Popular Campsite/Lodge for Sale in Chitimba, Karonga, Malawi

Piece of Paradise with Lake and Mountain View for Sale

Chitimba Beach Camp is looking for buyer/investor(s) who would be interested in buying at least 50% of the property shares for immediate investment. Chitimba Beach Camp is an ever popular spot for tourism. Due to the ample amount of business opportunities, the owner is now looking for investor(s) to contribute to a further development of the lodge and its endeavours.

1. Location
Chitimba Beach Camp is situated on the Northern shores of lake Malawi, overlooking Chombe plateau and surrounded by the Nyika mountains. The tourist lodge is set on a beautiful golden sand beach, and has a great variety of colourful flowers, fruit trees, birds and Bougainvilles. The site can be used for different purposes, including watersports, hiking, outdoor activities, relaxation, creative expression, etc. It is located just off the tarmac road M1, which is the main road in Malawi running from the Northern border (with Tanzania) to the capital city of Lilongwe in the South.

Chitimba village is situated 90 km south of the Tanzanian/Malawi border Karonga, and 120 km from the capital of the north, Mzuzu. The Northern region of Malawi is home to the Nkonde tribe, agricultural people who are known to be most peaceful and hospitable in Central Africa. Only about 20 km away is the historic site of Livingstonia (900m above the lakeshore), where the first Scottish missionaries established themselves by the 1880s to end the slave trade through the spread of commerce and Christianity. Karonga village, the last stop before the border about 80 km to the North, has become known for its recent hominid and dinosaur findings, attracting visitors and geologists worldwide (a museum and education centre has been built recently). Altogether, the area is waiting to be discovered and further developed.

2. Facilities
Chitimba Beach Camp (1.8 ha) has been a popular campsite for years with accommodation, bar, restaurant and – only recently - internet facilities. As you enter the property through the large wooden gate, the eye immediately catches a large thatched bar, restaurant and lounge area, with its open and spacious character. The bar/ restaurant can accommodate approximately 60 persons at the same time. On the right side of the camp are 5 beach huts, one dorm room (which can accommodate up to 6 persons), and 4 en-suite rooms. Guests are free to camp wherever they please. There is a male/ female toilet and shower block. For clean water supply, the camp uses a borehole as well as three brandnew solid watertanks. On the opposite side of the property is a main house and storage room. Behind the main house is a substantial vegetable garden, which supplies the restaurant with the required herbs and spices. At the very end of the site is a workshop which houses a new diesel generator (purchased in 2007). Electricity has been established in the area by ESCOM in the first half of 2008.

3. Guests and visitors
The lodge caters mainly for overland trucks (well established companies such as Africa Travel Cooperation, Nomad Tours, Acacia, Absolute Africa and Drifters), independent backpackers, and 4x4 overland travellers. In Malawi, Chitimba Beach Camp is the first proper stop (heading South) or last stop (heading North) for overland trucks, given the space and facilities that they require. For the past ten years it has shown that more then 90% of this overland business always has stopped at Chitimba Camp. Furthermore, ex-pats living in the area, as well as travellers in transit to/from Tanzania often come in for overnight, and/or a drink/meal. In the last few years, the number of backpackers has increased, as Malawi is becoming an ever more popular tourist destination.

4. Business opportunities
Chitimba Beach Camp has a solid reputation, is well embedded in the local community, and employs about 20 from Chitimba village with very little staff mobility. There is regular interaction with the local village headmen. Good contacts have been established with the Primary school management, the local hospital, orphanage and other important stakeholders in the area.

There are wonderful opportunities to invest in running safari’s from Chitimba to Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh National Park. Furthermore, day-trips to Livingstonia can include elements of Culture, as well as hiking, climbing and bungy jumping for those who wish to be more active. The marvellous Manchewe waterfalls make for a beautiful view and a refreshing stop during the hottest time of the day. Lake Malawi (the Third largest lake in Africa) also has a lot to offer for those who like swimming, boating, diving, waterskiing, etc. At present, these facilities still need to be exploited.

There is a direct financial pay off from investing in these kind of activities. Moreover, there is an indirect pay off with the development of these activities, since guests are keen to stay longer at Chitimba Beach Camp, with relatively little additional overhead costs. Lastly, besides the double profit that can be generated, it is expected that the development of new activities to step up tourism in the North, will also attract new (type of) customers to Chitimba Beach Camp. The Northern region of Malawi is yet undiscovered and can therefore be an alternative for those who seek something different from Nkata Bay or Senga Bay. Chitimba Beach Camp, with its long establishment in the area, could be more developed as an entry point to facilitate increased tourism in the near future.

Asking price for 50% of the shares: Euro 130.000,00
We are owning Chitimba Camp now with two couples and one couple wants to leave due to personal reasons.

For more information, please contact the owner:

Mrs Karlijn den Hollander
Chitimba Camp
PO Box 63, Rumphi District
Northern Malawi
See phone and mail and website contact details above. PLease use sms/text if phone is not being answered, or e-mail contact.