Mulanje Guide

Route up the northern end of the Approach Slabs, climbing through the overlap at a steep corner. 4-5 hours. The hard pitches 5-7 stay in the shade until 10-11am. Two 50m ropes needed for a abseil. Bolted belays.

P1-P4, 5a/5.7/V+: hangers stolen but the grade is consistent and climbing can still be done using the grass tufts on the 5a slab running for 110m. Normally soloed up the belay where the angle changes on the orange face but can also be protected by slinging the tufts and vellozia. Still caution must be exercised, more especially on descent.

The following three hard pitches run for 100m and are very well bolted.

P5, 6b/5.10c/VII: Belay at a block at the base of a steep corner. Follow the bolts up a very steep slab.

P6-P7, 6c/5.11a/VII+: Great movement up a steep slab lead to the start of a crack system with a steep move onto a chockstone ledge belay. Strenuous moves continue up the corner crack, with a delicate step across and up to the next belay. P7 is slightly overhang; a chimney squeeze and layback crux.

P8-P10, 4a/5.4/IV: These final three pitches are very easy tufted slabs similar to the beginning pitches. The route finishes at a fairly arbitrary point so it may be better to abseil down from the top of P7

The longest of the modern lines. This route reaches The Terrace below the main face. 11+ hours to ascend, bivy possible. Two 50m ropes for abseil down. Also possible to escape the route to the terrace.

P1-P4, 200m: Many hangers have been stolen in the first 4 pitches, so finding the line can be hard. Climbing 5.7 the first three pitches and 5.10a P4. Possible to climb The Initiation and then abseil down to the small ledge at the end of P6 where a bivy is possible.

P6,50m 5c/5.9/VI:

P7,50m 6c/5.10c/VII: A move up a small overlap leads to a steepening buttress with some tricky moves near the top.

P8, 40m 7b/5.12b?VIII+ A0: The pitch moves up a steeper corner crack. The bolts are placed close together to allow aid climbing once the hard moves are reached.

P9,50m 3+/5.3/III: After the aid pitch, a straightforward slab leads rightwards and up to a very large ledge. Here it is possible to bivouac comfortable or walk off to the left.

P10-P11 100m: two steep lead up before the rock eases, grades 5.9 and 5.10b.

P12 50m, 5a/5.7/V+

P13-P15 110m 3+/5.3/III: Easy slabs with tufts with bolts for belays only to the terrace.

This formerly run out route has been updated by James Garrett and is now well protected. It can also be climbed and descended with a single 60m rope. One of the most climbed routes.

It is called “The Initiation” because while we were establishing the route, we could hear the sounds of drums from the villages that were coming from a multi day ceremony which signified the entrance to adulthood for local teens. It was also Scott and Emily’s first time going ground up on a first ascent so it was somewhat of an initiation in that sense as well.

Pitch 1 - an easy slab pitch.

Pitch 2 - follow the bolts up the featured slab

Pitch 3 - more featured slab with a few friction moves

Pitch 4 - easy slab pitch

Pitch 5 - more easy slab

Pitch 6 - more slab, slightly steeper

Pitch 7 - more slab climbing with a bulge to pull

Pitch 8 - slightly steeper pitch, finish route at 2 bolt anchor then rappel

All pitches are 30m or less. It would be possible to link P1/P2, P3/P4, P5/P6 and P7/P8 and do this route in 4 pitches. Bring some slings and extra draws if you plan on linking many pitches. Otherwise a 60m rope and 12 quickdraws is all you need

This route could be extended but there would be some heavy vegetation to deal with.

Protection: Dozen QDs and 6-8 alpine runners/draws/slings. No trad gear placements. One x 60m rope for 20 Rappels. Or with two ropes can be a rappelled in 10-11.

Find a large pointed triangular rock feature at the base of this broad wall. A local porter/ Guide named Witness knows it well and will lead you directly to it. Ruth, the owner of the Hikers Nest Hostel ( a great bivy with excellent meals, btw) can contact him and handle all of your logistical needs.

The people of Malawi are wonderful and welcoming. Mulanje is a mere 60km from Blantyre and when I go next time, I won’t even bother with a rental car.

Find a line of bolts following a white streak to the right of the pointy rock.

Pitch #1: Climb the Slab up delightful rock on the white streak with great movement to a nice ledge and two bolt belay. 5.7, 60m, 14 bolts.

Pitch #2: Follow the bolts straight up the compact slab between the grass tufts to another two-bolt belay. 5.7+, 55m, 14 bolts.

Pitch #3: Continue up the obvious swath passing some tricky bulges to a two bolt belay. 5.8, 60m, 13 bolts.

Pitch #4: Climb past a lower angle run out section and pass a nice ledge to some thin crimpy moves on black granite with nice quartz bands to another two bolt semi hanging belay. 5.8, 60m, 13 bolts.

Pitch #5: Steep crimpy slab straight up, then trend right back to the white water groove. Sustained quality climbing for this crux pitch to a two bolt belay. 5.9 (+?), 60m, 17 bolts.

