Giriyondo Tourism Facility: The Kruger National Park ...
Massive Buffalo Herd at the Giriyondo Turn Off
Seven days ago on August 9th 2006 driving between Mopani Rest Camp and Letaba I passed the turn off to the Giriyondo Tourism facility that opened in December 2005 for the very first time. The facility is in fact a border crossing whereby it is made easier for visitors to pass from country to country without going through the normal hassles of border crossing.
The facility is part of the larger Transfrontier Parks project designed to open up large tracts of National Parks land in the countries of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. This expansion allows animals to roam far more freely than for many years and will have a major impact upon wildlife conservation in this region for many years to come.
Wednesday August 16th is the official opening of the brand new Giriyondo Border Post between Mozambique and South Africa. The Presidents of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe will gather on this eastern boundary of the Kruger National park to officially open the tourism facility. I look forward to visiting it next time I visit the Letaba area.
Click to enlarge image below ...
Not sure if this is a sign of the times but at the turn-off there is a wide open expanse of land close to a drinking point and a large herd of Buffalo were stretched out across the expanse, some resting, some eating and others drinking. It was a great sight to see so many large animals in open countryside.
We saw many Buffalo on the last trip including about 4 or 5 large herds but these herds were crossing roads so sights were transient since these animals have an ability to disappear into bush very quickly indeed.
Information on Giriyondo Access Point
This information is an extract only from the SANParks site and I strongly suggest you visit the page that deals in more detail here .
Kruger National Park, with the Parque Nacional do Limpopo, and Gonarhezou National Park form part of the Great Limpopo Tranfrontier Park, a cross-border conservation initiative between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique.
With the Giriyondo Access Facility between South Africa and Mozambique operational, there are new travel routes open to park visitors.
The following is some information about the Giriyondo Access Point between Mozambique and South Africa. Please note that we cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of this information, however we will try and keep it up to date. We hope this assists people who would like to make use of the Giriyondo Access Facility in the future.
The Giriyondo Tourist Access Facility is open from 08:00 until 16:00 (October – March) and from 08:00 until 15:00 (April – September) and is only open for 4x4 vehicles as the roads within the Parque Nacional do Limpopo are still being developed. It is also not open to commercial traffic as its role is to facilitate tourist movement within the GLTP. Therefore, no vehicles with an excess of a maximum of four tons axle load are allowed.
Visitors using the facility should allow enough time to reach their destinations whilst adhering to speed regulations within the KNP. Visitors who do not reach the Giriyondo Tourist Access Facility in time will be required to overnight at the closest camp as it is against KNP regulations to travel after normal gate closing times.
It is approximately 95kms (at least two hours, 15 minutes traveling time) between Phalaborwa Entrance Gate and the Giriyondo Tourist Access Facility and approximately 75kms (at least two hours) between Giriyondo and Massingir. Boats and trailers will be allowed “at the owners’ risk” and the transport of firearms not allowed except if the owner can provide the necessary export permits.
