Mozambique
Mozambique impresses with its coastline and swaying palms, its traditions, its cultures, its vibe and its opportunities for adventure.
This enigmatic southeast African country has much to offer those who venture here: long, dune-fringed beaches, turquoise waters abounding in shoals of colourful fish, well-preserved corals, remote archipelagos in the north, pounding surf in the south and graceful dhows with billowing sails.
Highlights of Mozambique
Vilankulo & Bazaruto Archipelago
The stunning Bazaruto Archipelago off the Mozambique coast consists of five main islands which encompass the protected Bazaruto National Park.
This Archipelago is home to a variety of flora and fauna that have flourished amidst isolation and a small human population. There are over 180 species of birds, indigenous butterflies, suni antelope, and freshwater crocodiles counted among its land-based treasures.
The Mozambique Channel runs along the eastern edges of these islands, a waterway bountiful with game fish that attracts many big game fishermen from all over the world. A private fishing excursion to Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique could very well net impressive marlins and barracudas.
Go below the surface to discover the vibrant marine life that populates the protected coral reefs of the Bazaruto Archipelago. The peaceful, colorful display of these reefs provides some of the best diving and snorkeling experiences the aquatic world can offer. Under the crystal blue waves, find some 2,000 types of fish, dolphin, healthy dugong populations, giant lobster, and several species of marine turtles. Wale sharks, manta rays, and humpback whales are also known to be glimpsed near the Bazaruto Archipelago at certain times of the year.
Of course, the miles of gorgeous unspoilt sandy beaches are the ideal vantage point to take it all in. Whether for the wonders of the sea or the safari sightings on land.
Gorongosa National Park
Gorongosa National Park is at the southern end of the Great African Rift Valley in the heart of central Mozambique, Southeast Africa. The over 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi) park includes the valley floor and parts of surrounding plateaus. Rivers originating on nearby Mount Gorongosa (1,863 m (6,112 ft)) water the plain.
Seasonal flooding and waterlogging of the valley, which is composed of a mosaic of different soil types, creates a variety of distinct ecosystems. Grasslands are dotted with patches of acacia trees, savannah, dry forest on sands and seasonally rain-filled pans and termite hill thickets. The plateaus contain miombo and montane forests and a spectacular rain forest at the base of a series of limestone gorges.
This combination of unique features at one time supported some of the densest wildlife populations in all of Africa, including charismatic carnivores, herbivores and over 500 bird species. But large mammal numbers were reduced by as much as 95% and ecosystems stressed during Mozambique's long civil conflict at the end of the 20th century.
The Carr Foundation/Gorongosa Restoration Project, a U.S. non-profit organization, has teamed with the Government of Mozambique to protect and restore the ecosystem of Gorongosa National Park and to develop an ecotourism industry to benefit local communities.