Chitengo Camp

The compound of Chitengo is about 40 km from the main north-south paved road in Mozambique, accessed along a dirt/gravel road that mostly is one-lane and in some parts is more pothole than road. Like nearly all the roads in the park, it must be regraded every year after the rainy season, and drainage is a regular problem. The many small bridges that span rivers that only flow during the wet season are all being repaced now, having weathered sometimes more than 40 years of use, and ultimately we hope to have the whole road paved to improve access to the park.


Chitengo is a small, somewhat chaotic little camp, although the chaos comes under control more every day. The core of the camp features about six rondavels (round bungalows) that remain from the 1950s and 60s when the Portuguese were the colonial power in Mozambique and managed this park. They've all undergone extensive renovation in the last 2 years and are quite nice, although still simple. We live in house #6 (in the photo). These rondavels cluster around oneside of the main "quad" of Chitengo, with various buildings -- visitors' reception, the historic bar and restaurant, and the old "dance floor" -- a large round cement platform roofed with grass but open on the sides. The old bar is currently functioning as our still very young and underdeveloped gift shop; in the near future both it and the old restaurant will be rebuilt into a conference center. The architect seems to be doing a good job of preserving the history and historic character while creating a state-of-the-art facility that will draw visitors (and income) to the park.


Two swimming pools decorate the center of this "quad" -- a deep one and a great, shallow kiddie pool. Ian is enjoying an almost daily swim here, as the pools are largely shaded in the heat of the afternoon. Occasionally we find frogs and toads swimming in the pool with us, which adds to Ian's pleasure.


In other areas of Chitengo are comfortable tents, most of which are large enough for two single beds and some of which have electricity (when the generator is running), and new rondavels under construction. Eventually the plan is to move all staff out of Chitengo to other locations (although the headquarters building will be in Chitengo, so most of us will work here), and have only tourist accommodation at Chitengo. But that is probably 2 years off. Many things will change in our little camp in the next few years!

You can read more about Chitengo here: http://www.gorongosa.net/tourism/chitengo.php?l=eng