A route that combines Mozambique and Zimbabwe and takes you well off the beaten track? For our family of adventurers, visiting Gonarezhou and Zinave was right up our street. By Mariska Bartlett

It all started with wanting to get to Zinave National Park in Mozambique. With our parents having visited it last year on one of their extensive overlanding trips, we had to see it for ourselves. They had also visited Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe and raved about it. So, we thought, let’s combine both destinations! And a 3-week trip was born. 

Basecamp was opened on my end and the Tracks4Africa paper map was unfolded on my dad’s end – old school. We are not known for taking the beaten path and we were definitely not keen on braving Beitbridge Border Post. Our dad knew of a different route that takes you through the Pafuri Border Post in Kruger National Park and via Mozambique. That settled it: we had a route and a group of willing overlanders. It would be my parents with their double cab Land Cruiser and Enkulu trailer, me with my Hilux and my sister, Nerise, and her friend Carmen in the Isuzu. 

For Nerise and myself the journey started in Wilderness. We would pick Carmen up in Modimolle and meet our parents near the Pafuri Gate. After two full days on the N1 we reached Nthakeni Bush & River Camp just outside the Pafuri Gate. This was where our adventure began and what a beautiful place to start! With massive baobab trees surrounding the campsites we felt that we were officially in the bush. The campsites are extremely neat and each has its own bathroom and kitchen. There is also a lovely hiking route that benefits the local community. That night we had our first braai under the stars and we were all very excited about the weeks ahead. 

From Pafuri into Mozambique

The next night we would camp at Dumela Wilderness Safaris in Mozambique. This is an easy 30-minute drive once you are through the Pafuri Border Post. The timing allowed us to fit in a nice morning game drive in the Pafuri area of Kruger.  We stopped at Punda Maria to fill up for the last time in South Africa. Every drop counts when you are heading into the unknown and we weren’t sure where next we would get fuel. The Pafuri Border Post was fairly pain free, just make sure you are aware of the correct amount to pay on the Mozambican side. Some officials might get creative if you’re a hapless tourist. 

Tracks4Africa says: When you use the border posts between South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park, you must spend at least one night in either. This applies to the Pafuri Border Post as well as the Giriyondo Border Post. You will be required to show proof of your accommodation booking, which must directly precede or follow the date of the border crossing.

Dumela is a lovely spot to overnight or even stay a bit longer as it is on the Hapi waterway that flows from the Limpopo. We went for an afternoon birdwatching boat cruise. You can also go fishing or on a guided walk to try and find the elusive Pel’s Fishing Owl. We didn’t have any luck in either department. 

To get to the Mozambique/Zimbabwe border at Chiqualaquala, you have two choices. You can take the R423 to Mapai and then the N221 up to the border post. Or, if you are like us and have an aversion to roads that are numbered, there’s another option. You cross the Limpopo and follow a dirt track that also takes you over the Nuanetsi and Lipakwa rivers. There are landmine hazard warnings so do stay on the track. We had some apprehension about the Limpopo crossing since someone wrote their Prado off when my parents crossed it last year. Keep your eye on the line man. 

Crossing the Limpopo

The drive from Dumela to get to the Limpopo is absolutely magnificent. You come across massive trees and a sense of wilderness that you only get in veering off the beaten track. Once you reach the banks of the mighty Limpopo, it is time to deflate your tyres as deep sand lies ahead. Luckily, there are about 10 children that suddenly appear out of the bushes to advise you. They seem to know just how much you should deflate and what direction you should head to get to the river. 

What an anti-climactic arrival though! The water was about ankle deep as it was the end of August and very dry. However, this did not deter the children from getting into the river and showing us the best line to get through. My dad went first, then me and then my sister. As she came through, we saw her front number plate was gone. At last something for the children to do to earn a cold drink! 

Number plate retrieved, we went our way. This road felt truly wild as you pass remote villages and stretches of twee spoor without seeing another soul. We saw one other vehicle – what was once an Isuzu bakkie. The passengers had to get out and push it up the hill with assistance from our dad. 

Chiqualaquala Border Post

We reached Chiqualaquala after about four hours. Keep in mind we were four women so we stopped a lot! We also always stop and make breakfast next to the road. After some negotiation on just how few cold drinks we had to give the Mozambican officials at the border post, we were through.

It was a breeze on the Zimbabwean side with very friendly and professional staff. From there you are basically in Gonarezhou National Park as the Sango Gate is a mere 8km from the border. Our first night was at one of the wilderness camps called Gorwe, with nights booked at the Pokwe wilderness campsite afterwards. Therefore, the official at the gate said we had to go all the way to Mabalauta reception to check in. This turned out to be an unnecessary detour as you can also check in at Chipinda Pools at any time during your stay. What’s more, we would highly recommend staying there. 

