Njaya Lodge

It’s a bit secluded, which we actually liked. The village is a 30-35 minute walk with some hills, and we managed it easily. Private cars that act as taxis can take you back for a few MKW if you want to go into the village. The location is the main draw, especially if you get a bungalow right by the lake. Ours was a white bungalow on the hill, with a Greek village by the sea kind of feel. There’s plenty to do on site: a lovely terrace bar above the lake, snooker, dinner with a lake view, and a small amphitheater with a few nice activities, including a singer. Wi-Fi is free, card payments worked without a problem, and there was hot water. There’s no pool yet, though a sign says one is planned, and we didn’t miss having one. The bathrooms were okay by Malawi standards. Food service was slow, but it was a busy night, so that may have been the reason. The staff were friendly and helpful. For the setting alone, it’s worth staying here.

Dixon was great, and I really liked the place overall. He’s a great operations manager.

The lake views are lovely, and the servers were welcoming and nice. I came for a day visit and enjoyed the getaway. You pay Mk5,000 per person to enter, but can put that toward a drink or meal. The posted food price was 25,000, which felt too high to me. It had no taste, and the chips were almost burnt.

The rooms were clean and really nice, and the staff kept checking in to see if we were all right. They even helped us cross the lake. The place is so beautiful it’s hard to take in. It feels like a seaside villa in Spain or a Greek island, though we were in Malawi and looking at a lake.