Gorongosa National Park

By plane
By plane

Flights from Johannesburg to Maputo on SAA and LAM Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique and connecting flights from Maputo to Beira and Chimoio on LAM depart daily. Direct flights from Johannesburg to Beira on LAM and SA Airlink also depart daily. From Lisbon Portugal TAP and LAM fly directly to Maputo several days per week. Gorongosa National Park’s Chitengo Safari Camp is 200 km about a 3-hour drive from the airport in Beira. Chitengo is 135 km about a 2-hour drive from Chimoio.

For private air charters there is a licensed airstrip at Chitengo Safari Camp, with a landing length of 1200 meters of hard earth. Advanced notification and authorization by the aeronautical authorities is required from December to April the airstrip is closed due to the rains.

By car
By car

Rental Cars and Driving in the ParkMaputo and Beira both have Imperial and Avis rental car agencies. Rates vary, depending on the agency, the car you rent, and if you need a driver, but typically they are about $125 per day.

You can drive to the Park on the EN1 highway from Maputo or via the EN6 highway from Beira, which intersects the EN1 highway at Inchope. Both are tar roads. The 40 kilometers of EN1 from Inchope to the turn-off to the Park is high-quality tar. From there it’s another 11 kilometers east on a graded dirt road to the park gate. The 18-kilometer dirt road from the gate to Chitengo is drivable in a two-wheel drive vehicle with good clearance. Be advised that during the rainy season November–April the road is only passable using a four-wheel drive vehicle, and in particularly heavy rains may not be passable.

Even during the dry season, it is recommended to drive a 4x4 vehicle on the Park's roads and Game Drive Network. Driving a 2x2 sedan is not recommended for game drives because of the risk of getting stuck or damaging your vehicle. Four-wheel drive is essential for driving to the base of Mount Gorongosa or exploring any other rugged terrain.

Bus “Chapa” from BeiraBuses leave Beira hourly for Chimoio or Inchope, but they do not come all the way to the Park. You will need to get off at Inchope and take the bus to Vila Gorongosa. Ask the driver to let you off at the turn-off to the Park, about 40 kilometers north of Inchope. From there, you will need transportation to Chitengo, a distance of about 29 kilometers. You will need to call the Park +258 23 535010 or +258 82 3020604 from Inchope preferably from Beira or Chimoio to request a ride.

Visiting Hours: The Park’s main gate opens at 6:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm.