Top 6 National Parks in Mozambique, Mozambique

Reviewed By tallsally - London, United Kingdom

It is difficult to do justice to Gorongosa National Park in just one TripAdvisor review – it is one of the most incredible and inspiring places we’ve ever visited and becomes ever more interesting the more time you spend there. In the 1950/60s, Gorongosa attracted A-list celebrities and other adventurers to what was one of the most beautiful and biodiverse national parks in Africa. You could sip cocktails at the Hippo House before retiring for dinner under the stars. But the civil war destroyed most of the animals and a lot of the habitat, leaving just 15 buffalo and 10% of the elephant and lion populations in the midst of an impoverished landscape. Then, in 2004, what seems somewhat by chance, US philanthropist Greg Carr was introduced to the Mozambican US ambassador and, after much deliberation, decided to commit US$40m over 30 years to rebuild Gorongosa to its former glory and beyond on a non-profit basis. Now, after the first 15 years of what sounds like blood, sweat and a quite a few tears, this huge investment and commitment to the park, its wildlife and its people is paying off and it makes for quite an amazing experience. To start with, the animals. No, you won’t be able to see all of the Big Five and you won’t be able to drive yourself around, but instead you get taken around by fantastic guides who know the best locations, explain the background and evolving development/restocking of the park, and many of whom come from the local community. And it is still quiet enough to enjoy being the only vehicle for miles around in what is a stunning and diverse landscape, ranging from open plain to rainforest. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Richard, who drove us to see rare painted (wild) dogs, herds of elephants, two different sets of lions, some hidden buffalo, hippos, and thousands upon thousands of wildebeest, impala and waterbuck, as well as walking us through the undergrowth to show us termite nests and the bird life. He not only knew the lay of the land (veering unexpectedly off into the undergrowth on several occasions) but also understood how to get up close to the animals without disturbing them (one of the main reasons why self-drive is not allowed is due to the risk of elephants traumatised by the civil war charging into vehicles). Castro was another brilliant source of information. More than this, though, there is a whole development ecosystem at work behind the safari park which is the truly inspiring aspect. As well as employing a lot of local people in the safari lodge accommodation & catering, we were given a tour of the science laboratory and natural history centre, which is training and employing local staff in biology, genetics and other sciences to be able to catalogue, research and develop the park’s wildlife. One of the most unexpected elements to the trip was standing in the DNA/genetic sequencing lab in the middle of a safari park, which is where they have identified new Gorongosa species and do some ground-breaking research. We also took the 1-day tour up to the Mount Gorongosa coffee foundation, which roasts some quite phenomenally smooth and rich arabica coffee harvested from coffee plants that are also part of a reforestation project on Mount Gorongosa itself. Again, training and employing local staff at the same time as building up a long-term future for the local area. And allowing occasional visitors to splash around in their (freezing cold!) waterfalls. The coffee is available for sale online. Getting there is relatively easy from Beira airport (LAM, South African Airways or Ethiopian Airlines fly there) – we flew in from Maputo and had a 3-hour transfer arranged by the Montebelo Lodge along pretty smooth roads (until you get to the park itself, where it becomes slightly more like washboards, but you get to spot baboons and impala along the way). Otherwise, fly into Chimoio for a slightly shorter transfer time. The accommodation was very good, particularly considering the location – see separate listing for Montebelo Gorongosa Lodge & Safari. We took the full board option as it is a long way to the nearest market and there are no facilities on site to stock up – this was not the cheapest option, but most convenient and generally good options. Need to bring anything else you might want with you, though. Altogether, an extraordinary place to see and one that, I am guessing, will stay with you for years after.