Sanyati River Camp near Matusadona NP

[appleblossom]

Hello,

 

we are looking for somewhere to stay the night en route from Vic Falls to Mana Pools. We came across the Sanyati River Camp on the map.

Has anyone been there recently?

Any info they can give me, i.e how far off the road it is, safety, cost. would be wonderful.

Also if we left Vic Falls at 7.00am (pref 8.00am), would we reach the camp before nightfall? We are driving a 4x4 Hi-Lux.

 

Thank you

[appleblossom]

Do you have any idea of the locations of Jenje and Kadjenza camp sites?

[luangwablondes]

Check out Tiger Bay. I imagine the camps in that area are maintaining the tracks better then Zimparks. The track into Matusadona is not so nice and time consuming.

[appleblossom]

Makuzapela - is this private or an out of the way site where one can drive into and camp?

[Doug Macdonald]

Hi

I have recently done this trip and can give you some info on timings, We travelled from Sinamettella in Hwange to Rhino Camp in Matusadona. This is much the same as coming from the Falls. We left Sinamatella at 6am and got to the turn off for Matusadona travelling via kamativi, Milibizi etc. After leaving the tar the road is quite corrugated but not unpassable and we reached the turn off for Matusadona at about 11.30am. The road into Matusadona however is terrible and we only reached the camp at 6.30pm.

So if you plan to go into Matusadona for an overnight stop I would not reccommend this, so I offer three options to you, the first is from the Falls go over into Zambia and travel from Livingstone to Mazabuka then to Kafue and turn off to Chirundu, there is a lodge there on the Kafue River that you could overnight at and then cross the border in the morning into Zim and off to Mana. This does add cost though for Visa's, Yellow Fever Jabs etc.

The next option is to drive from the Falls back through Bulawayo and Harare. If you leave early in the morning from the Falls, Harare is easily reachable within the day, then you have a comfortable drive into mana the next day.

The last option I have not tested but when you get to the turn off for Matusadona go down there and you will see the ranger post for Matusadona signage where you need to sign in, I am fairly confident that if you spoke with the parks staff there for you to camp at their post for the night they would be amenable to that. You wont get that permission from their head office but on the ground I am sure it would work.

Good luck

Doug Macdonald

 

www.dougmacsafaris.com

[appleblossom]

@doug,

 

thank you for the information. We are gong to try the third option, if we don't pass Sanyati Camp on the way. As a last resort, we shall just camp in the bush for the night and head off early in the morning.

[Doug Macdonald]

I think thats a good idea and there will be a lot of people on the way that will be happy to help you and give you a place to stop off.

If you need any help please let me know