Trips
The Crazy Crocodile Campsite is 3 km away from the next village - Matema - at the end of a 37-km-long (23 miles) dead end route, right at the waterfront of the soft sandy beach of the lake Malawi.
All around the campsite the Livingstone Mountains rise up to a height of nearly 3000 m (9842 feet), abundantly covered with vegetation in all shades of green. A great sight and a singular view.
Adventure
There are innumerable possibilities outside of the campsite to treat yourself to a good time:
- Trips into typical African villages, usually small and sleepy
- Visiting a local market where fruit and vegetables show an astonishing variety of colours and a lively buzz of activity prevails
- Exploring a conveniently close waterfall
- Trekking and walking in the Livingstone Mountains (different degrees of difficulty and routes)
- Relaxing when fishing in the lake
- Exploring the lake and its dreamlike and pictoresque banks with boats
- Going on crocodile safari in dugout canoes
- Visiting a pottery market with native products
- Snorkeling between cichlids - you will believe to be in an aquarium and be astonished at the variety of the forms and colours.
The village
Matema, this sleepy and secluded village, is treated in Tanzania as an absolute insider tip. There is neither asphalt nor power, however, just this is increasingly sought after by travellers who love the authentic experience of the original.
In small shops and businesses one can buy most necessities of daily life and there are even a few small simple restaurants. Here one can get a close-up feel of the original African village life.
The lake
In Tanzania the lake Malawi is called Lake Nyasa. It is a true treasure trove, as many of the aquarium fish sold all over the world originate from the depths of the lake Malawi.
Additionally, here you can witness a wonder of nature of a very special kind: Myriads of lakeflies float over the lake like enormous clouds of smoke - an unbelievable and breath-taking sight. As soon as the wind then drives these enormous clouds of lakeflies ashore, the tiny animals are caught and eaten.
The lake Malawi has a length of about 600 km (372 miles) and a breadth of approximately 50 km(31 miles), so being counted as the third-largest lake in Africa. It has a depth of over 700 m (2296 feet) and is situated in the southern offshoots of the African fracture zone.
Besides Tanzania, also Malawi and Mozambique border on the lake. Untouched pictoresque sand beaches and the supreme water quality make the lake Malawi one of the most popular freshwater swimming places of Africa.
