On the road: from White River to Mozambique

We – Mirjam and Frikkie – started our journey in White River, Mpumalanga, with spending one night at Muluwa Lodge, which is located in the Likweti wildlife estate. The practical thing about the Muluwa Lodge is, that it’s only a short car drive away from the southern Kruger Gate. And in terms you just want to spend a leisure day at the lodge, you do not need to miss out the wildlife experience – you are surrounded by peaceful “plains game” wildlife that meander around the Likweti wildlife estate. Giraffe, zebras, nyalas and other soft game roam freely and are often seen around the various accommodations and the main lodge. 

But as beautiful as it is at Muluwa (read our Blogpost about Muluwa here https://www.amazing-africa.co.za/muluwa-lodge), we wanted to continue our way to Mozambique with several stops along the way to check out new properties and lodges.

So we entered the Paul Kruger Gate and were immediately surprised by lots of big herds of elephants along our way. We are all very experienced in Safaris and Game Drives in many different National Parks and Game Reserves, but that overwhelmed us all. It was amazing!

Our next stop was the Imbali Safari Lodge, a beautiful lodge located at a dry river bed and nestled discreetly amidst a canopy of impressive Jackalberry and Tamboti trees in the iconic Kruger National Park. It offers 12 spacious suits, subtly decorated in neutral colours with enchanting splashes of African tradition, and  with amazing views of the river bed.

The lodge has an intimate flair and the staff war super friendly. And the sightings close to the lodge were amazing: Leopard, elephants, buffalos and lions.

And if that was not enough, we had breakfast with the view of lions drinking at a water whole. That’s what we call #myamazingafrica moments – we truly cannot put these experiences into words, it was just unbelievable.

Now it was time to leave to Cavane, we had plenty of wild dogs on our way and other beautiful sightings again. The further north we got the less traffic we had and we had the pleasure to watch the beautiful landscape.

The Border crossing to Limpopo T F Park was fortunately easy for us – but this time we weren’t blessed with good sightings ;)

Cavane is a nice and small city, but not really worth it to stop by for longer. For us it was more like a technical stop, but nice to see anyway.

So we didn’t spend much time and took off to Bilene and Naara. When you travel through Mozambique, you will cross many small cute villages and you need to be prepared for lots of goats on the road! So plan a bit more time to travel from A to B.

Our recommendation: stop by at Marcia for a coffee break – really lovely place for a short stop over. But watch out –  a regular coffee is not automatically a "regular" coffee size wise (see below). Prepare to order several coffees for a regular cup ;)

We arrived in Naara, a really beautiful small town. We stayed at the Naara Lodge, where we experienced the most beautiful sunrise on the main deck we have ever seen. Everything was wrapped up in the soft orange light.

Naara Eco-Lodge & Spa is an exclusive paradise with only 10 luxurious safari tents in Southern Mozambique which is surrounded by African indigenous bush overlooking the Nhambavale Lake. Luxury safari tents are set up on permanent structures with large front doors. Each tent is strategically placed so that they all have amazing views of the lake. Each tent has a large bedroom area and individual covered veranda. Verandas are suited with sofas. The indoor en suite facility opens to a private secluded garden with an outdoor shower.

Please note: it might be no service on the road, so you need to rely on the directions from your DMC/lodge you stay in.

We continued our way to Tofo – a small town with absolutely big experiences! Whether day or night, there is always something going on in Tofo.

As we arrived in Tofo, we immediately felt the calm and casual beach lifestyle and decided to go with the vibe. So we enjoyed a coconut water and the beach while watching surfers as the wind was good. This is bearable ;)

Besides very very long, sandy and empty beaches, Tofo offers a vibrant and colorful market at the beach and plenty of beach bars.

One must like the noise - it’s something to experience. Tofo is also called “a little South African Ibiza”. You can hear pumping dance music from loud speakers and 4x4s while walking through the bright and colorful village. Aside from the perpetual party atmosphere however, the reason many people visit Tofo is for the diving. The azure blue, warm water is a pillar of the tourism industry and home to beach villas and diving retreats, with tourists drawn by a long Indian Ocean beach front and nearby reefs which attract sealife. Along with manta rays and sea turtles, Tofo is one of the best destinations for divers to see whale sharks..

Our next stop was the Eco Lodge “Dunes de Dovela”, which is on the doorstep of Inhambane, closed to Zavora, between Maputo and Vilanculos. It is the perfect place to feel the energy emerging from the beauties of the Mozambican coast and it proposes a whole immersion into the Nature and the Chope Culture for Responsible Tourism.

At the end of a beautiful 12,5 km track, “Dunes de Dovela” Eco Lodge is located on top of the secondary dunes that overlook the Indian Ocean. Thus the Restaurant, the Bar and the Accommodations have amazing Sea, Dunes and coastal virgin Forest views. The Lodge proposes two types of Accommodation scattered into the dunes: luxurious bungalows and semi luxury dome tents pitched on wooden platforms. Linen, pillows, duvet, towels and soap are provided for each type of accommodation.

The Lodge is really beautiful and exudes an extraordinary flair.

Dunas Dovela to White Pearl

Our way to White Pearl took us through the capital city Maputo, over the Maputo–Katembe bridge, which has been opened in November last year and along the Maputo Special Reserve (formerly known as Maputo Elephant Reserve) – so plenty of stuff to see :)  

As we arrived at White Pearls, we were on the one hand enchanted by the beauty of those resorts and the nature and on the other hand pleasantly surprised by the warm and professional welcome.

White Pearls is nestled in a sheltered bay on Mozambique’s Lagoon Coast, poised amongst the dunes on timber stilts and offers 22 luxurious suites, which have been sensitively designed to take advantage of their beautiful natural setting, while protecting the fragile eco-systems beneath them. Cool, clean lines, contemporary furniture and a palette inspired by the surrounding coastal landscape dominate the interior.

We spend the entire day at White Pearls and enjoyed the amenities like spa treatments, beach walks, sundowner drink at the lake and the super delicious food. One highlight is the private picnic for 2 you can have on the beach. Looking over the endless Indian Ocean, listening to the gentle crashing of the waves and smelling the unique aromas emerging from the picnic basket – an unique experience. The perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

One personal highlight was the diving lesson in the pool. First we were a bit afraid and had no idea what to expect, but the teacher was more than gentle and patient. It was plenty of fun and it will surely not be the last time diving. We will come back and take advantage of the beautiful coastline and its reefs.

White Pearl back to Pretoria

After a delight breakfast we took off to our around 8 hours drive back to Pretoria. We crossed the Komatipoort Border and drove straight home. It was a pleasure to explore beautiful Mozambique with its coastline and swaying palms, its traditions, its cultures, its vibe and its opportunities for adventure. This enigmatic southeast African country has much to offer for those who venture here: long, dune-fringed beaches, turquoise waters abounding in shoals of colourful fish and well-preserved corals. Colonial-style architecture, nightlife, a fascinating cultural mix and vast tracts of bush. Discovering these attractions is not always easy (most Lodge accesses and sandy roads are only accessible with a 4x4) , but it is unfailingly rewarding. Bring along patience, a tolerance for long bus rides, some travel savvy and a sense of adventure, and jump in for the journey of a lifetime.

Please note the speed limits, very important for safety reasons and to respect the country rules.