| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
whiskeyflyer
uno
3 Posts |
 Posted - 01/03/2010 : 12:11:45
|
Road trip Dec 2009/Jan 2010
JNB - Masvingo - Chimoio - Ilha de Mozambique - Pemba- Ibo Caia Maputo - Joburg
RSA- Zimbabwe Mozambique -RSA
Having searched for time and details for a road trip to Pemba from Joburg, I could find no up to date info, so having done the trip I have included the times for the trip which may be of help to others to reach those off road places.
If of interest, will include details of where we stayed on the route.
Thanks to the quick response to the "Ask Mike" section of this site before I went on the trip so as promised here is my trip report
Rgds
Sean
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe Beit Bridge side
Beit Bridge, enough written on this already so prepare yourself. I have spent the last 15 years avoiding Beit bridge and now I know why
Beit Bridge Great Zim Ruins
4 hours, good roads but heavy truck traffic
Right turnoff to Masvingo after Beit bridge not well sign posted so beware
Great Zim Ruins - Mutare - Chimonoio
Left 10:30am from Zim ruins and arrived into Chimonio by about 5pm (but got lost, see Note below)
Boarder crossing from Zim into Mozambique less than 45 minutes and very easy.
NOTE: The AA maps of Zimbabwe show a continuation of the good road to the Zim ruins going east to connect with the road to Mutare. It is not, the road disappears into a forest road, then many side roads, but keep going straight if you find yourself on this route. Not a section to be used in wet weather and you need a 4X4. Better to retrace your route and go back to Masvingo and then onto Mutare
MOZAMBIQUE
Border post Chimoio
1.5 hrs good road
Chimoio Inchope
50 min good road. Fuel at Chimoio
Inchope-Gorogonsa
50 min good road. Beware, on way out north of Inchope the speed limit drops to 30km/hr, reduce your speed as there are monster speed humps for a truck inspection station.
Petrol station nearing completion at Inchope
Gorogonsa Caia
3 hrs, section of road have potholes, some big
No fuel available (and the fuel station on Gorogonsa had no unleaded when we where there)
Caia Nicuadala
2 hrs, potholes for the first hour
Fuel at Caia.
The bridge over Zambezi at Caia is impressive. 100Mts toll
Nicuadala-Namacurra
20 minutes, good road
Fuel at Nicuadala before turnoff to Quelimane RH side of road (blink you miss it)
Namacurra to Mocuba
50 minutes, excellent road
Mocuba Alto Molocule
Part 1, about 10Km north of Mocuba the good road ends suddenly and deteriorates into a very bad condition. There is no sign of road works in progress, so may not be fixed up any time soon. 1.5 hrs to complete the section from Mocuba to where the road splits between going to Gurue or Alto Molocule (as shown on Mapstudio map)
Part 2, road split to Alto Molocule
1.5 hours, good road, there are sections with road works and diversion around where bridges are being built
Mocuba has fuel
Alto Molocule- Nampula
2.25Hrs very good road
Fuel at Alto but no unleaded when I arrived
Nampula Namialo
1hr very good road
Nampula fuel readily available
Namialo Ilha de Mozambique
1hr, very good road until turnoff to Ilha de Mozambique and then becomes a good road. Turnoff is well signposted. Toll is paid on the island side of the causeway. Jeep is about the max width that can get through the bollards onto the island.
Namialo Nacaroa
1 hr good road
Nacaroa Namapa
1hr good road
Namapa Metoro
1 hr good road. Surveyors spotted so road works may be beginning
Metoro Pemba
1 hr very good road
Beware, the police at the intersection of this road with the northern road to Macomie check vehicles etc
Pemba fuel readily available
Pemba Metuge Quissanga - Ibo
2.5 Hrs total. Once you turn off main road to head north to Metuge, the road becomes a dirt road through rural villages. You do not pay admission when you enter the park, through which you pass. You pay at the first place of accommodation within the park (which for us was Ibo island)
The concrete river/stream concrete crossing dip in the middle at such an angle to take off the trailer parking wheel lost my wheel on this section
If going to Ibo, turn left at the cross, after the police station, at Quissanga and continue on for about 5km to get a boat to Ibo. Not a good road when wet
Ibo Quissanga Bilibiza - 243 road
Part 1. 2.25hrs from boat to 243 road dirt track
Part 2 it is 1hr on very good road to connect with the 106 to Pemba
Inchope Save river crossing
3 hrs very good road
There is a town with a good fuel station about 1hr north of save river crossing (its not on my maps.so sorry no name to supply)
We did not get charged a toll crossing the bridge
Save- Inhassoro turn off
1 hr potholed rough road
Inhassoro tun off Vilankulo turn off
35 min rough road
Vilankulo turn off Massinga
3.5 hours
Until about 70km before Massinga road is excellent, then at about Mavanza it become very bad broken up road, you end up driving all over the place and some section are very bad. Depending on how much you like your vehicle depends on your speed, we average 30km/hr. Road works are extending north from Massinga
Vilankula road has fuel
Massinga Inhambane
45 min, good road
Massinga has fuel
Inhambane Xai-xai
4 hours
Part 1: Inhambae to Zandemela good road
Part 2: Zandemala to Chidenguele rough road, pot holes etc
Part 3: Chidenguele to xai xai, road removed ad Chinese building a new road. This section I think must be a nightmare in wet weather. In dry, it is like driving a sand road. Chinese have started building the road from Chidemguele south.
Fuel in Inhambane and route onward to Maputo fuel available
Xai-Xai Muputo
2.5 hours good road but busy, so traffic will determine your time
Maputo Johannesburg
Left Maputo at 9:30am and arrived at 5:30pm
Excellent road
Vehicle was a unleaded petrol Jeep Cherokee towing a 4m single axle trailer.
