Explore Gorongosa, Serenity Eco Forest Reserve and Wings 'n Wheels weekend special
Explore Gorongosa
At the recent World Travel Market
show in London, One Africa told
many people to join them on a
game-viewing safari to Mozambique. More
often than not the response was a few skew
looks and wrinkled brows: “Mozambique?
That’s the country with all the untouched
beaches and deserted island paradises
– you talking about diving safaris?”
“Uh, yes, sure. There are some pretty
wild beaches and islands, but what you
should know is that there are some really
great game reserves and national parks
just waiting to be discovered.”
A brief virtual tour through their photo
database was usually enough to satisfy
these hesitant folks that Mozambique
does indeed have some of the finest
settings for game-viewing and birding
safaris in the region. Take Gorongosa
National Park, for example...
One Africa, a small, owner-run
operation offering niche safari
experiences in Mozambique, recently
secured the first private ecotourism
operating license within this flagship
wildlife sanctuary. They are launching
Explore Gorongosa, luxury walking
safari experiences within the Gorongosa
National Park in May 2009.
Once one of Africa’s finest big game
parks – it was known for decades as
the Serengeti of the South – Gorongosa
was all but left for ruin for much of
the duration of the internal conflict in
Mozambique. What was left was a shell
of the former national natural treasure, a
shell that needed a serious make-over.
The seeds of this long overdue facelift
came recently in the way of a visionary
partnership between the Government of
Mozambique and the Carr Foundation,
in which a detailed management plan
is being implemented to make the park
sustainable once more, not simply for
the benefit of the wildlife and natural
heritage, but also to provide benefits
beyond the boundaries for those living
in the vicinity of this magnificent wild
wonderland.
The grand Park Restoration Project
is well underway with new arrivals of
the four-legged kind coming in from
neighbouring countries and reserves.
For example, a great mutual relationship
with the Kruger Park has resulted in
shared expertise, as well as some old
elephant bulls and a herd of diseasefree
buffalo introduced into Gorongosa
between 2006 and 2008 to supplement
the existing wild populations of both of
these mega-herbivores.
A lion research project is underway
and the scientific arm of the park has
published some fascinating papers on
the state of the park and its impressive
biodiversity. It is planned that the
existing 3 770 km2 park will be increased
soon to incorporate even more land
in Mozambique’s resurgent Sofala
Province. A public camp, Chitengo,
provides comfortable accommodation
and an excellent restaurant which
perfectly complements the new private
and exclusive Explore Gorongosa semipermanent
tented camp and wilderness
fly-camps.
Gorongosa is situated in the
southernmost reaches of the Great African
Rift Valley. Centred around the impressive
Lake Urema system, the park also includes
sweeping fever tree forests, limestone
gorges, Faidherbia albida woodland, palm
thickets, bat-filled subterranean caverns,
grassy floodplains, mixed Miombo, and
baobab-dotted bushveld.
The renowned Gorongosa Mountain
creates a magnificent backdrop to the
park with its bird-rich rainforests and
altiplano grasslands, not to mention some
spectacular waterfalls and cloud forest
pockets. The Green-Headed Oriole is
only found in this region, and the park is
host to a number of birding specials such
as the Wattled Crane, the Swynnerton’s
Robin and the Palmnut Vulture – truly a
twitcher’s dream!
If the fanciful feathered fraternity
doesn’t blow your hair back, Gorongosa’s
game densities are surprisingly good,
considering the knock they took during
and immediately after the conflict
in Mozambique. This is especially
true of unusual species such as oribi,
Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, nyala, and
sable antelope – there is one herd of
over 120 of the latter! Big game is
covered by large herds of elephant and
buffalo, with especially fine hippo and
crocodile populations in the wetlands
and waterways of the Park.
A number of well-established lion
prides are to be found stalking the
numerous warthog, waterbuck, reedbuck
and impala, while serval are commonly
found pouncing on poor, unsuspecting
rodents on the floodplains. Leopard are
also present which makes the park a
naturally occurring Big Five area with
plans to re-introduce rhino in 2010.
Gorongosa National Park, a Mozambican
treasure, provides environmental,
educational, aesthetic, recreational, and
economic benefits to all of humanity.
It is not hard to see why One Africa
jumped at the opportunity to replicate
their model of sustainable and unique
safari experiences in Gorongosa when the
chance arose. Through predominantly
walking safaris led by one of Africa’s
great professional safari guides,
interspersed with open-vehicle game
drives and water-based adventures,
Explore Gorongosa guests will be invited
to unravel the many layers of this fragile
yet stunning ecosystem.
With so much to offer and so little as yet
discovered, the experience of exploring
Gorongosa will be a truly unique and
ground-breaking opportunity to be part
of something greater; something truly
meaningful and relevant to Africa and
her wildlife.
Explore Gorongosa is One Africa’s
response to the wild beauty of Gorongosa
National Park, and we would like to
encourage anyone with even the slightest
interest in how real safari experiences
can support sustainable relationships
between man and his environment,
to go and join them on this exclusive
Mozambican adventure. Gorongosa,
in combination with the beaches and
islands of this beautiful country, should
make Mozambique the ultimate all-inone
beach and bush destination. Go
explore Gorongosa!
