Soaring to Chitengo

Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

The helicopter flight in to camp brought us right into the National Geographic Lost Eden film.  We recognized some animals and landmarks and had to pinch ourselves because we knew this was the real thing.  We had made it. The sounds of the metropolis were behind us and just the insects and birds of Camp Chitengo surrounded us.  

The day began with a private charter flight from Lanseria Airport in Northern Johannesburg.  The fires were up again as we made it to the outskirts of the city.  A very friendly pilot, James met us at check-in and we sped through the small airport with ease compared to leaving from the large international commercial airport.  Good conversation and beautiful landscapes entertained us as the flight took us over Kruger National Park and up along the coast of Mozambique to the city of Beira.  We flew over the large estuary of the Pungwe River. 

We spoke of true explorers and I thought of the legendary Scottish explorer David Livingstone who began his trans-African journey in Mozambique - from the mouth of the Zambezi River, not far north of our current destination.   He traveled up the Zambezi in the 1850s and made it across the continent to what is now known as Angola on the Atlantic.  In order to return his traveling companions from Mozambique to their homeland, he then amazingly retraced his path back across Africa.  His last journey made famous by his encounter with Henry M. Stanley, who found him ill and starving, was focused on finding the source of the Nile River. 

Ed recounted his experiences in Papua New Guinea nearly 60 years ago and his expedition to explore the highlands.  He figured he was the first outsider to do so.  He collected numerous ants along the way and discovered a new species of frog.  Nice to be traveling with a true explorer.

At the Beira airport we were greeted by Greg Carr, our host and the vision, catalyst, and spirit behind the rebirth of Gorongosa, and Vasco Galante, director of PR with Gorongosa and a true man of action.  Both were possibly as excited as we were regarding our arrival.  It felt wonderful to step on Mozambican soil after planning and anticipating this trip for so long. We also met a couple from Boston who are setting up a resort within Gorongosa National Park.  This will be a major push for the future success of the region.  Greg pointed out the importance of the private-public partnership in the region to create the optimal outcome for biodiversity and the people of the region.  Ecotourism is a big part of the solution.  We also met up with Bob Poole the photographer behind Lost Eden who will be with us during the extent of our expedition.  He told us he had just driven in from Kenya – his homeland.

After introductions we were presented with a choice that may indicate the hospitality before us.  “Helicopter or plane?” Greg asked.  Nice question.  Ed would be traveling with Greg and the Nat Geo crew.  I sat up front to film in the second helicopter with Elizabeth and Nina, a biologist from Angola.  Pilot Claude gave us a great introduction to the region.  I have felt nothing closer to the take off of a bird then the forward moving lift off in a small helicopter – this rivaled past rides in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica the coastal rainforests of Kuaui. 

On the way out we passed over a progression of human alteration to the landscape which was easily viewed from our low-flying helicopter.  We donned our headsets and Claude pointed out slash and burn activity.  Small fires rose in every direction.  Most of the activity appeared to be charcoal production.  After clearing an area, the wood would be cut and the charcoal would be produced in long structures covered with earth – from the sky, looking like the earthen long-houses of an old Celtic community.  The scars of clearing were numerous.  We wondered what the ‘price’ of this forest sold for in Beira.  Claude informed us of the movement to cultivate cassava for food and biofuel.  This sounded like a decent solution to provide needed food and a more sustainable fuel.

Some of the other fires were possibly set by poachers.  The typical strategy is to set numerous snare traps and then start a brush fire to drive the animals in the waiting snares.   He pointed out the poachers use the river to transport the bushmeat to Beira where it is readily available because of the large amount poaching that is occuring. 

Shortly after crossing into the Park we spotted two small flatboats along the river bank with tarps holding nets.  These were most likely fish poachers.  Claude circled back around and I jotted down the GPS position (S 19 01 95, E 34 33 00) so rangers could be notified of their location. 

This was all an interesting introduction to the challenges facing Gorongosa regarding wildlife management.  The war is over, but the battle continues.

Flying over the Urema River, which exits the sprawling Lake Urema, we spotted numerous Hippopotamus  and Nile Crocodile.  Waterbucks were seemingly everywhere. Along the shores of Lake Urema we could see scores of enormous crocs launch into the war looking like warships headed to battle.

Soon we spotted an airstrip clearing amidst the forest and there was Camp Chitengo.  We landed and were filmed by producer Jessica Wu from Nat Geo and were greeted by Matteus and Tsonga who will be working with us in Gorongosa.   Soon Greg and Ed arrived with the film crew.   Vervet monkeys bounded around the ground and trees, and wart hogs rooted in the dirt along the road as we walked to our lodging. Just moments ago, I heard some snapping of branches outside my hut and watched several elephants slowly walk past just 50 meters away. Yes, we have arrived in Africa’s Lost Eden.