Mozambique

Mozambique covers an area of about 800,000 square kilometers and has a coastline of more than 2,500 kilometers long. The country has stunning beaches, colonial and Portugese architecture, World Heritage sites, colorful local culture and undiscovered wilderness areas.

The country straddles several borders: Tanzania in the north, South Africa in the south, Zimbabwe in the southwest and Malawi in the northwest. Mount Binga is Mozambique's highest peak at 2,436m, situated in the Chimanimani Mountains on the Zimbabwean border. Other important rivers, which flow through the country, are the Limpopo River, the Save River and the Rovuma River.

Now free from past political and economic difficulties, the country’s perseverance is finally being rewarded and the country is being restored at a remarkable pace. Mozambique's picturesque beaches and pristine reefs are some of the loveliest in all of Africa, if not the world. Unspoiled sandy beaches, warm, clean Indian Ocean waters teeming with fish and other marine life, and tropical, sunny days make Mozambique a superb destination before or after one’s safari. The Bazaruto Archipelago and Pemba are home to several coastal and island resorts offering activities such as fly-fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and sailing.

Around 200 mammal species, 170 reptile and 40 amphibian species occur in Mozambique and in most places recovery of animal populations is expected to improve as tourism and conservation efforts increase. Three mainland national parks occur in Mozambique, namely the Gorongoza, the Zinave and the Banhine.

Bazaruto National Park is situated offshore and, at present, is the main attraction for visitors to the country. Both Zinave and Banine parks are still closed, while the infrastructure of the reopened Gorongoza National Park is extremely limited. Five wildlife reserves occur, namely Niassa, Marromeu, Pomene, Maputo and Gile. At present, only the Niassa and Maputo Elephant Reserve are open to tourists. Various other Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA’s), which encompasses South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park, are in the pipeline to be opened.

Approximately 600 bird species have been identified in Mozambique with efforts under way to fully document the numbers. As for marine life, mammals include the Spinner, Bottlenose, Humpback and Striped Dolphins plus the endangered Dugong. Leatherbacked, Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley Turtles occur along the coastline and whales such as the Humpback use the calm waters as breeding grounds during the winter months. Endangered species include Black Rhino, Roan Antelope and African Wild Dog.