Activities in Nkhata Bay

Meet our Community in Nkhata Bay!

Nkhata Bay’s Tour Guide
& Cavers Association

We are the Carvers and Guides Association, proud members of the Tonga tribe. Our group shares culture, skills, and way of life with visitors, creating fair, inclusive opportunities in our community. We take visitors on tours to places like tea and macadamia plantations, offer traditional tours, and run multi-day trips that give a real taste of village life. Many are carvers and artists, and we teach workshops in wood carving, drum making, and jewelry making using recycled materials like old trumpets and copper pipes. We care deeply about our community and our environment and include environmental education in our activities. We’re working with youth, disabled people, elders, and encouraging more women to join our association. We have include women in our association and encourage more to join training through youth groups and community networking. Our work brings people together and helps protect the traditions and nature we’re so proud of!

Monkey Business

Explore Lake Malawi with Monkey Business, Nkhata Bay’s top adventure outfit. Paddle in two-man kayaks or canoes on guided half-day ($20 pp), full-day ($35 pp), or multi-day trips ($60 pp/day), with all gear and meals included on longer tours.
Head south to Dambo Hideaway and Kande Beach, camping on remote beaches and cooking fresh fish over open fires. Or venture north to Lion’s Cave, meet local villagers, and discover Ruarwe’s waterfalls and Usisya’s underwater swim-throughs.
Whether you’re after a short paddle or a week-long expedition, Monkey Business offers a fun, eco-friendly way to experience the lake—while supporting local guides and communities.
Kayak hire also available: $10 pp/day

Supporting Local Women

Professional Massages-
Butter Space Women’s Group-Enjoy a professional massage from fully trained therapists, who learned skills through expert training by volunteers at Butterfly Space. Their services are available to guests any day of the week. Please inform Butterfly Reception if you would like to book, in advance. Please note, our therapists don’t speak English, so it is important to communicate health issues or requests with our reception team before your massage.
Tour Guide Association- Gift Njikho provides massages. Book in advance through the Tour Guide Association.

Tailors- Discover the skilled local tailors of Nkhata Bay, creating custom-made clothing with vibrant Malawian fabrics. Whether you want something new or need repairs, they offer affordable, fast, and friendly service… perfect for a unique souvenir or everyday wear.

Peanut Butter Making Workshops– Make delicious home-made peanut butter to gift your friends and family, through this enriching cultural exchange activity with Halima at her family home in Kakumbi Village, just 15 minutes walking from Nkhata Bay town centre WhatsApp her on +265 997 860 226

Aqua Africa

Aqua Africa Scuba Diving School is located in Nkhata Bay, right across the bay from Butterfly. The Bay is legendary amongst divers to Africa, for its crystal-clear warm water and its array of tropical fish. It is home to hundreds of species found nowhere else on earth. If you haven’t dived before – check out their options for beginners in the PADI Courses section of their website. Their night dives are claimed to be one of the most unique diving experiences on the planet. Prices start from just $55.
Call Craig on +265 999 92 14 18
Or email divemalawi@gmail.com for more information and to book your diving adventure!

Other Activities

Motorbike Tours and Honey farm visits with Honeyman- a local entrepreneur running a honey farm at the foot of Bungulu Mountain, producing raw, natural honey while helping preserve the forest. He offers guided hikes through his jungle farm, sharing insights into traditional beekeeping, with stunning views from the mountain. His delicious honey and peanut butter are available to buy. Honeyman also rents out a motorbike, offers motorbike tours and lessons, and leads trips to the remote ‘Hidden Waterfall’—a beautiful, little-known spot with a small hydropower station. Hike tours start at just $10 per person. Contact him via WhatsApp at +265 897 4358 71 for bookings.

Sunshine Tours offer boat trips, fishing trips, sunset cruises with cocktails, along with camping trips and hikes! Contact Lyman for first class hospitality, on +265 883 074 600

Adventure North was created by Butterfly Space, reaching out to our neighboring lodges—lucky for us, we were already friends! So why visit just one lodge? Plan a journey through all of them and discover everything Northern Malawi has to offer.

If you would like more information on the lodge(s) you are staying at you can visit their site to hear about their journey and the amazing projects they have been up to!

You can find us at

Adventurenorth@gmail.com

PHONE NUMBER

202-555-0188

LOCATION

Northern Malawi