Montebelo Gorongosa Lodge & Safari

The grounds are shared with warthogs and baboons, so lock your doors or the baboons may get inside and rummage through your things. The place is clean and comfortable, right by the airstrip and science labs, though a stay at a national park in Mozambique is naturally a bit rustic. I had a great time, but gave it 4/5 because it doesn't really compare with the more luxurious Muzimu or the wilder Chicari camp. If you're travelling all the way to Gorongosa, I'd go big and stay at Chicari.

We stayed for 4 nights. Monti was a joy to have as our guide, really knowledgeable and amazing at finding animals, and the game drives were fantastic. The location was great too. The restaurant was okay, though the lighter menu had limited options.

The full day safari was a highlight, and we really liked the wildlife in the national park. The mountain day and coffee project, though, meant a very long drive and a picnic at a waterfall. We support the idea of the project helping local communities, but that outing didn't offer much beyond the drive and picnic. The rooms were nice, though quite pricey for what you get. The food was really good, but the restaurant, especially at breakfast, wasn't very organized or on time.

By the third day, the restaurant had run out of basics like tea bags. Watch out for the camp's monkeys, they steal things. The front desk was poor: they promised the world on the phone, but when we arrived, they simply didn't know who we were.