Southern Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal · August 2026

Scouting the next trips: bush and beach

The sun over the sea at Ponta Macumbo, seen from the dune above a wide empty beach where a stream crosses the sand — The beach below Casa Bella at Ponta Macumbo.

We have just been on the road again: southern Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal, checking out a new lodge on the Mozambique coast and popping into Mziki Game Reserve, a private lodge attached to the Phinda reserve. Both were fantastic.

The short version up front: I return to the Mozambique lodge, Casa Bella, in October with a small group of Austrian fishermen and adventurers for a week of action. Watch this space for the post trip blog. We still have one place on this trip.

First stop on the way up: the Maputo Elephant Reserve.

Gordy standing inside the red picture frame at the Parque de Maputo entrance sign, next to a steel elephant silhouette — At the gate of the Maputo Elephant Reserve.

Three giraffes standing in low bush covered in yellow winter flowers under a blue sky — Giraffes in the yellow winter bloom.

Then the reason for the run: Casa Bella at Ponta Macumbo, the new lodge. It sits on the dune with the beach right below, and it is where the October group will be based.

The wooden deck at Casa Bella with benches under a shade sail and the thatched, open-fronted bar and dining room behind — The deck and the bar at Casa Bella.

Three guests relaxing on the deck above the sea at dusk, the sky pink over the water behind them — Sundowners on the deck, the sea a few steps below.

An angler standing in the white water of the shore break, casting towards a rocky point at the end of the beach — Fishing straight off the beach.

A wide sandbar with a tidal stream cutting through it and a wave bursting against the rocky point behind — The sandbar at the point, tide on its way in.

A hand holding a giant tiger prawn the length of a forearm, a tray of prawns ready for the grill behind it — Mozambique prawns, on their way to the grill.

Gordy grinning with a thumbs up behind a plate of peri peri chicken and chips and a bottle of 2M beer under a thatched roof — Peri peri chicken and a cold 2M.

Two boats resting on the wet sand of the bay at low tide, the sun setting over calm water behind them — The boats in for the evening, low tide in the bay.

Gordy standing on the bow of a boat with one foot up on the gunwale, green hills and a beach behind him — Out on the water off the lodge.

A deep red sun setting over tidal flats, its reflection running across the wet sand towards the camera — The day ending over the flats.

From the beach into the bush: Mziki Game Reserve, a private lodge inside the Phinda Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

A white rhino standing on the dirt track directly in front of the open game drive vehicle — A white rhino holding the road.

An elephant walking away down the track towards the thatched lodge, seen from the game drive vehicle — An elephant on the driveway, the lodge behind.

A giraffe standing close beside the game drive vehicle, a second giraffe further back in the bush — Close enough to skip the zoom.

This strip of South Africa and Mozambique is the ideal area to combine bush and beach. There are properties to suit every budget, catering to families and to adventurers. Give me a call and I would be happy to help design and plan your next getaway.

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