Lake of Stars has been hosted all over Lake Malawi - from Chintheche Inn in the north to Sunbird Nkopola in the south. In 2019 we were tucked away in the Nkhata Bay district on Malawi’s tropical northern lake shore, at Kachere Kastle - a stunning lodge built in the style of a Moroccan castle, set on rolling white sands by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Malawi. The perfect place to relax and disconnect from everyday life. For the future we are open to all ideas and are looking for venue hosts in Malawi - contact us if you would like to host the Lake of Stars Festival at your lodge: sharmila@lakeofstars.org
Malawi is a beautiful and vibrant country in southern eastern Africa, sitting between Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. The Great Rift Valley runs the whole way through the country and it encompasses one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Due to its laid-back and friendly inhabitants, Malawi is known as the Warm Heart of Africa and has so much to offer to visitors; wildlife, culture, adventure, scenery and stunning beaches strung along the shores of Lake Malawi.
Malawi's main international travel hub is Kamuzu International airport in the capital city Lilongwe. Blantyre’s Chileka International Airport also receives international flights. Bus companies such as Intercape run from regional capital cities to Malawi.
Kachere Kastle, the home of Lake of Stars Discovery, is on the northern lakeshore in Nkhata Bay district, around 4-5 hours drive from Lilongwe. Kamuzu International airport is the closest airport. We recommend hiring a car or booking a private taxi transfer to get to the site.
Malawi on the Map are running a transfer service between Lilongwe and the festival, contact: malawionthemapmw@gmail.com / +265 (0) 994 287 338. Anna’s Car Rentals have a variety of vehicles to hire, contact reservations@annascarrentals.com / + 265 (0) 999 268 571
Lake Malawi offers some of the best freshwater scuba diving in the world, from the clouds of colourful cichlids to large catfish and the aptly named dolphin fish. For complete beginners, it’s one of the cheapest countries to learn how to dive. And there are plenty of other water sports on offer around the lake from sailing, snorkelling, and kayaking to jet skiing and speedboat rides!
On dry land, there’s numerous ways to get active, from fantastic walking and hiking options, to cycling, horse riding at Kande Horse and other sports activities. Cultural visits to local villages and participation in community projects are also widely available and offer a chance to see a different side to life in Malawi.
There are nine National Parks and Wildlife Reserves criss crossing the length of Malawi which offer some fantastic wildlife experiences. Traditional safaris in open-topped 4x4 vehicles, walking safaris, and boat safaris are all on offer. Although wildlife viewing is still not in the same league as some of it's neighbours, Malawi is is in the middle of a wildlife revolution with investment in a number of of its protected areas resulting in a boom in wildlife numbers and, so far, two of its parks, Liwonde and Majete, becoming home to the ‘Big 5’.
A remarkable number and variety of species of birds can also be found across Malawi, with the highlands, wetlands and parks and reserves hotspots for birdspotting. For those visitors keen to make an even more positive difference to Malawi’s conservation efforts, there are also opportunities to get involved in Conservation Volunteer Projects.