Gorongosa National Park Explorer

10 days - Throughout the year

This is a fantastic itinerary exploring the main and hidden reaches of Gorongosa National Park, allowing you to discover all about the wildlife and project to reintroduce it to the park. This itinerary can be done on a tailor-made basis, with variations if you wish, or extensions to some of the wonderful beaches on the pristine Indian Ocean coastline. We're also planning to run this trip as a group tour in late 2010 with Wildlife Worldwide founder Chris Breen - please call us for further details.

Take a peek at the trailer for the National Geographic movie on Gorongosa National Park. It is awesome! And all this footage was filmed in the last 2 years in Gorongosa!

Day 1

Depart UK for Johannesburg

Day 2 Gorongosa National Park, 2-nights, Gorongosa Safari Camp.

Short sunset drive and relaxing in camp upon arrival (D)

Opened in 2009, this unfenced tented camp is a luxury camp situated in the heart of the park in an area known for great lion activity and excellent birding. The camp currently caters for eight guests in four eco-tents with 'en-suite' waterless loos, hot bucket showers and basins. Food is all locally sourced and the staff are part of a greater hospitality skills development programme in the park.

Being the first and only private operator in the park, Explore Gorongosa has special license to explore the park on foot and on night drives, as well as permission to lead trips up nearby Mt. Gorongosa and to accompany any reintroduction of game that takes place as part of the restoration project.

Day 3

Bush walks with a naturalist guide, afternoon and evening game drives exploring different areas of the park (BLD)

The restoration of Gorongosa National Park is possibly one of the most exciting conservation and sustainable development projects in the sub-region. Once termed the 'Serengeti of the South', Gorongosa was home to tens of thousands of mega-herbivores such as buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and elephant. It had the highest density of lions of any park in Africa before the conflict. Now, the park is being restored beyond its former state to a point where it is providing benefits beyond its boundaries to communities living in the region. This involves re-introduction of many species, some from Tanzania and Botswana and the first elephants, wildebeest and buffalo from Kruger National Park have already arrived - come and see for yourself!

Day 4 Gorongosa National Park, 1-night, Bushcamp.

When the midday sun hits we will picnic by the river, chill in hammocks and watch the world go by. Finish off the day by walking to a wilderness fly camp where we spend the night. Wilderness fly camping is a wonderful bush experience, sleeping under the stars in mosquito net tents and letting the sun wake you up as it shines through the branches of a huge baobab.

Day 5 Gorongosa National Park, 1-night, Gorongosa Safari Camp (BLD)

Day 6 Gorongosa National Park, 1-night, Bushcamp.

Explore the area around Mt. Gorongosa (BLD)

Day 7 Gorongosa National Park, 2-nights, Gorongosa Safari Camp

Investigate the areas where the initial relocations are taking place (BLD)

Day 9 Depart Mozambique for UK, via Johannesburg

Day 10 Arrive UK