In the 1960s, Gorongosa was a "premier safari destination", its extraordinary landscape and wildlife attracting film stars such as John Wayne and Gregory Peck.
Then civil war erupted in Mozambique, said David Pilling in the Financial Times, and by the 2000s the big animals in this national park were gone (many of them killed for bushmeat), and the land here was littered with unexploded mines. What has happened to it since, however, is little short of a miracle – a near-complete recovery in less than two decades, widely regarded as one of the world's most triumphant examples of "biodiversity repair".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As we head out of camp on my first day, the "vast and mysterious" park unfolds in all its "misty glory". Over eight days, we see fever-tree forests, alluvial floodplains, rare sand forests, and palm forests with a "surprisingly Southeast Asian feel", as well as an astonishing array of wildlife. There are some great night drives, but particularly "spectacular" are the walking safaris, on which we come across lions and – most dramatically – a pack of wild dogs working themselves into a collective "frenzy" before loping off into the "fading light" to hunt.
-
The IDF's manpower problemThe Explainer Israeli military's shortage of up to 12,000 troops results in call-up for tens of thousands of reservists
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 – 22 AugustQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
Can Soho House get its edge back?Talking Point The private members' club has lost its exclusive appeal – but a £2 billion buy-out could offer a fresh start
-
Uttar Pradesh: from a once-in-a-generation festival to tiger tracking in an ancient forestThe Week Recommends Soak up the state's rich culture on one of Explorations Company's specially curated tours
-
On the trail of the Iberian lynxThe Week Recommends Explore the culture, food – and wildlife – of Extremadura on this stunning Spanish safari
-
6 stellar noctourism adventuresThe Week Recommends After the sun sets, the fun begins
-
7 nightlife destinations that are positively electricThe Week Recommends Accra, Seoul, Berlin: These are a few of the cities that come alive after dark
-
Shompole Wilderness Camp: immerse yourself in nature at this secluded retreatThe Week Recommends This luxurious family-run camp in southern Kenya has access to more than 350,000 acres of pristine savannah
-
A horseback safari in the wilds of ZambiaThe Week Recommends Unforgettable trip offers chance to see wildlife and experience local villages
-
Roca River Camp: home from home in the wild Maasai MaraThe Week Recommends This luxurious camp's expert guides all but guarantee front row seats to the savannah's most majestic spectacles
-
Top safaris in Africa to visit in 2025The Week Recommends Our pick of the best holidays for spotting the Big Five
