Limpopo National Park

Limpopo National Park covers around ten thousand square kilometres of mopane woodland and sandveld east of Kruger, and the fence between the two was taken down in the 2000s so animals move freely across the boundary as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Wildlife densities on the Mozambican side are much lower than in Kruger, and the park has been working through the resettlement of communities that lived inside it. The Shingwedzi river runs through the middle.

History

The park was created in 2002, when the Coutada 16 hunting concession became a protected area, as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park with Kruger and Gonarezhou. Animals began to be moved in from Kruger in 2001, and work on the Giriyondo border post with South Africa started in March 2004 (Wikipedia, Limpopo National Park).

What you'll find

• The open boundary - the removed fence allowing movement between here and Kruger.
• The Shingwedzi river - the main water through the centre of the park.
• The mopane woodland - dry woodland across most of the area.
• The Giriyondo crossing - the border post linking directly to Kruger.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and the only practical window, with animals at water and tracks passable. The rains from November to April make much of it impassable. Nights in June and July are cold.

Practical notes

Wildlife is thin compared with Kruger and visitors crossing from there are usually disappointed. Tracks are deep sand and a properly equipped four-wheel drive is essential. Facilities are minimal and fuel is not available inside.

Nearby

Massingir is west, and the Kruger border is at Giriyondo.

Key facts