Gorongosa NP, Mozambique

Natural beauty is rarely top of the list when weighing up potential safari destinations. Big game? Yes. Luxury accommodation? Yes. But, spectacular scenery? This can often fall by the wayside, particularly in the well-touristed areas of Southern Africa.

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Gorongosa is a spectacular counterexample. This national park situated in central Mozambique offers a stunning variety of landscapes, from vast floodplains dotted with thousands of waterbuck to arid open savanna and dense riverine forest. A visit to Gorongosa can feel like an expedition to the Selous, the Mara and the Okavango all in one day!

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If that were not enough, Gorongosa has recently been the subject of a stirring conservation effort. Decimated by a brutal civil war, the park's wildlife had been reduced to a terrible state, with many species extirpated. Now, however, commendable engagement with the local community and world-leading translocation programmes are begging to restore the park to a semblance of its former self. The main game-viewing area is home to a healthy population of Lion and Bush Elephant, both of which survived years of guerrilla warfare in the area. Introductions of Savanna Buffalo, the Crawshay's Zebra, Common Wildebeest and more have bolstered the prey population, which now supports a booming population of African Wild Dogs, now numbering over 100. Our trip is timed to maximise the chances of encountering puppies outside of their dens. Leopard and Serval are also occasionally seen and visitors are also likely to encounter Cape Porcupine, Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, Sable Antelope, Bushbuck and more. Perhaps the most impressive sight in all of Gorongosa are the floodplains of the mighty Lake Urema. These plains are filled with thousands of Common Waterbuck, in densities unmatched across the continent - it is this sight at sunset that visitors simply cannot forget.

Day One

Beira

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On arrival into Beira, you will be met by a Pictus Safaris representative and transferred to the Sena Hotel. Beira is still recovering from the devastating Cyclone Idai of 2019, and hotel options are limited. Our hotel for tonight is basic, but comfortable and quiet - perfect for a night's rest before an early start tomorrow. Here, you will meet the rest of the group at dinner for a pre-tour briefing before retiring for the evening.

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Day Two

Gorongosa National Park

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This morning we bid farewell to Beira, taking a good road west for two hours to Inchope, before a poor road slow our progress north from there. In total, we will spend around four hours on the road before meeting the dirt access road to Gorongosa. This track snakes through open woodland and then dense riverine forest, and we will pause only to sign in at the entrance gate, and to view our first wildlife, including baboon, bushbuck and perhaps elephant. Arriving by late morning at Chitengo, the park's hub, famed for its remarkable resurrection after the Civil War to a continent-leading safari destination, we will sign entry forms and then head directly for our delightful fly camp.

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Our accommodation consists of spacious safari tents, equipped with electricity and outdoor open-air en-suites. The camp is superbly located, overlooking a small pan that regularly draws in wildlife including lion, elephant, kudu, bushbuck and even wild dog. 

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This afternoon we will set out on our first game drive, in an open-sided game-viewer exclusively for the use of our group. Depending on the interests of our group, we may choose to immediately begin our search for African Wild Dogs or "mabecos" as they are locally known. Otherwise, we might head to the famous "Lion House", an abandoned building once frequented by prides of lion in the park's heyday - it is in this area that we are most likely to locate the park's Lion and Bush Elephant. After enjoying sundowners, we will meander back to camp through the darkness, spotlighting for Gorongosa' noctural residents. Common Genet, African Civet, Cape Porcupine and African Savanna Hare are likely, and we may even strike lucky with Serval, Leopard or Aardvark.

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Days Three to Eight

Gorongosa National Park

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With exclusive use of a privately-guided park vehicle, the next six days are full of opportunity and flexibility for the group. Game drives are the most effective way of tracking down the park's famous Lions, Bush Elephant and Wild Dog, and we recommend morning and evening game drives on most days. However, we are also able to offer walking safaris for a more intimate view of the park, as well as boat safaris on the impressive Lake Urema, if water conditions allow this. Lake Urema holds Gorongosa's only population of Hippo and is certainly worth at least one visit. During the course of these five days we should expect to locate Lion, Bush Elephant, African Wild Dog, Savanna Buffalo, Selous' Zebra, Common Wildebeest, Sable Antelope, Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, Bushpig, Common Warthog, Common Waterbuck, Impala, Southern Reedbuck, Nyala, Bushbuck and much more.

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For those interested, we may also be able to arrange visits to the local community. Gorongosa run several initiatives with local communities, including several focussed on empowering young women and an excellent coffee project which produces some of the finest coffee you will ever taste.

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Day Nine

Beira

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Sadly we must say goodbye to Gorongosa today. We will depart early, with those heading home being transferred directly to Beira Airport. We are able to arrange extra nights' accommodation in Beira on request.

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Please be aware that whilst we make every effort to follow the above itinerary as closely as possible, circumstances may occasionally arise that mean the tour deviates from the itinerary.

These tours will run in August and September 2024, and October 2025, aiming to take advantage of the end of the dry season, when wild dogs are at their most mobile after their denning season.

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The cost of this trip is £4,750 per person excluding international flights. This includes all accommodation and wildlife-focussed activities. Water, but not soft drinks or alcohol, is included. We regret that we must levy a £600 single supplement for this trip. To secure a booking, a deposit payment of £1,450 must be paid.

Pictus Safaris do not offer flight booking services. However, we do recommend the use of travel comparison websites such as skyscanner.net or momondo.com to identify the best fares, and then booking with the airline directly where possible. This will reduce the likelihood of complications and fees should any issues with your booking arise. If you wish to spend an additional night in Beira or Vilanculos at the end of your tour, we can arrange this for you at an extra cost. 

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British nationals do not require a visa to enter Mozambique. Clients of other nationalities are advised to check well before travel whether they require an entry visa.

The weather in Mozambique in September is hot and humid with maximum temperatures of around 28 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures will drop to around 15 degrees Celsius. It is usually sunny, with occasional foggy days.

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A full packing list will be circulated at least two months prior to departure. Pictus Safaris will be able to provide one extra set of binoculars and two spotlights per group, and clients are welcome to bring additional camera, videography and scope equipment should they wish to. Please note that the use of drones is not permitted in many protected areas. We strongly recommend bringing comfortable, loose-fitting and neutral-coloured clothing on safari - please do not bring camouflage clothing. We recommend against dark coloured clothing (e.g. black or dark blue) as this attracts biting flies. Worn-in hiking boots with ankle support are a must, as are sunglasses, sun protection and a hat.  

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Do also remember to budget for any expenses not included in the cost of the trip, including for gratuities and additional activities. We recommend bringing US Dollars.