Trip Preparation
Trips to Mulanje and other areas are organised by the Club for members and guests on many weekends throughout the year. MCM committee members and key keepers generally lead these, but all experienced members are encouraged to be leaders. Planned trips are advertised on the MCM web site, and for members, in the club’s Newsletter and through email reminders.
If you choose to join a trip, then you need to contact the leader at least a week in advance Depending on the number of participants, meals and transport could be shared. These organised outings are a great way for new members to build their confidence on new routes, to visit different huts and to make new friends.
If you decide that you would like to lead your own trip up Mulanje, then there are a number of aspects that you will need to attend to. The following hints will help you organise your trip.
Bookings – It is best to register with InfoMulanje the hut(s) that you wish to visit although you cannot formally book accommodation – “mountain rules” apply and anyone arriving at a hut will not be turned away! However, by registering your plan you allow others to also plan their trips; this is particularly important for large groups. Contact infoMulanje by telephone on 01 466 466, emailing infomulanje@sdnp.org.mw or stopping by their office in Chitikale. Guides and porters can also be arranged at the same time.
Guide for Trips up Mulanje – To help members and visitors remember their responsibilities, we have prepared a One page summary of do’s and don’ts for when they take a key, visit Mulanje and use the huts and MCM stores.
Stores Key – The most vital thing to get before you leave for your trip is the MCM stores key so don’t forget it!
Checklist – it is very easy even for experienced hikers to forget bits and bobs. To help you make sure you have everything for a comfortable trip we have prepared the following checklist.
Hut Form – Download the Payment and stores inventory form or ask your key keeper for a copy, the top half of which (Forestry and Club fees) should be completed before departure. Your party’s number or nights-up may change and these adjustments can be made once you return the key and finalise the fees payment. The bottom half of this form is a stores’ inventory table, which you should complete before leaving the hut.
The Hut Stores – The advantage of being a club member is that there is no need to carry cooking and other basic equipment. All huts have a locked store where all essential items are kept in good order for members to use. It is the responsibility of the trip leader to release items and ensure that everything is returned in a clean state. This system has operated effectively for many years due to the good faith and thoughtful consideration of all the members. Stores are maintained with the assistance of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust. This does still require the diligence of members to complete the stores’ report section of the form so that MMCT receives our constant feedback. To ensure that the club stores are comprehensively stocked, please check with MMCT before you start your trip whether you can assist by taking up any items.
Going Up
If you’re planning a new route up Mulanje, ensure that you have a clear understanding from experienced members of how to get to the base from which you are to climb before you start off. There are clear, informative road signs around the mountain, but it is best not to rely totally on them. It will help your planning if you know approximately how long the journey will take and the likely road conditions, especially in the rainy season. Always set off with plenty of time to arrive at your starting point and complete the climb without having to rush unduly.
If you are starting off from one of the Forestry Department offices, inform the officer on duty that you are a MCM member, which is easily done by showing them your MCM stores key. You should not pay any Forestry entry or accommodation fees to the officer as these are combined with the club fees and paid to your key keeper. The Club Treasurer compiles a list of MCM members’ visits to Mount Mulanje on a regular basis and remits the total amount then to the Department of Forestry.
Selecting your porters needs clear understanding of some basic procedures. At all bases there is a roster system; at Forestry Department offices this will be organised by them, and at the other bases the porters themselves will organise it. Please do not select your own porters as this will antagonise the others who will be patiently waiting their turn. Should you wish to take a guide then you may select one directly yourself depending on your area of interest.
The guide and porters should be given a third of the total trip amount payable immediately (see current rates) so that they can quickly buy food – but stress to them that they need to be quick. Before you start, get their name(s) from their ID card(s) to record on the hut form and clearly establish how you want them to work for you. Should you have any trouble with a porter or a guide who, for instance, tries to extort money for some seemingly important reason, is inebriated, or causes any other problems, then please report this on your inventory and payment form.
Leaving and Going Down
Before locking the stores up, please ensure that all items that have been used are washed and dried and replaced tidily back into the stores. This includes kettles, which must be washed after use. Please do not put dirty tea towels back into the store – have them washed and dried first!
Please check that the four mattresses for general use of other visitors are left outside the store but that all others are put back in the store. Non-perishable food should be left in rat-proof containers and any other useful items such as candles and matches would also be a welcome addition to the stores.The list of the main items listed on the inventory and payment form should then be completed and a note made if there is anything else important missing or broken, that requires replacement. Any damage or repairs necessary to the hut should be noted as well as any evidence of rats around. Please write your party details and comments in the MCM logbook that is in the stores.
Once you have locked up the stores, the watchman will probably ask you to sign his Forestry Department visitor’s book. This serves as a record of hut visits. There is no need for you to pay the watchman for any Forestry Entry or Hut fees. However, you should tip the him for looking after your party. MK1000 for a small group per night is a reasonable amount.
Before walking down, once again clarify with your porters what you expect of them on the way down. Would you like them to walk with you or wait for you at the bottom? On many routes there are many pleasant pools to swim in and these are good points to touch base with the porters on your climb down.
