Gone to Gona: Gonarezhou Zimbabwe Adventure - The Place of Elephants (Gonarezhou National Park)

We travel to Gonarezhou National Park, the Place of Elephants. And certainly, the name rings true. Back to Beitbridge and the new border, finding our way through the new border procedures there. Arriving at Chipinda Pools a "little later" than planned, with a night-time river crossing providing some adrenaline on the way!
And what you've heard is true - the elephants can be quite aggressive; mock charging, chasing vehicles, trumpeting, and generally being rather grumpy, especially the fierce males. But what an incredible destination. An absolute must-visit, we recommend you put it on your bucket list today! Gonarezhou is worth the visit, and the spectacular Chilojo Cliffs must be experienced at sunset, so definitely consider booking a campsite there.
We hope you'll enjoy this extended episode on our Gone to Gona adventure, including a very entertaining river crossing of the Limpopo on the 'ferry' upon our return. Let us know in the comments what you think of this longer format movie.
The Beit Bridge border crossing new procedure episode: • The New Zimbabwe Beitb...
Chipinda Pools Campsite Review: • Campsite Review: Chipi...
0:00 - Coming Up
1:09 - Brief stopover at Zvakanaka, Limpopo
1:49 - The New Zimbabwe Beitbridge Border Post
4:26 - Getting to Gona
5:45 - Night Time River Crossing
7:15 - Gonarezhou Adventures: From Chipinda Pools onward
14:33 - Angry Angry Elephants
15:45 - Gonarezhou Adventures: From Chilojo Cliffs onward
20:44 and 22:40 and 24:33 - More Angry Angry Elephants
26:07 - Wild Dog Sighting
26:33 - Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area
27:23 - The Adventures Continue: Crossing Fisham's Causeway
29:35 - Woken by the Howling Wind
30:32 - Gonarezhou Adventures: Onward to Nyavasikana
38:20 - The Zimbabwe and Mozambique border posts at Sango
43:36 - The "Ferry"! The Wild Dog Goes on a Cruise
53:16 - Unfortunate Delays
54:10 - And Unexpected Stops
56:49 - Exiting Mozambique and Entering SA
1:00:15 - Outro
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[@Mukurumbira]

Definitely doing that trip - thank you.

[@TravelGigolo]

Gonarezhou is underated.

[@TravelGigolo]

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the longer format episode.

[@PhilipKSila]

Love it.

[@Paul-RSA]

Loving it!

[@TravelGigolo]

Great, we'll try to do similar episodes where possible.

[@johntravolta4834]

Keep em coming fam!!!

[@adamkariel4211]

Love it!

[@hall2home]

Love your videos. We camp now because of you. I don't always have the time to watch longer videos. The Zimbabwe videos have been super special to me bringing back wonderful childhood memories

[@TravelGigolo]

That's really great to hear! I wish I had explored more of Zim before. Glad you're enjoying the videos 👍🏾👍🏾

[@revothomas9343]

I appreciate your vlogs,keep taking us along to see beautiful Zimbabwe.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! I'm glad you're enjoying the channel 🙏🏽

[@frankkusel4768]

Love the longer format btw. 😊

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad to know that the longer format is being enjoyed.

[@conrayjones9290]

I must congratulate you on the chose of music in this video, as wellas the volume it was just right. Loved the video keep them coming.😎🦓🦁🦣🦏🦒

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks! My significant other must get full credits for the music! Glad you enjoyed the episode.

[@rossitherhodie5659]

Thank you, Thoroughly enjoyed the video. I still want to Gono, but think I'll avoid the Beit Bridge side and go in and out through Pafuri. If Not camping is are there chalets for Glamping throughout.

[@TravelGigolo]

There are self catering permanent tented camps. We had a glimpse of the ones at Chipinda Pools but did not check them out in detail. We would also probably go back via Pafuri and avoid Beitbridge. There is a trial border post set to open at Crooks Corner as well, but details are still scant.

[@ncubesays]

Enjoyed the long format!! Was fun tagging along this adventure.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad to hear that!

[@F.A.NAMIBIA]

Thanks for your info, I will visit the park in January 2023

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Be prepared for the heat at that time of year.

[@Paul-RSA]

What an amazing video, loving the longer format!

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks! Glad to hear that. What an amazing place to visit too.

[@dsmash447]

This was a most enjoyable episode to watch and your commentary along the way was very informative.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback.

[@raymondchikuku1809]

Hi bro. Hope you guys get to do Great Zim stone ruins, Eastern Highlands etc. Thanks for the great video

[@raymondchikuku1809]

I guess I spoke too early. I hadn't watched the whole video. Thought you were on a prolonged Zim trip.

[@TravelGigolo]

We definitely will do more of Zim. It's an amazing country! Thanks for the feedback 👍🏾

[@philipmasongordon786]

Great video. Loved the longer format.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad to get that feedback 👍🏾

[@CGVega]

so many things here going red on my nope-mometer. Glad you guys had a good trip! - I'll just sit here and watch, thx.

