Hi there all I go to Inhambane a couple of time
- Thread starter Kleinbul
- Start date
Hi there guys. Thanks for all interesting ideas. I went to Inhambane again for two weeks in January and had a great time. We were advised by the owner of the guest house in Komatipoort to use the dirt road via Moamba to bypass Maputo with its traffic jams and Cops. We took the chance and I was pleasantly surprised. The dirt road is 100km long and in not too bad condition. I have attached a pic. It is corrugated and and will avoid it if it rains though. We drove an average speed of around 50kph towing our rubberduck. It is also much shorter than driving via maputo so you dont waste time by driving slower. The road join up with the EN1 again about 90km south of Xai-Xai.
Fishing was a bit slow in general but we managed to land a small Marlin which was awesome fun. We wanted to release it but it died as we hooked it pretty bad.
Fishing was a bit slow in general but we managed to land a small Marlin which was awesome fun. We wanted to release it but it died as we hooked it pretty bad.
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Have to agree with Tsunami the road from Moamba to I think its Chinavane is a no go with a trailer done it on the way back from Chidenguelle in December it might be a bit shorter and no cops but its KAK!!with a trailer and a boat will be even worse.Its well over 100Kms on sand.
Limpopoking
Sealiner
I recently did Louis Trichardt to Zona Braza. On the way down, I went through the Park (via Giriyondo). The Park is definitley enforcing the "stay over" nonsense, but we (my sweetheart and I) booked into Albufeira Camp at Massingir dam, and the Kruger Park officials accepted that. That being said, it takes a helluva long time to drive thru the park and it's damn pricey when one considers the permits for both parks (KNP and Parc Nacional) and an overnight in Parc Nacional.
For our return, we decided to skip the Parks and head down to Komatipoort border. We turned off the EN1 about 25k's after Macia and headed to Magude through the sugar plantations. We had to take the Sabie road though, because the shorter road has apparently been badly damaged by the recent flooding of the Komati and Sabie rivers. The drive was beautiful and road surface more than acceptable.
In all, I enjoyed the trip home better than the trip there. We were stopped by some cops in Magude on the way home, but after a cursory glance at my drivers license, we were politely waved on.
Just a warning though, plenty speed traps on the tar roads, the first one in Chizavane just after 5.30 in the morning!!! Fortunately the dude in front of me was the one who got bust. I was doing about 75 in the 60 zone.
For our return, we decided to skip the Parks and head down to Komatipoort border. We turned off the EN1 about 25k's after Macia and headed to Magude through the sugar plantations. We had to take the Sabie road though, because the shorter road has apparently been badly damaged by the recent flooding of the Komati and Sabie rivers. The drive was beautiful and road surface more than acceptable.
In all, I enjoyed the trip home better than the trip there. We were stopped by some cops in Magude on the way home, but after a cursory glance at my drivers license, we were politely waved on.
Just a warning though, plenty speed traps on the tar roads, the first one in Chizavane just after 5.30 in the morning!!! Fortunately the dude in front of me was the one who got bust. I was doing about 75 in the 60 zone.
Hi guys.
Great post.
I'm leaving for Tofo / Pomene on Sat, it's our first time. Hiring a kitted overland vehicle from Jozi gonna fish ourselves stukkend !!
The chap at the rental told us easier to go through Kruger so we have aranged camping in Kruger to stay the night, I didn't know you have to stay another night on the Moz side ?? if that's the case we going to loose to much fishing time.
What do you think we should do? maybe take the Komati gauntlet but it's also the start of the school hols so don't want to be stuck at the border half the day.
If Komati we need to get to Tofu in one day, and we not keen on driving at night. We don't mind getting to the border at 4 am if need be.
Guys we need your help here we leave leave in 4 days.
After reading the threads I'm doubting our original plan.
Cheers
Marcello
Great post.
I'm leaving for Tofo / Pomene on Sat, it's our first time. Hiring a kitted overland vehicle from Jozi gonna fish ourselves stukkend !!
The chap at the rental told us easier to go through Kruger so we have aranged camping in Kruger to stay the night, I didn't know you have to stay another night on the Moz side ?? if that's the case we going to loose to much fishing time.
What do you think we should do? maybe take the Komati gauntlet but it's also the start of the school hols so don't want to be stuck at the border half the day.
If Komati we need to get to Tofu in one day, and we not keen on driving at night. We don't mind getting to the border at 4 am if need be.
Guys we need your help here we leave leave in 4 days.
After reading the threads I'm doubting our original plan.
Cheers
Marcello
Getting to the border at 0400am is not really gonna help a lot, as there's usually lots of vehicles waiting, seeing that it's holiday many people think it would save them hours, only to find out that there's still delays.
Should you not be familiar with driving at night Moz DO NOT attempt it.
If u want to avoid "the wait" at the border drive thru Swaziland, however the drive might take as long as the wait?
You will get to Tofo in 1 day, from Maputo it will take you up to 8hrs to get there, maybe less should you avoid the peak traffic in Maps, road conditions should be ok too. (I said 8hrs, but you can do it less time) Try to avoid speeding, or stick the speed limits - you will have no problems with the cops. Respect the locals and DO NOT pay bribes!
Enjoy
Should you not be familiar with driving at night Moz DO NOT attempt it.
If u want to avoid "the wait" at the border drive thru Swaziland, however the drive might take as long as the wait?
