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Can anybody give me some information about the road to Giriyondo Border? I know that the border post has been open for a while now, and I have read some posts about Makhadzi picnic site. But did anybody recently travelled between Makhadzi and Giriyondo? We plan to do this road to Giriyondo and back in three weeks time (while in Letaba). We do not plan to go through to the Mocambique side, but to turn around at Giriyondo. Can this be done?

Yep! Have a look at Jumbo's short report.

Thanks DQ. But this is not what I really wanted. I will be staying on the SA side and not passing the border. I actually want to get reports from people who has travelled the road between Makhadzi and Giriyondo - e.g. condition of the road, game seen on the road, etc. I take it one will be allowed to travel to the border post and make a U-turn there. But are there any facilities (like toilets) to leave your vehicle?

Really interesting and usable report of Jumbo, should one plans to travel to or from Mocambique via Giriyondo.

Hi Stoffel - We did that road in October last year. They were still working on the road and it is in fair condition (that is the stretch from Makhadzi picnic site). They have transplanted massive baobab trees - one from Letaba camp in front of the new border post. We did the drive up to the new buildings and then turned round and drove back to the picnic site. There were toilets.

We did not see one animal in the entire trip there and back but this is possibly because of the amount of vehicular traffic and some of it was quite heavy road building equipment which was very noisy. I am sure it won't take long and the game will slowly return to the area when the workers have finished everything. Of course the amount of traffic that will be attracted to this route could also possibly have a negative effect although there were some road humps to slow traffic down

Let me know if there was anything else you wanted to know! Happy to help with info where I can.

Yours in Parking
Penny

Hi Stoffel
Going to cheat on Kgalagadi are you?

Stoffel the H15, road to Giriyondo, is a very nice gravel road. One section has speed humps, as Penny has mentioned – great idea BTW….should be done on all roads in Kruger IMHO.
We went through the border about 1pm, and did not find the road to be busy – however, we did encounter most of the oncoming traffic inside Moz, so the road might be busier earlier in the day.
Due to the time of day and me having a bad case of the flue, we did not really do game viewing. We did however see some impalas, zebras and ostriches on this road. We also did not stop at Makhadzi.

You will be able to travel to the border post and turn around there. I’m however not sure if they will allow you to actually go into the “security area”. But on the other hand, this is suppose to be a tourist orientated post, so I think you should just ask the gate guard if it will be ok for you to go inside.

This has to be the best looking border post in SA and Moz. It is actually one building – one part SA, other part Moz. Both sides also accommodate offices for the respective Park’s administrations.
There are also toilet facilities.

As Penny mentioned, there are two relocated baobabs on the SA side of the post. I’ve posted a photo of one in the following thread: Baobab Relocation

It is actually a pity that you have to go through the whole border procedure thing to take a drive on the Moz. side – think with this, the whole initiative missed its gaol. The roadwork on the first few km inside the Limpopo Park is almost completed – going to be a nice gravel road that can be done with a normal sedan. They also have speed humps – bit bigger than that on the SA side….well I think it is speed humps ……pipes under the road… equally spaced.

Hope this helps a bit Stoffel.
Have a great trip! Waiting for that report…

The information on the Giriyondo access point has been updated here
Feedback welcome.

We drove this road in middle June 2006. A few short comments regarding this secretive and new road:
1.The drive is very interesting, especially the section after the Makhadzi picnic site, as the road leads one into a very wild and quiet section of the park leading to the gate.
2. The Makhadzi picnic site is new, clean and very relaxing and worthwhile.
3. Giriyondo is a beautiful and unique gate.
4. Bird life is exceptional, especially raptors. It think it’s due to the relatively less traffic that is encountered on this road.
5. The animals are there. We saw tsessebe, black backed jackal, elephant, zebra, etc.

I concur Wildman! I drove it around the same time as you. Near the Lemombo mountains it becomes very nice indeed!
Spotted ± 25 pelicans, tsessebe and mountain reedbuck playing with baboons as well as some general game.

Hi guys really interesting this thread, I want to travel through the park in december with 3 cars, and ending up in Inhabane, first of all is this a great idea?, or should i just can it and take the komatie entrance (lord help me), how strict is the 4X4 policy seeing we will be travelling in convoy with one 4X4 one 4x2 and just a normal car...any advice will be appreciated

Welcome joen!

If it says 4x4 they mean it! (That is to keep the roads in one piece, not because a sedan would not be able to make it.) I don't know about the Mozzie side, but in Kruger the road is great. However you may want to read the post made by Jumbo. She's listed all kinds of things you may want to know.

I wish to advertise the Giriyondo road. It is truly unique, unspoilt, really wild bushveld. I dont think many people driven
this relatively new road.

If you are in the Mopani/Letaba area, do yourself a huge favour and take the drive and really put Giriyondo on the map!

As an afterthought. It's worthwhile driving South on the H1-6 and taking the Makhadzi-Giriyondo road. That has given me Tsessebe, Mountain Reedbuck and Pelicans. Beautiful scenery on top of that.

Sorry, Aquilla but that it was. Just past Makhadzi as you enter the mountains the Pelicans were perching all over the tree tops. A bit further on baboons and antelope were chasing each other. Not impala. All we could agree on were Mountain Reedbuck. Duques had photographs. I'll ask him if he can post them and if it's not MR I'll happily stand corrected. To top it all? On our way back we got the Tsessebe right where the gravel road joins the H1-6. It was a lucky day.

Possibly the most underrated road in Kruger....
Especially the part in the Lebombo mountains is gorgeous.

I stand to be corrected but I believe those 'mountain reedbuck' look a lot like Duiker's ?? Also is the last picture not that of a Tsessebe? Either way I love the pelicans!! That road is under-rated... ostrich abundant as well!