Reserva do Gilé

The Reserva do Gilé is a nature reserve in Zambezia Province that spans miombo forests, open grasslands, and riverside vegetation areas. Multiple watercourses run through the landscape, creating different habitats for the wildlife that lives there.

The area was established as a game reserve by the Portuguese administration in 1932, representing an early effort to protect wildlife in colonial Mozambique. This decision laid the groundwork for the landscape's protection today.

Local communities near the reserve maintain traditional practices while participating in conservation efforts, creating a balanced approach to natural resource management.

Access requires four-wheel-drive vehicles, especially when access roads are wet. The best time to visit falls during the drier months between April and October.

The area contains distinctive granite rock formations that create specialized ecosystems and provide habitat for a wide range of animals. About 95 mammal species and over 100 bird species are found in and around these formations.