my part, I relied on ATMs and my Wise card to access cash, which worked well enough, though having extra cash on hand would have been ideal. By the end of a trip, though, you don't want to be stuck with too much local currency. In the evening, I met a delightful Swiss couple — a doctor and an engineer — who had just arrived and picked up a small 4WD with a rooftop tent. They were a little disappointed that the vehicle was so new, since they prefer older cars that draw less attention. For them it was their first night in Malawi, and for me it was the last. I was able to share tips and experiences that might help them on their journey, which made for a wonderful end to my time here.