sign in sign up
<<
Home , Chimanimani, Chiredzi, Gonarezhou National Park, Ngundu, Rutenga

“Where Elephants meet”

Location, neighbours and various routes

1. Location

1.1. Gonarezhou National Park is the second largest game reserve in , and is situated on the south eastern border of the country, below Chimanimani. The Park shares the border.

1.2. The Gonarezhou National Park straddles the Save and Runde Rivers and their confluence/floodplain in the north and the in the south. The towering majestic Chilojo Cliffs form a backdrop to the and are visible from 50 kilometres away. The river floodplains are interspersed with lagoons and riverine forest and the arid higher ground is covered with Mopane woodland and ironwood forest.

1.3. The Gonarezhou National Park is part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) which straddles the borders of Mozambique, and Zimbabwe and joins some of the most established wildlife areas in southern Africa 1.4. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park will ultimately link the in Mozambique, in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as two areas between Kruger and Gonarezhou, namely the Sengwe communal land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke region in South Africa. The total surface area of the transfrontier park will be approximately 37 572 km2. The establishment of the transfrontier park is the first phase of the establishment of a bigger transfrontier conservation area measuring almost 100 000 km2. Add timeline or current constraints 1.5. The latter will be made up by areas adjoining the core Transfrontier Park in each country. These land areas are managed in various forms for conservation or sustainable natural resource use could be referred to, marketed and managed as a broader Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. These areas include the Zinave National Park, , Corumana and Massingir development areas as well as interlinking areas in Mozambique, the private and provincial wildlife reserves adjoining the western border of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, and the Save, Malilangwe and other conservancies and community wildlife areas adjoining Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe. (Extract from GNP General Management plan Part 2 Background – Natural Resources)

2. Neighbours to Gonarezhou (Extract from GNP General Management plan Part 2 Background – Natural Resources) Link to be defined. - NO LINK AT THIS TIME

Gonarezhou has a number of neighbours and the best way to depict the neighbours is by showing them on a map (see map below). The Zimbabwe neighbours are described as follows

2.1. The Malapati Safari Area on the South West. This 150 km2 area, along with three other areas in Zimbabwe, was initially declared as a safari area on communal land in 1975. Utilisation of this land was to benefit the community. At some stage since independence control of this land appears to have reverted back to the Parks Authority who now lease the utilisation rights to the Rural District Council. 2.2. There are four (4) other areas bordering on Gonarezhou that are also classified as communal land. They are Ndoyowo which is part Mahenya Ward adjacent to Gonarezhou comprising safari hunting and tourism, Sengwe, Matiba 2 and Sangwe.

Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

2.3. The Sengwe Corridor occupies a highly strategic location with respect to the GLTP. It is imperative that this link is established because, without it, Gonarezhou would not form an integral part of the GLTP. This need has been identified and the Sengwe Corridor has been formally established through an extensive planning process. The specific objectives of the Corridor are as follows:

2.3.1. to ensure compliance with international treaty obligations and the overall conservation objectives of the GLTP;

2.3.2. to enable a physical linkage in the form of a conservation corridor between the Gonarezhou National Park and the Kruger National Park to enable:

 wildlife habitats and movement between the two national parks

 tourist flows and associated development linked to the corridor and overall development of the GLTFP

2.3.3. regional economic development;

2.3.4. to provide opportunities for local communities to manage and derive benefits from the natural resources to be conserved in the proposed wilderness corridor.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to the corridor becoming a reality is the Sengwe mine field. Link with detail. There are however plans to remove this and make it safe.

2.4. The Malilangwe Trust: this is a wholly Zimbabwean owned non-profit organisation that focuses on harmonising conservation activities, community development outreach programs and commercial tourism. The Trust owns the property known as Malilangwe which shares a common boundary with Gonarezhou. The 400 km2 property is completely fenced and has an active conservation, research, wildlife management and community programme.

3. Various Routes to Gonarezhou

There are two primary destinations in Gonarezhou where visitors are required to sign in before proceeding to the designated campsite allocated to them: namely the two Parks Offices located at Chipinda Pools in the North and Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

Mabaulata in the South. There is also a Northern Sub Office on the banks of the nearly Chilo Lodge for visitors approaching from the North East.

The main entry to Chipinda Pools coming from Chiredzi will be described first. The other routes would all go via Mabaulata. There are link roads from Mabaulata to Chipinda pools that will be described separately. The following Map shows Route A4 Beit Bridge to = “Pink”, Route 1 = “Red”, Route 2 = “Blue”, Route 3 = Green and Route 4 is Yellow

3.1. Route 1 – Red Route Beit Bridge to Chipinda Pools

This route (Red) is the standard route via A4 Beit Bridge to Masvingo up via Bubi River (There is a good butchery at Bubi River see Bubi Village Butchery - [email protected] - tel +263773284880 and a good and convenient overnight destination at Bubi Village as well the Lion and Elephant Motel which is located about 73 - 80km from on the road towards . There are 38 rooms in total at the Lion and Elephant, of which most are en suite, except the family rooms. The motel offers restaurant, bar, café and take away services. See http://tracks4africa.co.za/listings/item/w147958/ for contact details.

