Rough ride through southern Moz
This five-day itinerary begins in the Mozambican capital, Maputo. The first leg is 70 km long and should take about three hours. This gives you a chance to spend some time in the city first before you lower the tyre pressure to tackle the 4x4 section. Attractions such as Maputo’s old fort (Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora de Conceicao) at the bottom of Samora Machel Drive are interesting, as is the train terminal next to the Workers’ Square (Praça dos Trabalhadores) with its enormous sculpture of a woman to commemorate the first World War.
If arts and culture aren’t your thing, visit the seafood market (Marcado de Peixe) in Marginal Drive. Leave your vehicle across the road in the Parque Marginal restaurant’s parking lot (S25.93369 E32.62900) where a guard will keep an eye on it. Jog across the road and pick out fresh fish and east coast lobster for tonight’s braai. Complete your afternoon in Maputo with a drink and some deep-fried prawns in the Parque Marginal’s outdoor restaurant before heading north… to 4x4 country!
But first you’ll have to endure the busy Marginal Drive, a good tar road, for 24 km to where you join the EN1 freeway. The first town you reach, just 1 km after getting on the EN1, is Marracuene – pull over here. If you haven’t already filled up in Maputo, you can get fuel here – the next opportunity to do so is 100 km away in the popular holiday town of Praia do Bilene.
Drive deeper into Marracuene, heading east towards the Komati River until you reach a train track. Follow the track north, then cross it on the outskirts of town (S25.73438 E32.67718). Now take a bridge across the Komati
