“You are no spring chickens, you know. You are the oldest people I’ve seen doing this on bicycles!” Adelaide states matter-of-factly. We are sitting at the dinning table at Quinta San Antonio, in Lindela, Mozambique, and getting introduced to vetkoek, a fried bread stuffed with ground beef, onions and tomatoes, by the South African owner, and the conversation is…candid!
We have just left Tofo, the emblematic Indian Ocean beach town, with renewed energy, clean shorts and sore hamstrings from Sunday morning yoga—all thanks to Kumba Lodge—and, after sixty kilometres, renunited with road N1 with the intent on following it to the capital city Maputo. From there, South Africa and its Kruger National Park will be within a day’s ride!
Not easy leaving the serenity of Kumba Lodge‘s poolside! Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
In Inhambane, across from the art deco Portuguese colonial cinema is the provincial arts centre and its vivid murals. Inhambane, the capital of the province, is in no hurry and feels like a sleepy fishing village. When Vasco de Gama stopped here, after rounding the cape in the late 15th century, he called it Terra de Boa Gente (Land of the Good People). Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Handcrafted pottery for sale. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Adelaide and her husband Victor, at Quinta San Antonio, send us back to road N1. He was born and raised in Mozambique and sent to boarding school in South Africa for high school where he met his South African future wife. The warm couple declined our money and added a big bag of surprisingly tender dried tropical fruits as a bonus. Pity for us senior cyclists? 🙂 Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Naturally we would search for smaller roads to reach Maputo, but road N1 is the only option as every unpaved road so close to the coast is made of loose sand. Through a serious heatwave and windy days we ride long days from one air-conditionned room to the next.
National Highway No1 (N1), even just hundreds of kilometres from Maputo is slicing through deeply agricultural and welcoming villages and towns. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Mozambique’s obsession with piri-piri sauce is evident. It is used in recipes, as a marinade and condiment to accompany seafood and meat. The notorious African Bird’s Eye chili is the main ingredient in this fiery staple. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Eye-catching display of local cashew nuts for sale. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Behind the coastal dunes are lagoons made of trapped sea water. With a heatwave blazing the temptation to buy a hammock and set it between two palm trees to watch the scenery is strong. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
Chicken coops for sale! Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
During the bloody Mozambican civil war (1977-1992) one million people were killed. A marked mass grave by the roadside is a reminder. Republic of Mozambique, Inhambane Province.
After a sweaty night in Xai-Xai we cross the important Limpopo River and its delta and get blowned sideways by the fiery north wind. The Limpopo rises approximately 1,750 km away in South Africa and, after the Zambezi, is the largest African river that drains to the Indian Ocean. Republic of Mozambique, Gaza Province.
Toys for sale. Republic of Mozambique, Gaza Province.
Satisfied customer. Republic of Mozambique, Gaza Province.
And one day, after 1,500 kilometres, we leave the N1 for good! It’s after Marracuene that a new road starts and leads to Maputo’s Costa Do Sol and its hotels, restaurants and night clubs just north of the city centre.
The first recycling bin we have seen in four months! Republic of Mozambique, Maputo Province.
We climb up on Avenida Julius Nyerere until we reach the Polana Serena Hotel‘s front desk. The five-star establishment has invited our exhausted caravan for a two nights resourcing holiday in one of their luxurious rooms. While the sharply dressed bell boys load our dusty panniers onto a luggage trolley the receptionist announces that our room includes full board…three daily buffets!
After opening in 1922, the Polana Hotel‘s elegance and grace caused it to be considered the most prestigious place to stay in Southern Africa. During the second World War, as part of the Portuguese Empire, the hotel became an ideal neutral place for spies and secret agents from both the Allied forces and the Italian and German forces to meet. Republic of Mozambique, Maputo Province.
