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Gilé National Park is a wilderness destination in Zambezia Province in northern Mozambique. It was heavily poached during the Civil War, but it is slowly being restored to its former glory as a result of better protection and greater engagement with surrounding communities. Large numbers of buffalo, Nyassa wildebeest, and Crawshay’s zebra were translocated into Gilé between 2012 and 2018, and wildlife populations are increasing.
Best Time to Visit
The park is best visited in the dry winter months from June to October. At this time, wildlife will be easier to see as the vegetation is less thick and animals gather around permanent water sources. The roads might be very difficult to navigate in the wet summer months.
Scenery
Gilé is dominated by dense miombo woodland cut through by several forest-fringed rivers. The Molocue River forms the park’s eastern border while the Melela River and tributary Lice River flow along the western boundary. A notable feature of Gilé is its dambos, which are areas of open grassland that tend to flood in the rainy season.
Activities
Gilé is mostly visited on an independent self-drive adventure. Aside from game drives, you should be able to go for a walk as well (talk to the Rangers first). If you are feeling energetic, you can climb the 265m/870ft-high Mt Pope. This 45-minute guided hike is quite strenuous, but the views from the top are more than worth it.
From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day
From: June to October (Road conditions are better and wildlife is easier to spot)
From: Never (Little-visited park)
From: 2,861km² / 1,105mi²
The park has a current checklist of 68 species, including elephant, buffalo, greater kudu, eland, sable, bushbuck, and waterbuck. Leopards and spotted hyenas are both present but very rare, while lions have not been seen since 2010. The bird checklist counts 226 species.
The weather and climate of Gilé is comparable to that of Mozambique in general. The climate in most of Mozambique is tropical and warm. There is a dry, cooler season from May to October and a wet, hot season from November to April. The Dry season corresponds with winter and the Wet season with summer (at the opposite time to winter and summer in Europe, North America, and Asia). The beaches are lovely throughout the year, though regular (but generally short-lived) storms should be expected from December to March.
Dry Season –May to October – Winter
There is little rainfall during the entire Dry season and humidity is low. Wildlife gathers around waterholes and other permanent water sources.
Wet Season –November to April – Summer
Travel conditions are harder at this time of year because of torrential rains. A 4x4 vehicle is essential as road conditions can deteriorate dramatically.
Gilé is a self-drive destination for self-sufficient, adventurous travelers. Access to the park is by 4x4 vehicle only. Even in a 4x4, avoid the rainy season (from November to April and into May) as the roads might deteriorate badly at this time. Gilé is in Zambezia Province, about 300km/185mi from the northern city of Nampula. The drive takes about 5 hours* in the Dry season.
*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
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