Once you reach your vehicle, settle the remaining payment with the porters who have assisted you. Both good and bad service should be noted on the inventory and payment form. It is also a courtesy to tip the watchman who has looked after your car an amount of about MK500 per night.
Back Home
Once down from the mountain, it is essential that you inform friends and family that you have returned to your vehicle and/or home successfully and safely. As well as setting their minds at rest, this should avoid the alarm being raised and search and rescue teams being sent out expensively and unnecessarily.
As soon as possible after your trip, you should return your inventory and payment form and stores key to the appropriate key keeper. This allows them to keep track of the key, and for the club, Forestry and MMCT to get timely feedback. Settle any balance you have for your trip with the key keeper. As stated before, MCM will be billed by the Forestry Department for each person who visits the mountain.
Should you have seen anything of particular concern or interest, please report this directly to MMCT or a MCM committee member so that it can receive the appropriate attention.
Mountain Safety
Like any mountain, Mulanje is a rugged place where accidents often happen and it can be very dangerous in bad weather. Many tragedies and injuries have occurred on the mountain that could have been avoided, so don’t be complacent and respect your trip leader’s decisions. Always stick to these ten golden rules:
- NEVER, EVER CLIMB ALONE. A party of at least four is ideal, and do take a guide or porter if your party is small. Guides and porters are readily available and inexpensive on Mulanje and strongly advised if it’s your first time on the mountain, whatever your experience.
- Choose a route within the experience, ability and fitness of your group. Have a good look at the information on this site and elsewhere, and take advice locally before you decide what to do. Be honest about what you all want to do: it’s supposed to be an enjoyable experience, after all!
- Use a guidebook, map and compass (and GPS if you have one) and preferably go with someone who knows the way. Conditions on Mulanje can change rapidly, with sudden mists and storms that limit visibility severely. Always keep track of your position and be prepared to retreat safely.
- Ensure that at least one group member has a fully charged cell phone and preferably one for each service provider in Malawi. Coverage on Mulanje is patchy, and you should definitely not rely on getting through in the event of an accident.
- Always go well prepared (food, clothes and equipment) for bad, cold and wet weather. People have died on the mountain because they set off in sunshine and weren’t prepared for sitting out bad conditions. Consider taking some cheap survival bags.
- Tell someone your daily plan of where you’re going and when you’re coming back, and stick to it. Officials at the base of Mulanje and the hut watchmen will expect you to tell them in writing what your party intends to do. You should always leave a copy of your plans in the hut, and tell others who you meet on the mountain what they are.
- Travel at the pace of the slowest member of the group and attend to any foot problems at an early stage. You must agree to travel as a group, especially if you’re not used to travelling together. Change your plan if necessary so that group members don’t get over-tired, and that you all remain in good condition.
- NEVER SPLIT UP and go in different directions. The terrain on Mulanje is frequently difficult, and it’s extremely hard to find a lost individual. If you need to recce a short distance ahead, set a time limit and keep in touch constantly. Consider taking whistles for communication.
- Don’t push on into the unknown. Take note of your trail so that you can retrace your steps if you get lost. See Point 3, above. There are large-scale maps in all the Mulanje huts that are good for planning purposes. Identify the main features on it and, if necessary, make a sketch of your intended route to help you keep track of your position.
- If you are unsure of what to do next, then find shelter from the weather and stay put until it is clear. A reasonably well-equipped group can survive for several days in the relative safety of a cave or sheltered area. Most accidents happen when people try to get down in poor conditions and get lost on unfamiliar or dangerous ground.
Environmental Do’s and Don’ts
Mulanje is a special place that needs your sensitive thought to maintain its natural beauty. As a MCM member, you also have a role to sensitise others to appreciate this and to guide their actions to be more considerate.
Fire – is very destructive to the mountain’s habitats and great care should be taken to avoid starting them. Should you come across a wild fire and are able to reduce its impact, at your own risk have a go at putting it out!
Firewood – use only what you need to cook and keep you warm as wood use obviously impacts the forests and also has to be fetched from a considerable distance at some huts. Be aware that large fireplace fires in the past have caused the destruction of huts.
Rubbish – burn what can be burnt, bury biodegradable waste, and carry off the mountain what should be disposed of elsewhere. We should try to keep what doesn’t belong on the mountain off it. If you see litter along the paths and trails, feel free to pick this up and carry it off the mountain.
Rivers – it is a great experience to enjoy swimming in the pools on the mountain. Please avoid the use of detergents and soap in the rivers as there are many who rely on this water downstream for drinking and household purposes.
Insecticides – there are no malaria-carrying mosquitoes on the mountain so there is no need to use insecticides.
Exotic plants – we have a problem with invasive exotics on the mountain such as pines, eucalypts, Himalayan raspberries, and even Ma Brown’s foxgloves… In South Africa they’re called ‘aliens’ and, if you are so inclined, you are welcome to destroy them wherever you find them! But please ensure that you’ve identified them correctly first!
Mountain Club of Malawi 