Also stopped for smoke breaks, camera shots and food breaks. Time going through big towns/cities not included as we either stayed there or where doing the tourist crawl.
No where on the trip stopped for speeding etc and stayed basically within the speed limits
So if no trailer you will do sections quicker.
No GPS used. Best Mozambique map that shows the roads best, we had, is the MapStudio Tourist Map Mozambique 1st edition 1:2500000
I traveled with 60litres of spare fuel in cans, and once used 40litres of the spare fuel until next fuel stop. Distances both sides of caia are long without any towns, so spare fuel advisable and the fuel station being built at Inchope will help on this section particularly towards save river.
I used a friends Jeep and trailer.
Ensure in addition to the vehicle documents, owner certified ID copy, you also have permission for use of the vehicle outside the country on a SAPS letter head. This is also needed on Zim side, so take a trip to your local SAPS station prior to departure and get the SAPS logo.
Thankfully I was able to have my friend fax me a police letter from a SAPS station to the customs section at Beit Bridge RSA side. The SARS team was most helpful at Beit bridge
Zimbabwe fuel & police
Fuel freely available in Zim and in Dollar prices (that equate to RSA prices)
There are a few tolls on road $1 for a car. They are well signposted even if they look temporary (no fancy toll plaza)
Several police road blocks particularly on the Birchenough Bridge to Mutare section. Standard question of where you coming from where are you going and once asked to show the vehicle import papers from border post. One officer said the person whose name who appeared on import papers must also be the driver, so we simply switched places. No hassles experienced from police.
I had a T sticker on my trailer and applied 2 sections of white reflective tape on the front bumper under the headlights (as mentioned elsewhere on this website). Tape is about R40 a roll from the Sellotape section of Builders warehouse.
Mozambique fuel & police
I was told by a Maputo resident that the police in Mozambique have been told to changed there attitude to RSA vehicles and it seems to be happening. Most time I was waved through road blocks. The police are visible when you pass through villages so best to keep to speed limits.
I got one fine during the entire trip. On the way back from Ibo island the trailer electrical link plug for the lights came loose on the rough road, and the connection was smashed. The police at the 243/106 Pemba road connection spotted I had no trailer lights. I was unaware trailer lights did not work. It was a $60 fine. I stripped and connected wires between Jeep and trailer directly and continue rest of trip with no hassles.
I had to change no tires during trip.
Unleaded fuel freely available and varies in caia from Joburg prices to less than $1 a litre in Pemba
Currencies
Zimbabwe is USD based. Have $1 notes for the tolls.
Mozambique excepted USD and rands (particularly in south of country)
Despite what the guide books say, try to convert to meticales at border for say a few 1,000 rands, as queues at bank and ATMs are excessive (unless you want to spend you holiday in a queue) We paid in dollars and got change in meticales, that being the only way we could get the local currency. Only bureau de change we found was at Pemba airport early in morning, exit terminal, turn left and enter the white small concrete hut.
Very hard to get hold of meticales (even for the hotel staff we spoke to).
|
|
|
Rick.Venter
bambino
5 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2010 : 05:02:31
|
Thanx Whiskeyflyer, your report, it is SPOT-ON!
Some more info after our experience this past December.
Mozambique:
Chomoio : We found a Shorite Supermarket Complex that is stocked with everything needed (Best Bread) and a Bank with ATM (Correct, the queue was long)
Exchanged Rands to Meticales at 4.2 Mets per 1 Rand, from local people in Supermarket Parking.
Gorangosa: Do not use the turnoff at Vila Machado, the road is bad and you will get to a river that cannot be crossed (due to rain). Use the turnoff at Inchope. (The MONSTER Speed Humps north of Inchope will stop a Ratel)
We arrived at Gorangosa on 15th of December 2009, only to find out that the Park is closed due to rain (We had a confirmed booking for 4 nights) We were allowed to stay in Chitengo for one night but were not allowed to drive around in this Beautiful National Park
HINT: Confirm your Gorangosa bookings via Phone in the Wet seasons! Before you do all the travelling!
Save river crossing: Could not find the Gas Station at Save Bridge as per GPS (Garmin and TomTom)
Enjoy!
|
 |
|
|
invisibleforms
uno
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 00:02:14
|
Sean,
Your report is indeed insightful and helpful!
You mentioned that unleaded petrol was widely available (even though a few places had run out) which is contrary to other trip reports I had read that said unleaded wasn't available past Maputo. What range would you advise carrying for drive to Pemba from Maputo in an unleaded vehicle based on your experience in the country?
Thanks!
Steve |
|
|
|
mozman
Administrator
3356 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2010 : 06:12:10
|
Hi
if you do a search on this forum you will see that a few years ago IMOPETRO confirned that ALL petrol imported into moz is unleaded, some is converted to LRP but most is unleaded. On my last long trip I found unleaded more available than leaded.
Mike |
|
|
|
lesley rosling
uno
1 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2010 : 18:43:12
|
What great detail, thank you.
We are travelling with kids from UK so hope all goes well!
What vehicle were you using?
We are hiring from Safi a 15 yr old Mitsubishi Pajeiro....
Lesley |
|
|
|
mozman
Administrator
3356 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2010 : 09:01:03
|
Hi Lesley
I see that you are renting from Safi. Is that Safi in Pemba? www.pembarentacar.com Pajero is a very good vehicle but 15years old could mean it could break down at any time, unless it has been very well maintained and has low milage (less than 200 000km). Petrol is good (expect heavy fuel consumption of 7-8km to the litre) as old diesels are more likely to give trouble.
It would be great to know the rental details and the cost as 4x4 rental is a FAQ on this forum. What is your planned route? Does Safi provide camping and safari gear?
Mike |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Trip report JNB- Chimoio - Ilha de Mozambique - Pe