You will get to Tofo in 1 day, from Maputo it will take you up to 8hrs to get there, maybe less should you avoid the peak traffic in Maps, road conditions should be ok too. (I said 8hrs, but you can do it less time) Try to avoid speeding, or stick the speed limits - you will have no problems with the cops. Respect the locals and DO NOT pay bribes!
Enjoy
Limpopoking
Sealiner
I think it boils down to how you like to roll.
Kruger is lekker if you like what Kruger has to offer. If you want to go through Kruger as a means to an end then it is tedious.
I have done the drive to Vilanculos through Pafuri on a number of occasions (last time was last week) and a few of my mates keep asking why???? It's so much easier to drive from Louis T to Jhb and take a flight... But that's not how I roll. I like the bush road.
Objectively... The Giryondo border is great. The road is crap and must be taken slowly (dirt from the main drag through Kruger to Giryondo and to Massingir is dirt then the bit between Massingir and Chokwe is tar but potholed to hell). You also have to overnight in either Kruger or in the Parque Nacional (the latter is cheaper). Getting through both parks is expensive (it all adds up), but if it's something you have never done then hey, why not try it at least once.
I guess it boils down largely to your time available. If your holiday is a case of x number of days and you want as much time as possible at a destination fishing, then go the most direct route possible. Alternatively, if you take the view that half of the vacation is the journey, then take the road less traveled.
I know this probably doesn't help a whole heap, but I don't know how else to advise you.
Whichever way you go, don't speed. It has the potential to stuff your holiday up. Ask my ex (((zom(bie))))
Edit: Oh, sorry Marcello, no need for an additional night on Moz side. All that's required is to show them a booking in either KNP or in Parque Nacional when you enter KNP.
Kruger is lekker if you like what Kruger has to offer. If you want to go through Kruger as a means to an end then it is tedious.
I have done the drive to Vilanculos through Pafuri on a number of occasions (last time was last week) and a few of my mates keep asking why???? It's so much easier to drive from Louis T to Jhb and take a flight... But that's not how I roll. I like the bush road.
Objectively... The Giryondo border is great. The road is crap and must be taken slowly (dirt from the main drag through Kruger to Giryondo and to Massingir is dirt then the bit between Massingir and Chokwe is tar but potholed to hell). You also have to overnight in either Kruger or in the Parque Nacional (the latter is cheaper). Getting through both parks is expensive (it all adds up), but if it's something you have never done then hey, why not try it at least once.
I guess it boils down largely to your time available. If your holiday is a case of x number of days and you want as much time as possible at a destination fishing, then go the most direct route possible. Alternatively, if you take the view that half of the vacation is the journey, then take the road less traveled.
I know this probably doesn't help a whole heap, but I don't know how else to advise you.
Whichever way you go, don't speed. It has the potential to stuff your holiday up. Ask my ex (((zom(bie))))
Edit: Oh, sorry Marcello, no need for an additional night on Moz side. All that's required is to show them a booking in either KNP or in Parque Nacional when you enter KNP.
Limpopoking wrote:
Straight from the man in the " know" Thanks for clearing it up, as I do not know the park crossing ect....Hope we can meet up next year....
Straight from the man in the " know" Thanks for clearing it up, as I do not know the park crossing ect....Hope we can meet up next year....
Thanks for all the help guys !!
Speaking to my mate it looks like we doing Komatipoort and maybe stay over at honeypot on the other side to break it up or if time is on our side make it up to Tofu. Not to worry we won't be speeding or doing anything stupid !! We'll play it safe and see what happens we both chilled chaps and if we get pulled over we'll smile and wave !! non fallo portuguese fallo afrikaans !! (spelling)
We get back on the 10th Oct I will report back on our travels and the huge GT's we going to pull in
Speaking to my mate it looks like we doing Komatipoort and maybe stay over at honeypot on the other side to break it up or if time is on our side make it up to Tofu. Not to worry we won't be speeding or doing anything stupid !! We'll play it safe and see what happens we both chilled chaps and if we get pulled over we'll smile and wave !! non fallo portuguese fallo afrikaans !! (spelling)
We get back on the 10th Oct I will report back on our travels and the huge GT's we going to pull in
Marcello wrote:
Ok, if you are prepared to wait at the borderpost, by all means, get yourself some food and drinks (cooldrinks) and wait it out. The border is open from 0600hs - 2200hs (Sometimes open 24hs - holidays) if you can get away there early, there's no reason why you should not make the trip to Tofo in 8hrs. Maputo's traffic is bad from (0630 - 0845hs) (1200hs - 1400hs) (1600hs - 2000hs), if you can try and avoid these times.
Lol... just act normal when they pull you over, have all your documents ready.
Thanks for all the help guys !!
Speaking to my mate it looks like we doing Komatipoort and maybe stay over at honeypot on the other side to break it up or if time is on our side make it up to Tofu. Not to worry we won't be speeding or doing anything stupid !! We'll play it safe and see what happens we both chilled chaps and if we get pulled over we'll smile and wave !! non fallo portuguese fallo afrikaans !! (spelling)
We get back on the 10th Oct I will report back on our travels and the huge GT's we going to pull in
Ok, if you are prepared to wait at the borderpost, by all means, get yourself some food and drinks (cooldrinks) and wait it out. The border is open from 0600hs - 2200hs (Sometimes open 24hs - holidays) if you can get away there early, there's no reason why you should not make the trip to Tofo in 8hrs. Maputo's traffic is bad from (0630 - 0845hs) (1200hs - 1400hs) (1600hs - 2000hs), if you can try and avoid these times.
Lol... just act normal when they pull you over, have all your documents ready.