Pitch #6: Continue straight up the White Streak impeccable granite. Two bolt belay. 5.9, 60m, 13 bolts.

Pitch #7: Follow the bolts to a huge tree and an awaiting oasis like alcove above. Good pitch on excellent rock ending at a two bolt belay at the “oasis”.... a cool shady spot at the base of a vegetated steep headwall. The Wall Register container left here previously was stolen and destroyed by another climbing party. 5. 8, 52m, 8 bolts.

Pitch #8: Surge straight up from the belay Climbing delightful Patina features to an interesting ramp up a corner. Turn the corner to an easy clean slab. Pass a rap station midway and Continue up more slab dotted with tufa-like features to a two-bolt Belay on a rounded ledge. 5.7, 50m, 7 bolts.

Pitch #9: Continue up the low angle slab past a few short steep steps to a two bolt belay. 5.5, 60m. 6 bolts.

Pitch #10: A few more steep steps up clean, but easy slab. 5.5, 55m, 5 bolts.

Pitch #11: More easy slab to a big blocky boulder negotiated on the right. 4th class, bolted belay 60m.

Scrambling past grasses and bushes to a bolt belay on a good ledge.

Pitch #12 (The Headwall): Climb the long final (atypical difficulty compared to all other pitches on P&P) pitch up a very steep whitish colored streak to the forested rim and fully atop the lower Chambe Face. 14 bolts, 5.11++++, 60m. FA: Mark Jenkins, Mark Richey, and Geoff Tabin.

As of September 24, the Rappels are possible with one 60m rope with some easy down climbing (except the Pitch #12 Headwall-2 ropes) and 30m low drag pitches may be climbed.

If this was located anywhere else in the climbing world, it would be climbed every day.

Dozen QDs and 6-8 alpine runners/draws/slings. No trad gear placements. One x 60m rope for 20 Rappels. Or with two ropes can be a rappelled in 10-11.

We hiked up to base of the Chambe Face intent on climbing Passion And Pain, but found it dripping with water. We equipped this instead. Named after the “flocks” of beautiful white dotted neck ravens soaring above. two 60m ropes need for abseils (P1-P3 can be climbed with a single 60m rope).

Pitch#1: Short easy slabbing on excellent grippy granite to a two bolt belay. 5.5, 25m, 7 bolts.

Pitch #2: Continue straight up nicely featured steeper rock with fun movement to a two bolt belay. 5.7, 30m, 6 bolts.

Pitch #3: “The Headwall”, trend a bit right following bolts to a two bolt belay. 5.8, 30m, 11 bolts. Climb up 3-4m above the two bolt belay to a huge ledge belay for P4.

Pitch #4: Long and sparsely bolted at the moment, however, so to be in keeping with the character of the route would need some more bolts! The rock on this pitch is very coarse and featured so friction works really well up to a two bolt belay; holds wont break. 5.8+ , 60m, 4 bolts.

Pitch #5: Just like P4, this pitch is long and sparsely bolted (expect some 15-20m runouts) but many of the holds could still come off. It definitely requires more cleaning. This pitch joins Passion and Pain at the end. 5.8, 60m, 4 bolts.

Rappel the route or rappel over to P&P and rappel down from there.

FA: Ed Nhlane and Aleksandar Grahovac, 23 May 2024. The first ascensionists climbed this route on a whim when they couldn't do West Face Direct because of bad weather. Instead of carrying down the few bolts which would have been used to replace the old ones on the route, they decided to put them to use here. 15m left of the Base Camp at the terrace (and ~50m left of Kuche Kuche)

The climb follows split feature involving a style of stemming and jamming. Crux comes between bolts 3 and 4 to get over the small roof. A hidden hold in the crack below it and a couple of chokestones are also useful here. Climb up beneath the tree over the ledge to a belay/abseil anchor.

NB: Extend draws at bolts 2 and 3 to reduce rope drag.

See topo

Kuche Kuche (all night long) takes a direct line up the center of the longest part of the upper west face of Chambe. The route was established in a two week push, going ground up, placing over 230 bolts and rappel anchors. This is a well protected route with the exception of the pitch nine 5.8 R. Spacious belays, quality rock and rope stretcher pitches all added up to an excellent fifteen-hour round trip first accent.

Protection: All pitches and rappels are equipped with 3/8 stainless steel bolts. 18 draws for the longer pitches should do it. Two 70 meter ropes are needed for the rappels.

This is the second part of the 1700m route going up on the main wall.

Route is divided into two parts: the lower 600m V, A1 slab and the upper 650m VI , A1 to the peak of Chambe, separated by a massive 450m terrace. The upper wall it involves runouts and strenuous chimney style going up a major fault line and tricky placements of protection, and tree-belay stations. Some bolts have been placed on some parts of the route, but given that this route has not seen many repeats, the state of the bolts is unknown.

The crux is the first 3-4 pitches along main crack system that lead to a good bivouac below a steepening chimney and later reach a major overhang.

Descent: By Chambe East Ridge hiking route to the Hut on the Basin.