Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail

• 4 night 5 day trail with a minimum of 8 and maximum of 8 guests.
• Departures arranged on request

Camp wild for four nights and traverse the plateau above the Rio Elefantes gorge on foot, descending to the shores of Massingir dam to fish for Tiger amongst others – the epitome of freedom in an amazing wilderness area.

Trails are led by an experienced guide but you are required to be totally self-sufficient. The terrain is rugged and requires a good level of fitness for the 15 to 20 km hiked each day.

Location

• Located in Parque Nacional do Limpopo, the 1,1 million hectare Moçambique sector of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, adjacent to Kruger National Park.
• Trail traverses the most southerly section of a Big 5 wilderness area stocked with game from Kruger National Park
• Trail starts from the Elephant Release Boma (S23 46.2:E31 46.8) located 31 km south of the Giriyondo border post which in turn is 45kms north-east of Letaba Restcamp in Kruger National Park
• The fence between the two National Parks has not yet been removed in this area but is scheduled for removal by 2010. As a consequence no repair work is being done and animals move freely through the holes in the fence line

Trail Description

• The Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail offers an unforgettable four night five day hiking adventure through a remote wilderness area.
• Trails are led by an experienced guide and armed game ranger equipped with hand-held radio communication and a GPS.
• Trailists, in groups of no more than 8, hike up to about 15 km on three of the days and overnight en-route, camping wild.
• On the first day trailists meet at the Elephant Release Boma (see details below) and depart on foot for the first night’s camp, hiking a distance of around 5 km.
• Early the following day trailists return to the Elephant Release Boma from where they depart by vehicle (approx one hour drive) for the drop-off point for the hike to the gorge.
• The trail crosses the Machampane river and traverses the Lebombo plateau from where the amazing Elefantes Gorge is first sighted. It is in this remote wilderness area that you spend three days hiking, fishing and camping wherever you find yourself as the sun begins to set.
• The gorge is home to large numbers of hippo and crocodile which you are certain to see as you wander along the slopes or beaches of the gorge.
• In addition to the excellent bird sightings you are likely to enjoy, being located in an area that has been re-stocked with game over the past few years in a joint programme with Kruger National Park, trailists also have every prospect of encountering other varieties of wildlife.
• Each night offers the prospect of its own special experience, from the sun setting over the Lebombos, to the call of a fish eagle in the riverine forest or sounds of hippo from the gorge. Even the possibility of elephant trumpeting amongst the Mopane or the roar of lion as they prowl the bush.
• Trailists gather around the fire to prepare their own meals and then head off to the shelter of their tents to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the night.
• On the last day you walk out around 5 km to meet the transport that will return you to your vehicle.
• The purpose of the Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail is to afford trailists an intimate encounter with the wild-side of this remote area. The Guide will, within reason, adjust the pace and distances walked to accommodate the group’s pace and interests but trailists are reminded that the distances and topography of the area are challenging.
• The trail is rugged and you are required to carry all your own equipment and supplies therefore a good level of fitness is essential.

Campsites

• Campsites are selected at random, unfenced and located in the bush.
• No ablution facilities are available,
• No water is provided for cooking and washing.
• Guides will arrange wood for a fire for aesthetic purposes only. All cooking is done on your camping gas stove (see: “What to take” below)

Equipment

• No camping equipment is supplied.
• Trailists must for safety considerations sleep in a tent.

Beverages

• It is highly recommend that trailists have water purification tablets, in addition to a supply of water, to meet their individual needs.
• Trail participants need to cater for their own beverage requirements (see general information sheet re. import duties). Moçambique beer and cooldrinks are available for purchase at the Giriyondo border post or in a village shop.

Meeting point and time

• Trailists can enter Parque Nacional do Limpopo from Kruger National Park via the Giriyondo border post or from Moçambique via the Massingir dam entry gate
• Meeting time is 15.00 at our parking area at the Elephant Release Boma which is located on the road to Machampane Tented Camp, 3 km west of the T-junction (for directions see map on www.dolimpopo.com)
• Vehicles are parked here for the duration of the trail.
• Hiking starts from the elephant release boma at 15.30 which allows for a 1,5 hour hike in order to arrive at the first night’s camp in time to settle in before sunset, which is between 17.15 in winter and 18.30 in summer.
• On the last day trailists walk out from the gorge area to meet the transport at about 09.00 and reach their own vehicles at around 10.00. This allows sufficient time to return on the same day via Kruger Park and Phalaborwa to Gauteng or to continue to the Moçambique coast.

Clothing and footwear

• Clothing should be comfortable and durable.
• Neutral colours such as khaki are preferable. Light coloured garments such as whites and creams should be avoided.
• T-shirts are not ideal as they provide little protection against the sun on the neck.
• A hat or cap and an all-weather jacket are important items.
• A tracksuit, either woollen or lightweight, depending on the season, is useful.
• Footwear should be worn-in if possible, have thick soles and provide good ankle support. It is preferable not to wear white shoes.

