Arrivals and Opening

Welcome to Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city! Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a representative at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers and learn about the exciting days to come.

Note: It is a long journey to Malawi (often at least a 24-hour journey from the East Coast). For those who would like to arrive a day early to settle in and rest up, we would be happy to arrange a pre-trip night at the hotel for you.

Overnight: Kumbali Lodge – Lilongwe

City Tour & Cooking Class

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning at your hotel and take in your beautiful surroundings; the hotel is situated on vast fields of banana trees that started with just 18 trees and quickly grew to a 28-hectare farm with over 60,000 plants.

Today you will spend a day exploring Lilongwe and getting grounded in the Malawian context. Start with a city tour of Lilongwe and visit the late President Kamuzu Banda Statue, drive around the government buildings of Capital Hill and New Peermont Presidential Hotel, then shop for handicrafts in Curio Market in the city center. Here you’ll walk through the narrow paths of the market among the bright, vibrant colors and textures of chitenje fabrics, handmade wooden carvings, paintings, and jewelry.

In the afternoon, you will have a Malawian Cooking Lesson, where you’ll discover the vibrant flavors of Malawi’s traditional cuisine. Immerse yourself in the art of preparing staple dishes like Nsima, a maize-based staple, and savory delights like Chambo fish. Our experienced chefs guide you through the intricate techniques, sharing the cultural significance of each ingredient, ensuring an authentic and enriching culinary experience.

You will return to the hotel in the late afternoon to have time to rest and freshen up before this evening’s group dinner.

Overnight: Kumbali Lodge – Lilongwe

Lunch & Learn with Shared Interest

Have a leisurely morning with a light breakfast at the hotel. In the early afternoon, you will have the opportunity to take part in a “lunch and learn” with stakeholders from Rise’s grantee Shared Interest. During the session, you will hear from individuals from different backgrounds who are involved in policy development and in removing the stigma of women’s economic participation and entrepreneurship in Malawi.

After meeting with Shared Interest, you will set out for a pottery or painting class at a local art studio. Get to know the Malawian culture through this hands-on art activity, and more deeply connect with the art and the people of Malawi.

In the evening, enjoy a group dinner in Lilongwe to unwind and process the day together.

Overnight: Kumbali Lodge – Lilongwe

AGE Africa Site Visit

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting off for a 2-hour drive to meet one of AGE Africa’s staff for lunch. You will then join one of AGE Africa’s after school programs at one of their partner schools. Creating Healthy Approaches to Success (CHATS) is an after-school life-skills program aimed at giving girls the skills and confidence to overcome social barriers. Participate in conversations, skits, and role plays led by the girls from the curriculum they helped create on leadership development, self-awareness, getting to know their bodies, and legal policy framework to protect from child marriage.

Drive back to Lilongwe this afternoon and reconvene for tonight’s group dinner.

Overnight: Kumbali Lodge – Lilongwe

Travel to Nkhata Bay

After breakfast this morning, you will check out from the hotel to transfer to Nkhata Bay, about a 5-6 hour drive. You’ll have plenty of stops along the way, in addition to stopping for lunch.

When you arrive you will check into the hotel, settle into your rooms, and have the afternoon to relax by the beach before coming together for dinner this evening.

Overnight: Sunbird Chintheche – Lake Malawi

Day of Leisure on Lake Malawi

Today will be a full day to relax and take part in activities around Lake Malawi. You can paddle a kayak out on the fresh waters of Lake Malawi, take a 1-hour hike up the nearby Chituka Mountain, or visit a fishing or cultural village to learn about the process of drying fish or making kondowole flour.

After your first full day on the shores of Lake Malawi, you’ll have a group dinner this evening.

Overnight: Sunbird Chintheche – Lake Malawi

Ripple Africa Site Visits

One day, you will learn about their cookstove project that Together Women Rise funded; providing 3,000 families with Changu Changu Moto clean cookstoves. Learn firsthand how the distribution of these cookstoves has empowered women in Ripple Africa’s community. This same day, you will also visit a preschool run by Ripple Africa and learn about the incredible impact of Ripple Africa’s education initiatives.

On your second day with Ripple Africa, you will learn about the organization’s newer agricultural initiatives. You will visit fruit tree farmers in Nkhata Bay to learn the technical side of this tree-planting project before meeting the women who received business operations and entrepreneurial skills training needed to run a successful fruit tree farm and livestock business. Hear how this project has helped them to raise money and what this source of income means for their families. Finish the visit with local songs and dancing.

Your hotel is a short drive away from Ripple Africa’s programming, and so you’ll start your days with breakfast at the hotel before setting off for your site visits. After a full day, you’ll return to the hotel to relax before tonight’s group dinner either at the hotel or a local restaurant.

Overnight: Sunbird Chintheche – Lake Malawi

Mooncatcher Site Visit

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then check out of the hotel. You will drive to Mzuzu for a visit with Together Women Rise’s grantee, MoonCatcher Project. One of MoonCatcher Project’s staff will meet you in Mzuzu to give an overview of their projects and their partner school that you’ll visit today. After the visit, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant nearby.

Check into to the hotel before tonight’s group dinner.

Overnight: Sunbird Mzuzu

Travel to Lilongwe

Soak up your last views of the lake before checking out from the hotel after breakfast. You will drive back to Lilongwe, about a 5-6 hour drive with stops and lunch along the way.

You will check into the hotel when you arrive in Lilongwe and have time to freshen up or explore Lilongwe on your own.

In the evening, come together for a final group Farewell Dinner to reflect on the incredible experiences you’ve had and inspiring people you’ve met over the past 10 days!

Overnight: Kumbali Lodge – Lilongwe

International Departures

Enjoy one final breakfast as a group today before parting ways. An airport transfer will be arranged for you depending on your departure time, whether you are returning home or continuing your travels in Malawi or neighboring countries.