Durban to Tanzania by car...safety and road conditions in Mozanbique?

Roads are good new tar to Pemba. I last did the trip in March 2010 and they were upgrading sections N of Xai Xai, around Massinga and N of Mocuba so those should be finished by now. There was a plan to upgrade the section from the Pemba turnoff nr. Metoro up to Mocimboa do Praia but I have no idea if that has started. There was a thread on here not so long ago from some people who had travelled in the other direction and I seem to recall that the road from MdP to the border was not so good but search it and see.

From Durban to Maputo along the coastal road you need a 4X4. The route that you should take is from Durban northwards along the N2 and into Swaziland via the Golel border post. Through Swaziland via Big Bend and Siteki to exit into Mozambique at Namaacha - then directly to Maputo. All of that is on tarred roads.
From Maputo northward all the way along the EN1 until you get to the junction with the EN6 at Inchope. At Inchope turn westward (eastward would take you to Beira) until 22km beyond Chimoio. There you turn north (still on the EN1) to Tete and on to Malawi, crossing into that country at Zobue. Take the M1 north to Lilongwe and up until you reach Tanzania.

The other route through Mozambique will take you as far as Pemba without a problem, but after that I do not think you will get very far without a 4x4 and crossing into Tanzania at Mwambo is, to the best of my knowledge, still by ferry. What that road is like in Tanzania is questionable. I could be wrong, but I suspect that the bridge to which you refer, is the one opened relatively recently over the Zambesi river at Caia, which is on that route. Another problem along the route north of Pemba would be the question of access to fuel.

For great info on Mozambique have a look at the forum http://www.mozguide.com/ which specialises in questions on Mozambique.

Hi thanks for your replies.

From Wikipedia:

The Unity Bridge over the Rovuma River was built by The China Geo Engineering Corporation and finally inaugurated on 12 May 2010 by the presidents of Mozambique and Tanzania. The rehabilitation of access roads on both sides of the bridge is to be started.

Also see:

http://www.africagoodnews.com/infrastructure/roads-and-rail/1690-new-bridge-links-mozambique-tanzania.html

Searched on Google and found this website...these people crossed the new bridge in July 2011:

http://moonspaghetti.blogspot.com/2011/07/unity-bridge-mozambique-to-tanzania.html

Thank you. I stand corrected.

Crossed from SA (Komatipoort border crossing) to Moz and the roads are excellent all the way to Inhassoro in norhern central part of Moz. Dont' need 4x4 as mentioned in other posting... Just returned from wheeling all over Moz so this is the latest. The road is brand new so doing it in reg car is perfectly OK. Just obey the speed limits 'cause there are police check points and radars all over the place, literally before every village and piddling settlement and trust me you don't want to mess with Moz police. The road gets narrower significantly (day and night difference) after Inhassoro,pot holes, some are really surprisingly deep, just drive carefully, still doable in normal car, watch for the trucks, as many of them are badly overloaded and badly maintained - they tend to turn over when doing the road bends, saw many accidents, at times three a day. Went through some road constructions around Caia, but all doable in regular car. Drove all the way to Pemba and the road is all good, so no need to have four by four to make the journey. let me know if you need more info. enjoy the trip, Moz is amazing...

Thanks for the report.