Malawi / Zambia: Mumbo Island

This was the last stop on our journey. A very good last stop!

Mumbo Island is 10km off the mainland from Cape Mc Clear. It is eco friendly, with no electricity on the island and no flushing toilets. There are only cold water taps, the water is purified and safe to drink.

The accommodation is basic, but comfortable. Our tent wasn't really a tent, but more of a bamboo hut, perched on a rock facing east. We thought it was the best tent. There are only 5 two-sleeper tents on the island, 3 facing east and 2 facing west. There's also a family tent which is more child friendly, not being perched so high up. But it doesn't have a sea view, although it is a little more private. The family tent sleeps 4, so the official maximum on the island is 14 people.

Our tent was the one on the left

Each tent has an ablution area, with an outdoor bucket shower as well as a toilet with a sink inside a little room. The toilet, as mentioned before, is not one of the flushing variety. It has a normal toilet seat over a collection box, which is a dry composter. Once you've deposited your specimen, there is a basket of leaves and wood shavings next to the toilet, which is used as the "flush". You grab a handful of this and throw it in after your specimen. There is a vent, which is supposed to carry away the bad smells. The one and only less than pleasurable experience on Mumbo Island was the smell of the toilet at the end of the day. Early in the morning the smell has dissipated, as the vent has had enough time to work uninterrupted.

Edward, demonstrating how the bucket shower operates

Fortunately we didn't need to have cold showers. When you want a shower, you inform any one of the island staff, who will bring a bucket of hot water from the solar geyser and fill the bucket shower for you. I was surprised to find that one bucket of water was more than enough, even enough to wash hair. At night, solar lights are brought to the tent before dinner and each tent has a wind up lantern which can also double as a torch.

We arrived on the island around 12h00 and had enough time to appreciate the view from our tent and our hammock, before being called to lunch at13h00.

View from our tent

After lunch, the only logical option was to laze on the beach. Since we were two of 6 guests on the island on the day we arrived, there was no trouble getting a beach good spot.
I could go on boring with you with tales of the perfection of the island: the kayaking, the snorkeling, the sunset cruises, the pleasure of swimming in fresh water. The joy of falling asleep to the sound of water lapping against the rocks, waking up as the sun rises, swimming before breakfast. (Anna swam before breakfast, not me.) But I won't go on with the words any more. Here are the pictures.