There is nothing that makes us happier than feedback from our clients. We were delighted at one of our recent client’s review of his trip to Mozambique. Our client (kindly asked to remain anonymous) enjoyed a return road trip from Maputo to Gorongosa.
Read on for his story road tripping through Mozambique:
We started at Diederik van’t Hof’s Bulbul Backpackers Lodge in Quissico. With nice people and nice food, this was a great spot to have a stopover on the long journey north. Don’t expect luxury, but there is electricity and running water, and the huts are nice and clean.
Next was Rio Azul in Inhassoro, by far the most exclusive and luxurious lodge of our trip. It conveyed a feeling of privacy and comfort. The staff was extremely attentive, and everything was impeccable. Even the internet was good! It is amazing how manager Mark Bennett and the team, especially the chef de cuisine, maintain the highest standards in such a remote place. The service was excellent, easygoing, and generous regarding extras (for example, they didn’t charge us for the sunset boat tour). We had dinner on the beach and lunch on an island that just appears at low tide. The overall experience was amazing!
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From there, it took us 11 hours to Montebelo Gorongosa. Luckily, as advised by Natalie, we started before sunrise. The EN1 between Save and Inchope is in horrible condition. The stretch between Inchope and the turnoff to Chitengue is even worse (it took us 1,5 hours for the 40 km trip from Inchope to the turnoff and another hour on the dirt road to the park). You need a lot of patience, a healthy back, and an extremely reliable car with high road clearance for those potholes. Buffalo Camp is rather close to Save Bridge, so it came too early for a lunch break, but after Buffalo Camp, there is no café or lodge to have a cup of coffee. But the gruelling drive was more than worth it.
The landscape and animals of Gorongosa National Park are one of a kind! Montebelo Lodge was fine (clean rooms, good albeit expensive food). We loved the proximity to the science labs and pangolins. The safaris (both the walking safari and the afternoon drive) were excellent, with highly experienced and qualified guides. We skipped the coffee plantation and waterfall because of the bad road.
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Ndzou Camp, about 50 km after Sussundenga, greatly enlarged our knowledge of social and tourism realities in Mozambique. Thanks to Vânia for reminding the camp of our arrival! The road from Chimoio to the camp is in good condition, easy to drive, and offers great views of Mount Binga and Chimanimani. The camp is set in the forest on a ridge which provides an enjoyable and quiet location. The huts have a great view but are extremely simple and need some renovation. Running water was not available, and neither internet. Electricity was provided by a generator in the evening hours. You need to bring cash as POS and Mpesa didn’t work. But the food was okay, the service as well, and we enjoyed the evenings around the fire. We had to use our sleeping bags; otherwise, it would have been too cold. The camp offers walking tours and elephant viewing. However, the tour guide was not equipped for close encounters with elephants. Our biggest disappointment was that the camp was located far from Chimanimani National Park, so we did not enter the Park or see the prehistoric paintings. However, we visited several community projects close to the camp. One night would have been enough, although we liked the people there, Mr. Nelson and the team.
The 5 days at Vilanculos Beach Lodge were super enjoyable. The lodge was one of the best and most charming hotels we have experienced to date in Mozambique. Angela and her team have worked tirelessly to repair damages caused by cyclone Freddy. We loved the layout and furnishings of the rooms, they are even good for work purposes, with more than enough space and good internet. The garden and pool overlooking the beach are idyllic. Breakfast was excellent, lunch and dinner were good. We took a boat ride to Santa Carolina, including snorkelling, and a good lunch. The hotel put us in touch with a local tour operator, and the boat was of good quality with strong engines.
Our last stop was Liquid Dive Adventures in Tofo. We knew the place from before and liked the simplicity and relaxed vibes (as well as the diving school close at hand). We had our farewell lunch at Green Turtle in Barra. It was a perfect goodbye after an exciting journey!
I hope this information will help motivate other clients to travel to Mozambique, even by car. The Dana Tours team tips were great and led us to extremely enjoyable and exclusive places.
Do you want to experience this same journey (or tailormade for you) for yourself? Contact the friendly and expert Dana Tours team today.
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