The Challenge

For your chance to see ActionAid's HIV and AIDS work first-hand join Mission Malawi 5! You will meet and talk to the people you are helping and learn about their lives, their challenges and their successes. You will endure a real physical challenge as you cycle through stunning areas of Malawi, meet local people along the way and do this together with a team of motivated supporters who have been training and preparing for the challenge.

Itinerary

Sat 12 May: London / Lilongwe
Overnight flight from London to Lilongwe.

Sun 13 May: Lilongwe
Upon arrival in Malawi's capital city, we will transfer by minibus to our hotel. We'll be able to spend the rest of the day relaxing, acclimatising and exploring the city a little before enjoying a meal with our team-mates.

Mon 14 May: Lilongwe / Nkhoma Mission
This morning we'll visit an ActionAid project in the local area before transferring to the starting point for the cycling (tbc). This first day on the bike is a relatively gentle start, taking us south towards the Dedza Highlands on a mixture of dirt and tarmac roads, passing through some friendly villages and idyllic pine forests. We'll stay overnight in the grounds of the beautiful Nkoma Mission – a hospital founded more than 120 years ago.

Tue 15 May: Nkhoma Mission / Dedza
From Nkoma we'll continue our cycle to the town of Dedza, travelling through quite densely populated areas which are dedicated to intensive farming of maize, tobacco and cassava. This is the highest town in Malawi, and Dedza mountain forms the backdrop to the famous Dedza Pottery, where we'll spend the night.

Wed 16 May: Dedza / Mua Mission
Leaving Dedza in the morning, we'll spend the first couple of hours cycling towards the edge of the plateau and the Golomoti Pass – an exciting descent into the Great Rift Valley. Just over halfway down, we'll fork off northwards and onto a dirt road heading towards the town of Salima. We'll spend the night at the beautiful Mua Mission - a Catholic Church which also boasts a centre for wood carvings and masks portraying the spiritual mythology of Malawi.

Thu 17 May: Mua Mission / Phirilongwe Forest Reserve
Today is the longest day of cycling on the whole trip, so we'll need to make an early start. Covering 85km on dirt roads, we head southwards and inland towards the Phirilongwe Forest Reserve which was, until recently, a home to Malawi's largest elephant herd. The terrain includes a few hill climbs to test our endurance, but we'll camp in the cool shade of the trees.

Fri 18 May: Phirilongwe Forest Reserve / Nanchengwa Lodge
There's a treat in store at the end of today's 50km cycle: Lake Malawi!! We ride north out of the forest towards the welcoming waters of Africa's third largest lake, where we'll spend the night camping on the beach at Nanchengwa Lodge. It's a mixture of dirt roads and tarmac on today's ride, but once you get your first view of the lake, all your soreness and tiredness will magically ebb away!

Sat 19 May: Nanchengwa Lodge / Funwe Farm
Today, we leave the lake behind us temporarily and head back inland along one of the country's main roads. The last 8km of the ride is on rough dirt track as we head towards Funwe Farm, where we'll spend the night camping in the bush. Situated at the foot of Funwe Hill, the farm is in a very under-developed area where the local people, especially women, have limited opportunities. This project aims to improve the social and economic development of the area by boosting employment, diversifying crops, improving food security and protecting the environment.

Sun 20 May: Funwe Farm / Cape Maclear
Today is the final leg of our bike ride, which takes us out of the bush and back towards Lake Malawi. From Funwe Farm, we head north on mostly dirt roads towards Cape Maclear in the Lake Malawi National Park – the world's first freshwater national park. Once we arrive in this bustling village, we'll finish our amazing journey with a fun team relay cycle race involving some of the local villagers, before spending our final night together at Mgoza Lodge.

Mon 21 May: Cape Maclear / Lilongwe
This morning, those who opt to head home will leave Cape Maclear and be driven back to Lilongwe, stopping en route to visit an ActionAid project in the Salima area. For those taking the optional extension, please see your separate itinerary.

Tue 22 May: Lilongwe / London
Transfer to the airport for the return flight to the UK.

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