Mozambique 2025 (Part 1- The Big Smoke to Santa Maria)

Rem · #1

So every year I try get away late July early August, mostly because both public and private schools are in session and Nire and I can have relative freedom of where and how long to stay wherever we rock up...and I generally age a whole year in and around this time...

This year we decided on Mozambique, we actually wanted to go last year but between the unrest and a slowly healing Achilles rupture just wasn't the right time.

We travelled early from big smoke on a Saturday morning, with the intention of staying in Kosi bay, even though we hadn't booked anywhere. When we approached Jozini we made a call to the Kosi Bay camp, only to find out that the bridge had washed away and it was a 2 hour detour.

Nire is a prepper...but I insisted we wing it this year! So there we have the first inklings of an oops, but we decided to press to Ponta Do Ouro..reached the Kosi Border Post at 15h00 and made it through without any hassles, a 20 minute process, where the last part entails you sitting next to the customs officer reading out vehicle and trailer details.. ahh the sweet refreshing smell of communism n the afternoon!

We spent the night in Ponto Do Oro, but we really where in search of something a little more of the beaten track, one place to definitely stop is "Toe Beans" where we had a great coffee and breakfast, and a whole lot of worthwhile advice...the best being "follow the power lines when of the beaten track, you'll get to a village!"

So the next day we made the trip to Ponto Malongane, and setup camp outside town at Wakene Beach Camp. Its deep sand on the back road, and the new Maxis 33's on Fat Amy performed super well.

Enter the rain in Ponta Malongane, but we where pretty organized and had a chilled evening after having a great late lunch at the Drunken Clam..Great view and even better munchies and my personal favorite tipple in Mozambique, an ice cold Laurentina.

Our next destination was Santa Maria, where you have to go through the Maputo National Park. This is a blast, its 75kms through the park which takes about 4 hours, with a little breakfast stop halfway. The track meanders through the park where you cross over dunes, between the wetlands, until you exit the park into the Santa Maria area. This only means your now out of the protected area of the park, but still in a pretty isolated tip of Mozambique, with a view of the Maputo skyline.. of all things. Pretty impressive for sundowners.

Santa Maria was one of my favorite spots, we setup camp at Bemugi's, where you have a your own ablution and kitchen are which makes the camping 5 star luxury style, with a pub and restaurant in walking distance for when you not doing your own thing. Three days of bliss here! I would definitely plan a trip to the Maputo national park, and stay in the wild camps next time and venture into Santa Maria every now and again for a bit of civilized cocktails.

Hope you guys enjoy the pics, if I get a bit of time ill add a Part 2 and 3 .. Santa Maria to Morangulo , and Morangulo to Vilanculos!

Bugjuic · #2

There is something special about Ponta Malongane! Not as busy, everything within walking distance. Maybe going to Moz next month, will have a look at places like Santa Maria area. Great trip report