|
If you want your banner here contact |
|
|
|
Useful Numbers |
Sofala Province GORONGOSA One option for nature lovers is a trip to Gorongosa National Park. At the time of our visit, the road to the park was inaccessible even with four wheel drive because of the recent heavy rains, but it is possible to set up camp outside the park gates near the warden's offices or inside the park. The park staff welcome visitors and will do their best to assist you during your visit. The park is open to day visitors for a fee of $20.00. To get to Gorongosa, take the EN6 out of Beira towards Chimoio. At 128km approximately from the airport bridge, Beira is Inchope, which marks the border with Manica province. The road to Gorongosa is north of the junction and signposted from there. The park came into being in 1921 when an area of bush measuring about 1000 km2 was set aside for the protection of native animal species and the establishment of a game reserve. The game reserve area was increased to 3,200 km2 in 1935 and in 1960, Gorongosa National Park was created. In 1967 the area was estimated to be in the region of 5,300 km2. At this time, Gorongosa was one of the premier tourist attractions in southern Africa and continued to attract many tourists until the start of the civil war in 1983. During the war years, the flora and fauna of the park were decimated and the infrastructure destroyed. Rehabilitation of the park commenced in 1995, with the introduction of an emergency programme funded by the European Union. There are now 60 park wardens employed at the park and although there are limited facilities, work is in progress to develop these services. Inside the park you may be lucky enough to see lion, leopard, elephant, hippo, buffalo and many other species. Sadly the rhino which were once present in the park are thought to have been completely exterminated during the war. There are three major ecological zones - the Rift zone, the Zambezi valley and the coastal plain of the Indian Ocean. Within these zones are various habitats including forests, waterfalls and flood plains all with their individual flora and fauna. It is thought that there are more than 500 species present in the park including more than 300 large mammal species.
|