[@TravelGigolo]

I think your nope-mometer is an upside down version of my absolutely-yes-ometer!

[@kwanelemthunzi1311]

I've just came across your channel, l love it epic.

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad you are enjoying the channel 👍🏾

[@rodrickjeymaluleke5181]

Gona Renzou an elephant task ! I'm from Dumisa ! It feels so much beautiful to see more of my land Gaza-khomanani

[@TravelGigolo]

It's a beautiful place. Zimbabwe has so much to offer 👍🏾

[@sharadsoma9167]

Thanks enjoyed the longer format 😀

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Thanks for the feedback 👍🏾

[@dallasyeatman272]

Awesome video...thanks for sharing...

[@TravelGigolo]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tawandakamupopela5743]

Nice and informative especially in the interior of the park less vlogs have covered the Gona Re Zhou.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks for the feedback. It's a beautiful park.

[@shepherdmalunga2056]

An amazing adventure it is , well done 🤝

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks! What a beautiful country. Need to explore the Eastern Highlands too.

[@shepherdmalunga2056]

Ohh perfect , l am a Zimbabwean but l am usually in Harare most of the times, and seeing my beautiful country makes me so happy

[@lionridds]

What a fantastic rendition of this area! I’ve seen others but this was a great experience! Next time I want to tag along😃

[@TravelGigolo]

It really is beautiful! I want to go back already 😄😄😄 Thanks for the positive feedback!

[@lionridds]

@@TravelGigolo seriously! Please can I come along!

[@TravelGigolo]

We haven't done or planned any group trips yet. Maybe in the future we may consider it but we are pretty much solo campers.

[@pamelia7788]

Thank you, great video. You should publish a short video of the river crossing, that was amazing. What is the African music?? Really enjoyed the music, like drums and jazz or what? Most safari type videos use the same music over and over, I knew there had to be something better.

[@TravelGigolo]

We used a lot of music from The Mini Vandals. Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the episode!

[@ariw9405]

This is good but why is she recording you instead of the wildlife? Like around 23:00 when you stopped for the elephants why not film them?

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks. Sometimes, I get in the way, lol.

[@chrisdebillot5160]

Hallo mr gigalo, I can be partial to the long slow comforting experience but am also ok with the fast and rough, it all depends on my mood. I enjoyed this one from the first minute in...

[@TravelGigolo]

😄😄😄 glad you enjoyed the ride 👍🏾

[@chrisdebillot5160]

@@TravelGigolo so good, im watching for a second time. most impressive to me is at 15min in how you handled that massive thing between your legs.

[@glynnmorris2117]

Awesome episode. Thanks for taking us along. What's the name of the song you that was playing while you were crossing the Limpopo river?

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. The song is Summer Shower by Quincas Moreira.

[@frankkusel4768]

Thanks for sharing another fantastic adventure with us. I've heard of Gonarezhou quite a bit over the years, but this is the first time I've actually seen it's beauty and accessibility. Pity about the cool drink situation in Moz though.

[@TravelGigolo]

I definitely reccomend Gonarezhou, we really enjoyed it. There weren't many people there, but I do think it will get more popular with all the good work they are doing there.

[@DarrylDrynan]

How much should my budget start at to go for three weeks

[@walkerbay6373]

Enjoyed the longer format. Another impressive adventure. Thanks for the considerable work in producing these videos. How long did the editing take?

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks! The editing took forever 😅 Actually my significant other does most of the editing and this one took a few days to complete. It takes a while to go through all the footage, clip, collate, switch between stuff, and add music etc and hopefully tell an informative and interesting story in the process. It's quite a process. Hopefully we'll get better with time at the longer formats, but it is very time intensive.

[@blackbirdxx4613]

Border post creating jobs..... Eish... I like the long video... What's your day job gigalo 🤣..... Oh my beautiful country... I miss her...

[@TravelGigolo]

Great! Glad the longer episode is good 👍🏾👍🏾 Thankful that we were still able to get in late 😅

[@thebuffalooverlander]

Thanks for sharing and definitely on our bucket list to do gonerezhou. How possible is it to exit Kruger at Pafuri gate on SA side and then enter Gonerezhou from SA ?

[@TravelGigolo]

From Pafuri, you have to drive through Mozambique, there is no direct entrance from SA into Gonarezhou. Also the park does not share a border with SA, at least not yet. You can make the drive in one day, easily when the Limpopo river is low enough to drive across. Via the ferry you need to hit the border early. The road from Pafuri to the ferry is slow going (at least 3 hours, even though it's only about 90km). Then it's at least another 1.5h to Sango.

[@thebuffalooverlander]

@@TravelGigolo awesome. Thank you. It doesn’t look as though a 6 ton truck would be able to cross on that ferry. 🙌🙌

[@TravelGigolo]

True. I wouldn't risk 6 tons on there either 😅

[@thebuffalooverlander]

@@TravelGigolo 😂🙌

[@coadyg]

What did it cost to use the ferry across the Limpopo? If the Limpopo is low can you cross at Crooks corner?

