Chawani Bungalow is a restored country house on Satemwa Tea Estate with beautiful views across the lush green fields to Mount Mulanje in the distance. Guests here will step back in time and be invited to enjoy the colonial atmosphere of the buildings and tour the factories and fields of the tea and coffee estates.
Formerly the house of a tea planter, Chawani has been carefully renovated and still has the feel of a family home and had a fire heated water system and fully kitted out kitchen. It can be hired on a self catering basis, but we would suggest you take a catered option, allowing estate staff to cook for you, using fresh produce from the estate and nearby farms. The bungalow is full of character and sits in gorgeous gardens, full of tropical plants and colourful birds and butterflies. Sit on the covered verandah and watch the sunrise across the backdrop of the Mulanje Massif - a beautiful location to enjoy rural Malawi at it's best.
Chawani has four bedrooms and two bathrooms and is booked on an exclusive basis, ideal for families and groups of friends, taking a maximum of eight people.
This is an ideal base to tour Southern Malawi from, being a short drive takes you to Blantyre city. It is easilly combined with the historical town and plateau of Zomba, hiking at Mount Mulanje or heading south down the rift valley escarpment, onto the Lower Shire Valley floor and the game reserves of Majete, Lengwe and Mbwavi.
Satemwa has mountain bikes to use around the estate and horse riding available. There are 150 miles of trails nearby through the estate and adjoining forests and hills. Walking trails and tours of the tea and coffee factories can be enjoyed here too.
History of Satemwa In the late 1800's Satemwa Tea Estate was one of Malawis first land claims and is one of the countries finest and well established tea and coffee producers. Satemwa is today managed and operated by third generation family members of the Cathcart Kays.
Satemwa Estate was founded in 1923 by Maclean Kay, who had emigrated from Scotland in 1910 to Malaya working there on a rubber plantation. Then Satemwa was known as Hunterston and Kay bought it from Timunke. He first grew tobacco which had been on the Satemwa Estate since the turn of the century. There are still some original Eucalyptus plants on the estate planted in 1895! In 1926, Kay planted the first tea field and part of this field is now a museum, still growing and is one of the highest yielding fields.
Fair Trade and Community Projects Satemwa employs thousands of local workers and supports a school of over 900 pupils and a local hospital, providing a 24 hour ambulance and ante-natal facilities as well. The estate was Malawi's first ever Fair Trade Certified Tea producer.
