Africa Unlimited Expeditions & Transfers

Our trip in February started in the lovely town of Phalaborwa. We left at 6 in the morning and entered the Kruger National Park. At 8 we were at the Giriyondo Border Post where we bought our visa and paid the entrance fees for the Parque Nacional do Limpopo. At 11 we exited the park at Massingir. And finally, at 2 am our feet touched the warm sandy beaches of Mozambique!!
So 8 hours, of which 4 hours in national parks viewing game, not bad at all!

Bilene is a small village located on a lagoon. It streches for 27km and has a pleasant sandy beach all around. There are a couple of hotels and campings to stay at. The standard of the accommodation is generally lower then in South Africa but has a wonderful beach-feel to it.

We visited the Bilene market which was a refreshing experience as we were not hassled at all by pushy salesmen. Being 2 women, we felt very safe and enjoyed walking around the market, taking photos of everything. Nobody seemed to mind. Bought a small jar of home-made chilli sauce that got tears in our eyes when we tasted even the tinest little bit on our fingertip!

Our journey went from Bilene north to the area of Xai Xai. Just before Xai Xai we turn right onto a dirt road that brought us to Zongoene. This road had a reputation and not a good one. It is 30km and used to take about 2 hours to tackle due to the extremely poor condition it was in. But boy, were we lucky! They have just upgraded the road and it is a pleasure to drive it now. Lots of people walking along the roads, children who wave at you all the time, little market stalls that sell dried fish, tomatoes, live chicken and everything else you can think of; a very interesting route that most overseas visitors will love.

The next day we drove the same route back to the EN1 Highway and continued to Praia do Xai Xai. Praia do Xai Xai is situated about 10km out of Xai Xai itself and is easy to get to. The road along the beach in Praia do Xai Xai is sand, but we did not need to engage in 4x4 as it is in good condition and the sand not too loose. The seas is quite rough at Xai Xai and with the dangerous under currents most hotels advise you not to swim in the ocean. But you can splash around, go for romantic beach walks and go fishing. There are a couple of tidal pools though where it is safe to swim.

Our route from here on, went back to the Transfrontier Park and back home to Phalaborwa. Same road we came on and again no problems what so ever! If you want more details about the route, the areas that we visited and even the accommodation you can contact us at www.africaunltd.co.za