Gonarezhou’s Gorwe Pan

Gorwe Pan is a good first night option if you enter at Sango Gate. These wilderness campsites are fantastic since they are booked out for one group at a time. There are no facilities, just the beautiful setting and utter peace. (Please practise bush toilet etiquette: toilet paper lying around in the veld is pleasant for no-one.) 

During our visit the pan had no water. However, when my parents camped here last time, it was full and they had a whole herd of buffaloes coming to drink. We made a big fire and talked about the past two days of adventure. We also gave my sister some flack about losing her cool with one of the Mozambican border officials. He insisted that she was trying to take too much beer out of his country! 

The south-western part of Gonarezhou is mostly mopani veld with very few game sightings. As you move north towards the Runde River, the scenery changes dramatically. Beautiful rock koppies start to emerge, crowned with baobab trees and more thorny vegetation. We left Gorwe Pan early  in the morning to make our way up to Pokwe. Since this campsite lies right up in the north-eastern corner of the park, we knew it would a full day’s drive. 

The best-laid plans

After about 20 minutes’ drive from camp, the Land Cruiser started to make a weird noise from the right back wheel. My dad said over the radio that he was going to stop and check it out. By that stage there was smoke coming from the back of the wheel. The Cruiser also didn’t want to move when taken out of 4WD. After some colourful words from my dad and us having taken the wheel off, we realised we had trouble. 

Tools out, we started to strip the hub. When I say “we”, I mean my dad did everything and we handed him tools. After inspection, it turned out that the right rear wheel station had collapsed completely due to an incorrect replacement of the wheel bearings prior to the trip. This had also caused the side shaft to break inside the diff casing. Not good. 

It took us about four hours to discover what had happened. We needed a new plan of action if we wanted to reach a campsite before the day was out.

A pleasant detour

We decided to unhitch the Enkulu trailer and hitch it to my Hilux, leave the Cruiser there and head up to Chipinda Pools where there is signal. We reached Chipinda in the late afternoon and they luckily had a campsite available for the next two nights. My dad got hold of Mussina Toyota the next day and they arranged to have the necessary parts for collection two days later. They gave my dad fantastic service and made everything happen as speedily as possible. 

 

We got the nicest campsite at Chipinda Pools, the one right at the end. All the campsites are on the bank of the river with two campsites sharing ablutions. These consist of a shower and toilet each for men and women. Each campsite also has an open rondavel that serves as a kitchen area with a firepit and braai area/stand next to it. The hippos were in abundance and impala grazed nearby. Elephants passed through our campsite in the evening while some very vocal hippos grazed at the water’s edge. Fortunately, they didn’t come too close to the campsite. Aside from my dad, we didn’t mind the broken car as this meant we could stay an extra two nights in Gonarezhou, which was fast becoming my favourite park. 

Chilling at Chipinda Pools

We ended up staying five nights in the park with three at Chipinda Pools. Our last night was at Malugwe in order to exit at Sango Gate again. From Chipinda Pools you can really explore all the way along the Runde River down to the Chilojo Cliffs – one of the highlights of the park. There are beautiful picnic sites to enjoy a lunch on your day out. We saw many elephants, lots of kudu, impala, zebra and even a honey badger. The birdlife was also very good around the river, plus we saw a big herd of buffalo coming down to drink. 

The best photographic opportunities are near the river and I will definitely try to get a campsite near the cliffs next time to get them in the afternoon light. There are several nice little loops to drive and an amazing surprise was the Chivilila Falls, a great sundowner spot. The bridge or causeway at Chipinda Pools is also a fantastic spot for birding and animals coming to drink. 

Saying goodbye to Gonarezhou

We were sorry that we didn’t make it to Pokwe Campsite but now we will just have to go again. On our last day we drove back down and found the Land Cruiser as we had left it four days before. It took us five hours to replace the whole wheel station, complete with all bearings and side shaft. The biggest challenge was getting the broken piece out of the casing. But my mom and Carmen kept us fed with freshly made vetkoek right there next to the road! 

That night we were black from the grease and covered all over in mopani fly bites and fine red sand. We were so tired that last night at Malugwe. We made a big fire, poured some stiff G&Ts and watched the stars. There is even an elevated platform overlooking the pan that you can sleep on. 

The next day we left very early as we had to cross back into Mozambique at Chiqualaquala for the next phase of our trip to Zinave. Boy, did we have no idea what awaited us! But more on that next time…

About the overlanders

Mariska Bartlett and her sister, Nerise Bekker, are the Safari Susters. While Mariska is a photographer and filmmaker, Nerise is an experienced guide and wildlife photographer. Together they host photographic safaris in Africa’s wild places. They regularly overland to uncover new destinations and satisfy their own craving for the wilds. To see more of Mariska and Nerise’s adventures, follow @safarisusters on Instagram.