[@TravelGigolo]

We paid R350 for the ferry. When the river is low you can drive across a little downstream of Crooks Corner. You can check with Dumela Safaris if it's possible to cross.

[@theexperimentalcqdx4208]

Excellent video, where do you find internet and edit time during your travels?

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks! We edit when we get home. When we're travelling it's all about enjoying the experience! No laptops, phones off most of the time.

[@goldenhour6961]

What an adventure, thanks bro. Nice bird shots, what telephoto size are you using - couldn't find your gear list?

[@TravelGigolo]

We have two options for long range shots: 1. A canon SX50HS for when the lighting is good. 2. Sigma 150-600mm lens on a canon M50 for low light, general fitness, and overall upper body muscle development.

[@PhilipKSila]

Loved this trip. You guys are awesome ! Thanks for showcasing GRZ ! Planning a trip up there but have been apprehensive about travelling alone for fear of the isolation if I get stuck ? Is there lots of traffic or ways of getting help ? Also, did you need to use your 4x4 much ? I didn’t see you lower tyres for the sand and inclines.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks Philip. We had no issues at all on the road in terms of getting stuck. Via Beitbridge you can drive the majority on tar road if you go through Chiredzi. There is alot of traffic going that way to the sugar estates. I recommend that road. We went through Nuanetsi, which was nice but time consuming and isolated except for occasional villagers and workers. There was a little clay here and there so probably not great for the wet season. Via Pafuri, the road is mostly stony or sandy. The sand is quite compact, no need to drop tyre pressure. Quite a bit of SA and local travellers on the route. In GRZ the roads are generally well built, and where they are not yet upgraded then it's stony or light sand. No need for diff locks, but definitely need clearance. 4WD good for Runde Save river confluence because there are steep rocky feeder stream bed crossings. There were a few other people in GRZ, especially around the Runde and Save rivers. In fact there were people at all the camps. So I think you would be fine in the unlikely event of getting stuck.

[@PhilipKSila]

@@TravelGigolo Binga-Karoi road ? You’ve lost me there boet. 😅 Isn’t that on the other side of Zim in the North west part of the country ? But thanks for that feedback. Please also share how you booked the camps in advance? Costs ?

[@TravelGigolo]

Ag no man. Apologies, I've corrected the response 😅

[@PhilipKSila]

@@TravelGigolo thanks. Bookings ?

[@TravelGigolo]

We booked via email [e-mail] They were very responsive. I suggest contact them for prices. We booked almost 3 years ago and then the trip was delayed by covid restrictions.

[@nigelrunesu9898]

About 4/5 of those stops on the Zimbabwean side were CERTAINLY not real officials😅. Too many hustlers and chancers on that side of the border.

[@TravelGigolo]

It's quite a gauntlet 😄

[@joaofelizardo1123]

Do you have a review of chinguli campsite ?

[@TravelGigolo]

We didn't stay there, just passed by, so no review.

[@joaofelizardo1123]

Ok thks ; can u get there with a trailer and 4x4 ? May or June months ? And stay for a few days as a base to visit the confluence areas ?

[@TravelGigolo]

Yes, it's accessible with a 4x4 and trailer. It's quite close to Chilojo Cliffs, where we camped to explore that area.

[@joaofelizardo1123]

@@TravelGigolo thank you for the feedback

[@CasperLabuschagne]

Let me guess, you went there in May or June when the elephant bulls are in must and super-aggressive?

[@TravelGigolo]

We went in June. Apparently the elephants are famously aggressive though, but perhaps our timing made that more so.

[@CasperLabuschagne]

@@TravelGigolo Elephants have long lifespans and are reputed to have incredibly long memories. No doubt that bull watching you thought about the other members of the herd that perished due to the very same species facing him. A game ranger told me about a project to relocate an entire elephant herd to Mozambique where once the herd was off-loaded in Mozambique they promptly encountered bones in an elephant graveyard and marched nearly a hundred kilometres back to where they came from in the Kruger.

[@mikelsibs492]

Beitbridge border post going to Zimbabwe see me there kill me. I don't understand why as Africans we just waste time.

[@TravelGigolo]

Hopefully it will improve as the systems are upgraded.

[@thebuffalooverlander]

Thanks for sharing and definitely on our bucket list to do gonerezhou. How possible is it to exit Kruger at Pafuri gate on SA side and then enter Gonerezhou from SA ?

[@rodrickjeymaluleke5181]

It's a good short cut ' through Crooks Corner or Madzanda along the border to Villa Salazar and the Manjinji Pan in Malipati

[@TravelGigolo]

Buffalo Overlander, we had to drive through Mozambique to Sango border post. There is no direct border from SA to Zim via Pafuri.

[@TravelGigolo]

Thanks Rodrickjey. Is that to Sango crossing the Limpopo when it is dry?

[@thebuffalooverlander]

@@rodrickjeymaluleke5181 awesome Thanks

[@thebuffalooverlander]

@@TravelGigolo perfect Thank you