What to take
The items below are suggested as a check list:

• Lightweight tent
• Sleeping bag, towel and pillow
• Sleeping mat
• Powerful torch and spare batteries
• Fishing equipment
• Food and beverages
• Camping gas stove
• Cooking, eating and drinking utensils
• Drinking water and purification tablets
• Refuse bags
• Camera, binoculars and reference books (mammals/trees/birds)
• Appropriate clothing, hat or cap and an all-weather jacket/raincoat
• Personal toiletries, medication, malaria tablets, sun-screen, mosquito repellant
• Antihistamine ointment, tablets, eye drops, paracetamol, stingose etc
• Cottonwool/gauze/plasters, scissors and tweezers
• Toilet paper

Hiking trails policy

• The price of the trail is fixed, irrespective of the group size, for 1 to max 8.
• Departures can be scheduled on request.
• No upper age limit but participants on the trail must be medically fit and be aware that the experience involves hiking distances of up to 20 km per day.
• Regrettably due to the nature of the terrain covered and the safety factor, persons with mobility impairment are not able to participate on the trail.
• Conditions during the summer months can be very hot and humid. Participants on the trail must be well prepared for the climatic conditions.

Child policy

• For safety considerations regrettably children under the age of 12 may not participate on the backpacking trail.

Safety Policy

• The general rules and regulations of Parque Nacional do Limpopo and Kruger National Park also apply to our guests.
• Guests depend on the trails guide and ranger for their safety and for guidance. For their own safety and that of the other trailists, the instructions of the guide and ranger should be obeyed at all times. Failure to co-operate in this respect could lead to the immediate cancellation of the trail.
• For reasons of safety and sensitivity, excessive consumption of liquor is strongly discouraged. Liquor may only be consumed at the overnight campsites.

Malaria

• Parque Nacional do Limpopo is located in a Malaria area.
• MALARIA PROPHYLACTICS ARE ESSENTIAL. Trailists should consult their doctor or chemist.

Indemnity

• The Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail is located in Big 5 territory and overnight camps are unfenced.
• The trail is accompanied by a guide and armed ranger but nevertheless carries the risk of injury or death should big game be encountered
• In light of the exposed nature of the Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail, all trailists must complete an indemnity form. Minors must be in possession of an indemnity form signed by a parent or legal guardian. These forms must be signed in the presence of the Trails Guide.

Trails price includes

• Experienced guide and armed ranger on the trail, equipped with two-way radio communication and hand-held GPS for emergencies.
• Transfer from and back to the Elephant Release Boma

Trails price excludes

• Transfers, other than mentioned above.
• Food, snacks, drinks, soft drinks and drinking water.
• Parque Nacional do Limpopo entrance fees.
• Kruger National Park conservation fees.
• Moçambique border fees.
• Moçambique visa fee (not required for South African citizens).
• Items of a personal nature e.g. curios, gratuities, etc.
• Personal insurance: medical, baggage, cancellation, etc.

Non- or late arrival

• The trail takes place in Moçambique and customs and immigration procedures have to be followed at Giriyondo border post (see General Information sheet for operating hours).
• Any person not in possession of the necessary travel documents on arrival at the Giriyondo border post will not be able to accompany the trail but will be liable for and will forfeit the full trail fee.
• This forfeiture also applies to all persons who by virtue of their late arrival are unable to accompany the trail. No refund of the trail fee will be made.

Payments

• Payments for gratuities etc may be made in Rands, Meticais, US$ or Euros.

Cancellation Policy

• Within 120 to 61 days of arrival, 33.3% forfeiture of Total booking value.
• Within 60 days of arrival, 100% forfeiture of Total booking value

Access to Elefantes Gorge Backpacking and Fishing Trail meeting point

• By road from South Africa, through Kruger National Park:
  • Distance from Phalaborwa gate to Letaba Restcamp is 50km, from Letaba to the Giriyondo border post is 45km and from the border post to the meeting point at the Elephant Release Boma is 31km – a total of 125km.
  • The route is a game drive all the way and takes approximately 3,5 to 4,0 hours
  • 70km is on tarred road and the remaining 55km on gravel which is corrugated and stony.
  • Vehicle with good ground clearance is strongly recommended, but a 4x4 is not essential.
• By road from Maputo via Macia, Chokwe and Massingir:
  • Distance from Maputo to Massingir is approximately 400km and takes around 5,0 hours.
  • From park entry gate at Massingir to the Elephant Release Boma is approximately 50km and takes 1,5 hours.
  • Road is good tar to Massingir. From Massingir the road is gravel (currently being upgraded) and traveling is done through a National Park with a speed limit of 40km/h.
  • Vehicle with good ground clearance is strongly recommended, but a 4x4 is not essential.

Disclaimer
Whilst every endeavour is made to adhere to the trail description set out above, our trails are conducted in remote wilderness areas and occasionally circumstances in the park or prevailing weather conditions, over which we have no control, may arise. We reserve the right to amend the routing, location of campsites, distances hiked etc of any specific trail or trails and the guide’s decision in this regard is final. If this happens on a trail on which you are a participant we would appreciate your understanding.