The Ilala Ferry of Lake Malawi

Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by Travelationship

There is something romantic about the idea of taking a ship across a lake in Africa, and the Ilala gives you just such an opportunity. The Ilala ferry has been traversing Lake Malawi for some 60 years. It travels the 365-mile lake from north to south and back once a week.

Our Journey on The Ilala Begins

We boarded the Ilala in Monkey Bay, its southernmost port, to take us north to Nkhata Bay. Only three of the twelve ports on the route had a working pier, and teams of shore boats serviced the others, so exploring each port was not an option. With a 42-hour journey ahead at a running speed of 8.4 knots, there was nothing but time to explore the ship and look out over the lake.

The Ilala

There are three classes of service available on the Ilala. A very cramped 3rd class below, an equally crowded 2nd class, and 1st class on the top deck. Initially, we booked a 1st class ticket, having heard that hammocks were available for sleeping. After boarding, surveying, and finding no sleeping options, we quickly decided to change. The Ilala has a limited number of cabins, six in total. With our luggage to watch over and zero sleeping options, we sprung for the last available cabin.

From a nostalgia sense, the cabin was classic, with a sink, two beds, storage for your gear, an oscillating fan, and little reading lights above each bunk. The bathrooms and showers were crude and shared amongst all passengers in first class. The top deck has a bar that sells water, soda, beer, and light prepackaged snacks. A full galley was on board and available to passengers in the cabins and 1st class. The friendly chef spoke a little English and was enthusiastic towards us, mainly when the conversation regarded food.

Crossing Lake Malawi

Our time on the ship felt excruciatingly long at some points, caused mainly by the heat that never seemed to relieve its strangle on us. The cabin wouldn’t begin to cool down until long after midnight, partly from its metal frame and lack of air circulation. During a port stop, a fellow passenger, Willy, and I attempted to cool off by swimming while we waited for the shore boats to complete their tasks. It was great fun and provided a brief but much-needed break from the heat.

The bar on the top deck quickly ran out of supplies, starting first with water. By the time we reached our destination, they only had beer left. I spoke to the bartender about this, and he informed me that he had made the necessary requests but had not been, nor did he expect them to be, fulfilled. This was unacceptable, considering the temperatures and the number of people on board; water should have been the priority, not beer.

The Ilala’s Role

By providing relatively reasonable access to towns that can otherwise be difficult to reach, the Ilala provides a vital service to the people of Malawi. Outside of people, cargo is moved by the ton, whether it be food (in some of the most oversized sacks of potatoes I have ever seen), building materials, or any number of household goods and clothing. All this concludes in a full ship.

Nighttime highlighted the boat’s crowdedness, with practically every inch of deck space occupied. If you need a 3 am toilet run, be prepared to navigate an obstacle course of working crew members, sleeping passengers, and either cargo or luggage.

Ultimately, the Ilala delivered us safely and soundly to our intended destination, albeit slightly behind schedule and thirsty.

Know Before You Go:

• Ensure you have cash, as it is required for your ticket and every ferry purchase. Once your journey has started, there is no place to get cash.
• Get money before you reach the port. The walking money exchangers at the harbor entries are known to rip you off.
• Bring some food and water. Do not rely on the ferry to meet all your needs.
• If you have limited time, the ferry is not recommended.
• The ferry only runs once a week in either direction.

Travel Basics:

Be wary of information obtained regarding Ilala’s schedule. We inquired about the ferry’s departure and timetable often and with many sources. The crew gave us various answers regarding its schedule. Your best bet is with the ticket office. I noticed a sign on the boat itself dictating a list of stops, but we did not even follow that route.

Travelationship Rating:

2 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. The fact that the ferry ran out of drinking water and was ignored by the company is entirely unacceptable. If you like adventure, relaxation, or bucket lister-type travel and have lots of time, you will enjoy taking the Ilala ferry.

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