Malawi’s Queen of the Mountains and Valleys

In 2021, over 60 people, including senior government officials and famed afro-jazz musicians, showed up for a hike at Mulanje Mountain, the highest peak in central Africa. 

The aim was to promote the massif, which towers to almost 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level and harbors a forest reserve founded in 1927. It covers 56,317 hectares (about 139,000 acres). 

The hike earned a place in the mountain's history, as this group was the largest ever to hike the mountain. One of the lead organizers, Mervis Maigwa, stood out for her meticulous planning and guiding of the tour. “I had to take care of the logistics before, and this involved a lot of collaboration with colleagues,” she said.

Now 25, Maigwa already owns Travel with Mervis, with the dual goals of promoting local tourism in Malawi and conserving the environment. While she’s become famous in Malawi for promoting and instilling an appreciation for hiking and traveling, her gender makes her part of a very small group. As far as Maigwa knows, she is one of only two female tour operators in the country. 

A daughter of civil servants (her parents are both police officers), she moved with the family during frequent transfers. While this meant she lost a lot of friends, it afforded her a rare privilege of seeing new places. 

“I am a curious person, and I love to explore new things, so the transfers gave me an opportunity to explore what I love,” she said.

Her father, an avid reader, introduced her in childhood to world-traveler Tintin, the renowned comic book character. The books became her “buddies,” she says, noting that she read them for hours. “They really fed my curiosity,” she said. “It is my passion to travel, explore, and share my stories to Malawians so that they can also travel, and it is not only limited to expatriates and foreigners. I feel like we, as Malawians, should be the first ones to travel [our] country before any else does,” she said.

Although Maigwa first trained as a teacher, she found shifting into tourism an easy transition, because, she says, “I feel like I’m still in the line of education.”

Her mother was apprehensive when Maigwa expressed her desire to move into full-time tourism. But, Maigwa says, “I believe that in life, if you want something, go for it with full force; don't hesitate.” She has combined her two passions by getting involved in tree-planting, speaking out about environmental conservation, and donating various items to schools, including masks during Covid, protractors, rulers, and other math tools.

She launched her company with a blog — posting stories and documenting her travels and tour sites before monetizing the business. People noted her expertise and ability and started hiring her as a tour guide. She also credits friends in the tour guide business, such as Innocent Kaliati of Orbis and George Thawe of Mlambe Safari, who mentored her on the business side.

Her travels have taken her to some obscure spots in Malawi, but she is perhaps most associated with Mulanje Mountain, a massif consisting of rolling grassland at elevations of 1800–2200 meters (roughly 6,000–7,200 feet), intersected by deep forest ravines. With the highest point at 3,002 meters (9849 feet), it boasts sixty-one peaks, numerous waterfalls, and natural pools.

The mountain is not an easy one to hike and requires mental and physical strength, as well as careful preparation. Beyond the more famous routes, there are also some spots where more adventurous travelers — including Maigwa, who understands the risks — like to go.

The tour operation industry in Malawi is a male-dominated field with its own stereotypes, Maigwa says, though she doesn’t consider her gender a liability. Some people are sexist, she says, and some don't take her seriously. But being female also offers an advantage, she says, such as female-only tour groups who want a female tour operator to lead. She calls herself “an optimistic person” and her work “rewarding … The pros outweigh the cons.”

Earlier this year, she won the Malawi Tourism Industry Award in the Malawi destination promotion individual category. To Maigwa, the award means that she has broken through the glass ceiling. She looks to the day when there are many more women involved in the industry, perhaps motivated by her success. 

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