The “palace-style” building was built to impress and inspire and is the classiest place to stay in the capital. On a tour of the property—the sushi restaurant, the pools, the spa, steam rooms, ballroom, lounge bar—Monica, our guide, is sorry we won’t be able to visit the presidential suite because its occupied by the President of Tanzania! “She’s here?”, we both ask astonished. Enliven by the news Pierre inquires, “what famous guest made you most excited?” Monica answers quickly, “King Eswatini” “Is it a rapper?”, Pierre asks earnestly. Monica is bemused, “No, it’s the King of a country! The King of Eswatini”
Maputo’s Serena Polana
At the end of our lavish stay at the epoch-making hotel we load the bikes and ride up Avenida Mao Tse Tung, turn left on Av. Vladimir Lenine and follow Av. Karl Marx—reminders of The People’s Republic of Mozambique, the socialist state that existed in Mozambique from 1975 to 1990—to check-in at a small guesthouse fitting our budget. Our visit to Maputo’s famous sites coincides with a national holiday, Peace and Reconciliation Day, and the city is empty, with most shops closed. In this unnerving landscape we set out on foot to visit the Central Railway Station. Constructed between 1908 and 1916, it is known for its beautiful facade and grand central dome. The station appears in the 2006 Leonardo DiCaprio’s blockbuster Blood Diamonds. On the national holiday the platforms are dead quiet and we can admire its marble pillars and wrought iron latticework where, on a regular day, thousands of people would be pushing against each other. We continue in Maputo’s historic Baixa district on the lifeless avenues to the Maputo Fortress, an old fort built by the Portuguese in the mid-19th century. By the Tunduru Gardens, where newlyweds snap official photos, we come by the Casa de Ferro, a historic iron building, built in 1892 for the then-governor of Mozambique. A bit further east is the Independence Square with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Samora Machel Statue, Mozambique’s first president. We end our city break with an evening on the town. First, a beer inside a courtyard watching and listening intently to an hip-hop-spoken-word ensemble tear into the government, the election process and racism, requesting justice and abortion rights. Second, dinner at Galaxy restaurant for some mouthwatering Indian food. The mood is bitter-sweet. Within 48 hours we will exit Mozambique and leave a country that charmed us with its welcoming friendly attitude and wild landscapes. We’ll also leave the Portuguese language behind, we were getting a good hang of it. But we will enter South Africa, with its well-stocked bike shops and supermarkets, elaborate road network, distinct culture and varied terrain and topography. Also, Pierre has started to dream of leopards…
Some of Maputo landmarks…
South Africa
From Maputo to the South African border at Komatipoort the wide highway with a shoulder feels like going through a no-man’s land already; no villages and no services. By the time we get to the poort, a narrow mountain pass on the Komati River, the coastal greenery has given way to the dry savanna typical of South Africa’s lowveld. Pierre stops by young money changers to unload our meticals for some South African rands. The transaction is obviously shady and when he decides to back track things get heated. Hands are pulling on the bills, others are reaching for his pocket and I’m yelling “don’t touch him!” as if I could command these rascals!
It’s Sunday and the queue at the border post is long. What is not long tough is our interactions with immigration officials. The South African agent grabs both our passports, stamps them and hands them back without raising her gaze!
After crossing the Komati River, our first stop is at the Sasol gaz station, where the iOverlander app sends us to change our leftover meticals, then its off to the SuperSpar supermarket! I stay outside as Pierre walks in the cool air and roams the overflowing aisles under the neon lights. A cash management company—Brinks-like–is transfering money and I’m warned to stop pacing in front of the supermarket’s door by the machine-gun toting agent. My hungry-cyclist vibe is stressing him out! Finally, Pierre rolls a shopping cart in my direction and hyena-style we attack the sliced bread, cold ham, cheddar cheese and mustard. I go next to hunt for some dessert and return with Cadbury chocolate bars and gummie bears!
Since visiting Gorongosa National Park, in Mozambique, and being inspired by South African game farm owners to put Kruger National Park on our itinerary the idea grew big enough to become a must. The famously wildlife rich park is also a good area to spot the secretive and elusive leopard. In Canada, where we are from, big-game viewing has a reputation of being for the wealthy, but we are learning it can be done without spending one’s life savings, it can be done even on a bicycle trip!
On our way to Calabash Safari Lodge in Marloth Park, a gated wildlife sanctuary situated on the Crocodile River, Kruger’s southern boundary. Ruan Griffin, Calabash’s young owner and experienced guide, offers affordable lodging and a series of outings including 10-hour game drives inside the National Park. “Tomorrow morning at 7:00 am we’ll have some coffee and rusks before heading on a bushwalk in Marloth and later in the afternoon we’ll drive to the Crocodile River for a sundowner. The next morning we’ll depart at 4:45 am and spend the day inside Kruger”, he announces. How exciting! Republic of South Africa, Mpumalanga Province.
Even before entering Kruger National Park, within Marloth Park’s confine—and even from Calabash Safari Lodge‘s patio—we had seen vervet monkeys, impalas, zebras, giraffes, duikers, Egyptian geese, kudus, storks, Guinea fowls and warthogs! In the early hours of the departure for Kruger Ruan introduces us to our guide and driver for the day. “Hello! How are you? What’s your name?”‘, I inquire. “Excellent”, he answers. Seeing the puzzled expression on our faces he adds, “My name is Excellent!”
The day is a parade of Who’s who of the African animal kingdom: steenboks, waterbucks, elephants, giraffes, blue wildebeest, dwarf mongoose, hippos, crocodiles, and the rarer wild painted dogs and white rhino. In the first hour after entering Kruger Excellent gets a WhatsApp notification from another driver and we speed up to 40km/h. A couple of other safari vehicles are parked on the side of the dirt track and a few people are staring silently at a tree with binoculars. Then we see it. A female leopard has caught an impala for breakfast and hauled it up on a defoliated tree branch to feast. We stare in awe for several minutes, until we are satiated.
Kruger National Park safari
The bikes will loose a bit of heft at Calabash. Ruan helps with organising a shipment via the South African delivery system Pudo to Cape Town. Four tires, two chains, two cassettes, books and miscelleanous bits and pieces we’ve schlepped to here will make their way to Leatt‘s head office in Cape Town and wait for us there—Leatt has provided us with helmets and gloves for some years and it will be great to meet them at home. The space created in our panniers forces a load redistribution and we decide that I will loose my Ortlieb Duffle Bag for now. My lighter set up comes just in time as we aim for southern Africa’s highest roads! Republic of South Africa, Mpumalanga Province.
