Limpopo National Park, one of Mozambique's most vital conservation areas, has been completely closed to visitors for over a month, with no confirmed reopening date. The park, located in the southern province of Gaza, became inaccessible following devastating floods that swept across central and southern Mozambique during January. Park administrator Francisco Pariela confirmed the severe impact on the internal road network, which is the sole means of transit within the reserve. Multiple sections of the road system have been severed, rendering circulation impossible for both tourists and vehicles, effectively sealing off the park from the outside world.

The closure extends to all tourist traffic, including those attempting to access the park from the contiguous Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kruger National Park traditionally serves as a crucial entry point for cross-border safari visitors. While basic road clearing efforts have commenced to facilitate minimal movement of people and goods within Limpopo National Park, a full reopening for tourism remains a distant prospect. Pariela indicated that discussions are underway regarding the possibility of reopening the border with Kruger.

The scale of the recent flooding has been catastrophic, with assessments from the Peace Parks Foundation, a key supporter of regional conservation, concluding that the destruction surpasses even the devastating floods of 2000, previously considered the worst in the region's modern history. The humanitarian toll has been immense: over 300,000 people were displaced in Gaza province alone, with approximately 40 percent of the province submerged at the peak of the crisis. At least 22 lives were lost, 45 people were injured, and more than 700,000 individuals across affected provinces suffered some form of impact.

The agricultural sector has also suffered staggering losses. More than 450,000 hectares of farmland were destroyed, and an estimated 430,000 livestock perished across Gaza, Maputo, and parts of Sofala province. Given that Gaza is one of Mozambique's agricultural heartlands, the destruction of crops and food storage facilities has significantly exacerbated the humanitarian challenges facing the region.

Within Limpopo National Park's boundaries, the crisis extends beyond infrastructure. Over 1,300 families residing in three communities—Mavodze, Machampane, and Chimangue—were cut off by the floodwaters. Machampane and Chimangue were particularly isolated, requiring a crossing of the Shingwedzi River to reach them. These communities rely heavily on the park's road infrastructure not only for tourism-related activities but also for their daily survival.

Despite the widespread destruction, Limpopo National Park continues to host significant wildlife populations, including 792 elephants, 5,883 buffalo, 103 giraffes, 667 hippos, and 1,998 impalas, according to the most recent census. While the full impact of the floods on these animal populations is yet to be determined, the park's ecological importance remains substantial. Collaborative efforts with Kruger National Park are ongoing to establish the necessary conditions for a phased reopening, highlighting the interdependence of these two reserves, which together form part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

For travel professionals across sub-Saharan Africa, the clear directive is to consider Limpopo National Park temporarily unavailable for client itineraries until official reopening confirmation is issued. Travel agents organizing cross-border safari experiences between South Africa and Mozambique via the Kruger-Limpopo corridor are advised to monitor developments closely and prepare alternative routing plans. Meanwhile, northern Mozambique remains largely unaffected by the floods, continuing to offer stable beach and marine tourism options for clients seeking Mozambican experiences while the southern regions recover.