Moz Malawi 2023: Part 6: Day 12 to 16: Zinhave and the road to Malawi

Monday 26 June

Setting out early from Tofo, eager for the next bit of adventure, the road to Maxixe and beyond was fine.

To get to Zinhave you turn off the EN1 onto gravel to Mabote to refuel and head up to remote Zinhave.

This is one of the National Parks taken over by Peaceparks who run it in conjunction with the government. It's still in re-development and tourist facilities are limited. All good..

Until we spot helicopters overhead.. It's a public holiday in Moz and the president has visited today to mark Zinhave's 50th anniversary. We are warned by police that the entourage, military, staff and guests are going to to be driving out of the park as we drive in. Our hopes of arriving before dark are dashed as we face "hundreds" of oncoming vehicles roaring at us down the single-track, thick- sand road. This involves a lot of reversing with caravans to give way to SUVs, truck-loads of supporters, catering trucks etc, until inevitably one vehicle slides into our caravan while gunning it to try and pass.

With scratches and broken lights we make it to HQ where we eventually find a staff member who reluctantly drives us out to Figtree, our wild camping spot. Cooking dinner in the bush and polishing off a few bottles of wine and our spirits are restored.

Tuesday 27 June

It's a beautiful park but game viewing is a bit limited. Birding is better. Life is good.

Wednesday 28 June

We have to say good-bye to Hanlie and Andrew who are heading back South and towards home. 

Park rangers ensure us that taking the Matata exit is easy and much quicker than heading back via Mabote..well they were wrong and we were lost. Very lost for most of the day..on bad,bad roads...bridge washed away and road closures due to damage as a result of Hurricane Freddy.

Travelling along cut lines and bush tracks, unhooking trailers and chopping down trees to get through, we abandon all chances of getting to Sussendenga today.

Eventually we crawl into Save, fuel up, reinflate our tyres and tackle the last 50kms on the horrendous EN1( 50 Mt toll fee !) in the dark to arrive at Buffalo Camp unannounced.

They have rooms for us and a lovely chef cooks us wonderful chicken and chips, which we wash down with beer and GnTs. 

Thursday 29 June

The EN1 from Save to Inchope has to be the worst national highway in the world. More pothole than road and oncoming trucks all the way. You literally progress at 20kms per hour.

 When planning, we had grossly underestimated our travel times even after lots of research, reading blogs and 4x4 sites and doubling Google travel times. So we added an extra day for driving up to Malawi. We had a leisurely breakfast and drove as far as Linda's Lodge in Chimoio.

Just Sean, Deirdre, Neil and I. Rina and Rupert had to leave at 5am and race all the way to Tete for his flight on Friday morning. Alison and Gillian flew in to Tete so they all met up for for the night. 

Friday 30 June

Chimoio to Tete and a great evening at the hidden gem of a campsite called Kukutana on the Zambezi River near the village of Benga; reunited with the others.