Privately Guided Safaris | Safari Training | Beat About The Bush

Mozambique has been settled by bantu tribes for over a thousand years but the original inhabitants (as with everywhere else in southern Africa) were the San.  Arabs have been present for almost as long and for a number of centuries the coastline was under the control of sultans – in fact the country name is a derivative of the name of a particular Sheikh. 

The Portuguese arrived in the late 1400s and the country remained a Portuguese colony until 1975, when it became a one-party socialist state.  A period of civil war followed and the country plummeted to the poorest in the world with the economy in tatters.  It finally became a multi-party democracy in 1994. 

A stable government has been in place for more than a decade now and there has been a lot of infrastructural development and investment, especially from South Africa.  Tourism has huge potential in the country because of the diversity of its natural landscapes.

Move your mouse over the map to see more information

Attractions in Mozambique

Wildlife

Mozambique is at this stage not considered to be a premier wildlife destination.  The reasons for this are the fact that a lot of the wildlife was decimated during the many years of civil war in the country and secondly, there is simply very little tourism infrastructure in the remote wilderness areas.

Huge strides have, however, been made to improve the perception of the country as a safari destination: the international boundary fence separating the Limpopo National Park from the Kruger National Park in neighbouring South Africa has been removed and game has been brought in from the Kruger to restock the area.  Tourists can now also travel between these parks.  There is still wildlife in the more remote areas of the country, with the Niassa Reserve in the extreme north near the Tanzanian border being an uncharted wilderness worth visiting as there are a few lodges / camps.

Mozambique is better known as a beach destination with tropical mainland beaches and off-shore island archipelagos where snorkelling, diving and fishing are the order of the day.  It is an excellent place to swim and dive with dolphins, sharks, rays, eels, turtles and whale sharks.

Cultural

Mozambique has an interesting Portuguese colonial history and evidence in the form of old forts and general architecture are to be found along the coast, especially in the north.  It is also here that you find the most cultural diversity with Arabic influences as in neighbouring Tanzania.

Swahili is spoken in the north and the tendency is toward matrilineal societies whereas patrilineal nguni-language societies dominate the south

Scenic

The country has a scenic interior and some spectacular forests and mountains but many of these sights are far off the beaten track and difficult to get to – something that will hopefully change as infrastructure improves.  There are a number of scenic tropical beach and island destinations.

What we consider to be HIGHLIGHTS of a visit to Mozambique

• Exploring the uncharted wilderness of the Niassa Reserve
• Quirimbas
• Diving with whale sharks
• Snorkelling with dolphins
• Bazaruto

Best Seasons to Travel to Mozambique

OUR FAVOURITE MONTHS
Islands: May - September
Bush destinations: May - December

Safari Areas in Mozambique

• Niassa Reserve
  Selected Lodges / Camps
  Lugenda Wilderness Camp

• Quirimbas Archipelago
  Selected Lodges
  Medjumbe Private Island, Matemo Beach Resort e

• Bazaruto Archipelago
  Selected Lodges
  Indigo Bay Island Resort and Spa

Fast Facts about Mozambique

• Capital:  Maputo
• Population:  19 million
• Government:  Democracy
• Head of State:  President Armando Guebuza
• Length of term: 5 years
• Maximum terms: 2 years
• Currency:  Metical
• Exchange rate: USD 1 : MT 36.25
• Dominant religion: Christianity, followed in the north by Islam
• Major Industries: Agriculture, tourism
• Literacy:  44%
• Urbanisation:  37%