Mozambique > From Vilanculos to Gorongosa

Today is Gerard’s birthday, the first of five birthdays during this trip. Early in the morning, we congratulate him before taking down the tents. By half past six, all the luggage is loaded, and we sit down for breakfast. After breakfast, we leave the Baobab campsite. Before returning to the main road, we stop briefly at the supermarket. Israel buys food, and we pick up some treats for the road. Then we set off, following the main route north. From here, we leave the coastline and head more inland. It’s interesting to observe daily life along the road, but there’s also some monotony.

Mozambique - An overnight stay in a rondavel in Gorongosa Mozambique

I close my eyes for a while. Along the way, we make a short toilet stop at a small lake, and around two o’clock, we stop for lunch. The truck drives onto the grounds of a restaurant. We order cold drinks but eat our own lunch by the truck. Shortly after three o’clock, we take the turnoff toward Parque Nacional da Gorongosa. After about half an hour, we enter the park. Then it’s another half-hour drive within the park. On both sides of the truck, we already see impalas, warthogs, and various monkeys. This bodes well for tomorrow when we’ll go on a game drive in the park. Gorongosa was once a nature reserve with a large amount of wildlife. During the civil war in Mozambique, however, much of the wildlife was shot by poachers or killed for food. It’s estimated that 95% of the wildlife did not survive the war, and many species no longer occur here. Currently, a program is underway to reintroduce all the wild animals. It will still take years before the wildlife population returns to its former level. We stay overnight in Chitengo, a campsite in the middle of the park. We have our own rondavels—round huts with thatched roofs. It has been a warm day, and I enjoy a refreshing shower. In the evening, Israel prepares fried potatoes with pork and vegetables.