The next morning after a pleasant breakfast one can drive up to Halt and then down to Chiredzi (stock up and vehicle fuel) then push on to Chipinda Pools entry gate and Parks office. Follow the main tarred road from the Chiredzi turn-off to for 18 kilometres. Turn off to the south at the Chipinda Pools sign post. Follow the gravel road for approximately 34 kilometres to the entrance of the Park, about 59 kilometres from Chiredzi.

3.2. Route to Mabaulata Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

Route 2. This route (Blue) also is the standard route via A4 Beit Bridge to Masvingo as per Route 1 and also goes via Bubi River and Lion and Elephant Motel. Turn east off the main Masvingo - Beit bridge road at the Mwenezi Police Station turn-off, about 20 kilometres south of . Proceed down the dirt road about 3 kilometres and turn left at the entrance to the Police Station - the signboard indicates Mwenezi Ranch HQ and Chikombedzi. Follow this road for about 60 kilometres to Chikombedzi business centre. Do not turn off this road. The road one takes follows the Mwenezi River southeast from the Mwenezi Police Station to Chikombedzi (the river will not be visible from the road). The only major intersection one will encounter is 20 kilometres from the Mwenezi Police Station and is signposted. Head straight through the intersection to Chikombedzi.

Turn right after entering Chikombedzi Business Centre at a 4-way intersection where a National Parks sign indicates the route to Gonarezhou, Mabalauta, is right. About 300 metres down the road another sign indicates the route - turn left. Follow this road around a small dam and DO NOT turn off it. About six (6) kilometres further one will pass Zhou School and 3 kilometres later one will come to Gonarezhou National Park boundary. The route from there to the Warden's Office, Mabalauta is clearly signposted. The total distance from the Masvingo - Beit Bridge Mwenezi gravel road to Mabalauta is 105 kilometres. Beit Bridge tar road to the Mwenezi turn off is 121 kms.

3.2.1. Route to Mabaulata

Route 3.This route (Green) also is the standard route via A4 Beit Bridge to Masvingo but you turn off to the right about 21 kilometres from Beit Bridge on to the Chikwarakwara gravel road and travel through the Sengwe Communal lands. GPS Point query .

There are number of small villages just off this road namely Lutombe which is about 10 km from the turn off, Chituripasi which is about 80 km from the turn off and Chikwarakwara which is about 114 km from the turn off. This road meanders through the country side down towards the flood plains of the Limpopo. Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

After one passes Chikwarawara village one crosses the Bubye River before it flows into the Limpopo River. Just after the crossing the road forks there is a turning to the right that goes down towards Crook's Corner and goes to Dumisa Mission. The fork to left travels northwards up along the edge of Sengwe Corridor via the Malapati Safari Area and enters the southern region of Gonarezhou by going over a low- level bridge over the Mwenezi River and one approaches Mabaulata from the south. Just before crossing the Mwenezi River there is a turning to the right those goes through the communal lands to the Manjinji Oxbow Lake and Pan which is a bird sanctuary. The distance of gravel road from the A4 turn off to Mabaulata is nearly 200 km and is really for those who want to take their time and enjoy the trip through a not so travelled route.

3.3. Route 4. The route shown in yellow in the Map for route 2 Blue ( See above) is an alternate route both to Chipinda Pools and Mabaulata turning off the A4 at Rutenga. In is not a good option as - a) if going to Chipinda Pools you need to cross Runde River below the broken bridge over a crocodile infested causeway and - b) if going to Mabaulata it is longer than the Route 2 or 3 options. The road from Rutenga to Chiqualaquala / Senga at the border is used by heavy vehicles and buses and is in a bad state of disrepair. The road from Boli to Chipinda pools is also very bad.

3.4. Route to Mabaulata via Mozambique crossing Limpopo at Pafuri Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

Route 5. The Limpopo crossing route along Zimbabwe border fence and Sengwe Communal Lands has been adequately described in the following trip reports see

http://4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=118696&highlight=Gonarezhou

http://4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=123273&highlight=Gonarezhou

This route brings one to Mabalauta National parks offices. The Limpopo River crossing opposite Pafuri can only be crossed in the in the months July to October. This depends on the late rains or not in the Limpopo catchment area. This route is now gaining popularity as the road down from Pafuri to Mapai (See Route 6) is an arduous gravel road to travel. This track north to Chicualacuala is very accurately documented on T4A.

Just after the Mozambique Pafuri border post, one turns east off the gravel road down to Mapai and one travels through some exquisite fever tree forests (Acacia xanthophloea) then travelling across the Limpopo floodplain over the Limpopo River then north. This route travels parallel to the Zimbabwe Border with the Sengwe Corridor and its mine fields on one's west side up to Chicualacuala (Sango) (old names - Villa Salazar / Malvernia). Upon entry to the Limpopo River one is surprised by the massive width of the river bed, but if the water level is very low then the crossing should be easy.