Contact Jos on info@oneafrica.co.za or
+258 82 862 4975 for more information or to enquire about a booking
at Explore Gorongosa.
Airlink offers direct scheduled flights
from Johannesburg to Beira on Mondays,
Tuesdays Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Book online at www.flyairlink.com
or call +2711 978 1111.
Serenity Eco Forest Reserve
Serenity Eco Forest Reserve is
situated in a densely forested
valley surrounded by the ancient
southern Mpumalanga mountain ranges
on the southern border of the world
famous Kruger National Park.
The lodge is surrounded by 1 300
hectares of biologically diverse eco
systems – a combination of true forest
vegetation and mountain grasslands
defines the Serenity landscape. Some
of the forest trees date back more than
a thousand years and with that comes
an abundance of bird species, rare
butterflies, tree orchards, dragonflies
and roaming game found in this
reserve.
Serenity has been nationally classified
as a unique and distinct true forest
biome, one-of-its-kind in South Africa.
Every effort is made to preserve and
protect the sensitive eco systems by
minimising our ecological footprint,
conserving water, saving energy, using
only bio-degradable products and
continuously eradicating alien plants.
Experience chandelier waterfalls, well
demarcated walking trails through the
forest or partake in romantic picnics,
wellness treatments or a spectacular
sundowner drive overlooking Swaziland,
Mozambique and Kruger Park – or
just relax in the privacy of your deck and
enjoy the symphony of the forest.
The lodge has nine luxury suites, six
of which are forest-view swazi beehivethatched
suites nestled into the forest
overlooking the mountain stream, while
three are lake-view thatched suites
overlooking the large picturesque body
of water and all the fauna and flora that
accompany it.
The smell of giant forest trees, the
soothing sound of the cascading water
and the vast plateaus of mountain
grasslands complete the texture of this
unique and soul-enriching experience.
Just a stone’s throw from the
Kruger National Park, Swaziland and
Mozambique, Serenity is perfectly
placed for safaris or exploring these
neighbouring vibrant countries. Only
four hours’ drive from Johannesburg
and Pretoria, Serenity is the perfect
retreat for weekend getaways, where
one can trade the hustle and bustle of
city life for the ultimate forest relaxation
experience.
Less then 20 kilometres from Serenity
is the world renowned Leopard Creek
Golf Estate and championship course.
Guests staying at Serenity have the
option of playing this world-class
golf course, which is otherwise not
accessible to the general public as it is
privately owned.
The lodge is approximately three
hundred metres higher in altitude than
the Kruger National Park and therefore
a more friendly temperature (between
three and five degrees Celsius less)
than the warm and dry climate of the
Southern Kruger on any given day.
Serenity is a place so pristine and
ancient that all who experience it leave
soul enriched, completely relaxed
and yearning to return. Unparalleled
naturally beautiful landscapes,
luxurious yet homely accommodation
and only the highest standards of
cuisine and service ensure that Serenity
is a truly unique experience.
More Information:
Forest View: 6 exclusive bedroom suites
Lake View: 3 exclusive bedroom suites
Children: No children under 16
Activities: Bush walks, lodge swimming pool,
hiking trails, wellness treatments, Romantic
picnics, reflexology walk, bird watching, scenic
sundowner drives
Nearby: Kruger National Park = 19km away,
Mozambique/Maputo = 140km away, Swaziland
= 45 minutes away, Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport = 70km away, elephant
back safari, Jane Goodall Chimpanzee
Sanctuary, Leopard Creek Golf Estate
Rates: From R990 to R1710
Includes: Luxury en suite with private deck
overlooking the stream,english breakfast and
afternoon homemade cakes and tea/coffee
Excludes: Personal extras, telephone calls and
faxes, all beverages, lunches, dinners, game
drives, gratuities, road transfers to and from the
lodge, external excursions
Contact:
Erin Thompson
P O Box 1285, Malalane, 1320, Mpumalanga,
South Africa
Tel: 013-751 1402
Fax: 013-750 2801
E-mail: reservations@serenitylodge
Wings ‘n Wheels weekend special
Flying somewhere for the weekend?
Just bring along your boarding pass
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deal. Wing your way to ridiculous rates
from as little as R127 per day. Terms and
Conditions apply.
Call 086 101 66 22 now for more info or
go to www.budget.co.za. This
special is applicable between Thursdays
at 08h00 and Mondays at 20h00 with a
minimum of a two day rental, one of
which must be a Saturday. Bookings
can be made through Budget’s Central
Reservations office or online at
www.budget.co.za.
And while you’re at it – why not
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Car offers a wide range of services and
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speak to one of our reservation agents at
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more details on these products.
Maps and directions – National and
regionalised maps are available for tourists
as well as directions to almost any area.
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Rescue Service operating throughout
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transportation to the nearest appropriate
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event of a medical emergency, providing
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Mobile Cellular Phone rentals are
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