One then travels up to the next challenge that being the Mwenezi River (Nuanetsi). This is also a very large river with a wide sand crossing when dry – which is most of the year. The locals have in the past built a type of causeway with poles but each season during the floods, the topography changes. The road through to the Mozambique – Zimbabwe border is interesting but taxing. It takes one through kilometres of mopane veld (Colophospermum mopane) and in some areas patches of black cotton soil that, in the wet season, will suck in anything. Some of these stretches are fairly long. This is not a road to be travelled on during the wet season. Tracks for Africa (T4A) mentions a ferry across Nuanetsi / Mwenezi River – It does not exist.

Herewith detail of track. Do not use the turnoff as shown on T4A. The dotted track going through the point ‘Fever Tree Forest’ is a dead end. The ‘Eastern route’ turnoff GPS coordinates are S22.26,815 - E31.20,795. There is another route which shares the ‘Fever Tree Forest’ road’s turnoff, but splits to the east and runs between these two tracks

Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

3.5. Route to Mabaulata via Mapai

Route 6. This route runs from Pafuri to Mapai on a gravel road 108 kms that at times is very trying to say the least. This drive could take you anything between 3 and 4 hours. Once one reaches Mapai one needs to cross the Limpopo River which at this point is for ever changing. To understand this crossing better we refer to dialogue on the SA 4x4 Community forum - http://4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=189256 and http://4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=82313 Once one has negotiated the crossing either by ferry or by driving through if the level is low, one proceed to Chiqualaquala / Senga border post on a newly tarred road 88 kms long, which is a great improvement on the old gravel road. See Map above - The gravel road from Pafuri to Mapai is highlighted in yellow.

3.6. Route to Mabaulata Via Massingir

Route 7, This is a route where one wants to take it easy and enjoy the trip up to Chicualacuala. To start with one needs to cross the SA /Moz border at Giriyondo Border Post. One of the requirements to cross at this border is proof that you have spent a night in Kruger or you are booked to stay a night at Aguia Pesqueira or Albufeira in Parque Nacional do Limpopo near the Massingir Dam. One can spend time in Kruger or along the Massingir Dam before pushing on to Mapai and Chicualacuala via Majanque and Joao over the Limpopo River Barrage.

The route from Phalaborwa to Giriyondo is 96 km, Giriyondo to Massingir over the dam wall is 80 kms then a tar road from Massingir to the Limpopo Barrage crossing is 105 kms of pot holed tar road. From the Barrage up to Mapai – this road is at present under reconstruction and tarring and is a long stretch of 216km. One needs to check the state of completion. Fuel is sometimes available at Mapai. From Mapai to Chicualacuala you 88 km of new tar road. Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

3.7. Roads detail at Chipinda Pools and Mabalauta

4. Routes / roads between the South (Mabalauta) and north section Chipinda Pools. – More often than not visitors wish to travel between these two parts of Gonarezhou. There are various routes one can take. With Gonarezhou management allowing visitors to traverse across the central areas once permission per vehicle is granted, this has enabled visitors to enjoy the wilderness area that was not available before. Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

4.1. Route 1 - depicted in dark grey on the following map below. This is the standard dry weather route over the Runde River across a causeway that is rather rocky. The causeway runs parallel to the old bridge that was partially washed away. One needs to be wary of the large crocodiles in the area. This is not a causeway to you walk across. The road goes between Mabalauta and Chipinda Pools via Boli. This road has deteriorated considerably.

4.2. Route 2. This route is depicted in green on the map below. This route is used either when the traveller needs to provision or fill with fuel at Chiredzi before going to Chipinda Pools or the Runde River is flowing too strongly / high to cross. Both routes one and two do need to travel over badly corrugated and poorly maintained roads. The road to Boli from Mabalauta is very bad at present.

4.3. Route 3, 4 and 5 are Red, blue and green and show the routes through the park on the following maps. The blue route is the most popular as it passes various pans which may attract game. These routes are easy to follow on the map purchased from either office. The routes all head towards Fishans Causeway to Chipinda Pools. The alternate is to either leave from Chinguli if one is heading to Mabalauta or to book in as one’s first stop if one is heading north to the Runde River area. The guard at Chinguli will radio through your arrival or departure to the appropriate office. Enough time must be given to traverse these routes Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

Gonarezhou National Park “Where Elephants meet”

5. Exits from the park.

5.1. All entry roads can be used as exit roads

5.2. An alternate exit road is crossing the Save River to Chilo Lodge just opposite the North Eastern Sub offices of the Gonarezhou Parks. Parks officials need to be advised of your departure. The Park Officials will point the crossing, as this crossing, changes every time flood waters come down the Save River. If one is booked into the Chilo Safari lodge then their staff will meet you at the river once a time is set.

This is the quickest route to leave Gonarezhou if one is camping in the Eastern section of the park as opposed to leaving via Chipinda Pools. It is also a good exit route to the eastern highlands.