Mozambique is pure Africa, as it should be!
Actually, there is no reason not to go to Mozambique. The country not only has beautiful beaches, but also a colorful culture, turquoise water and colorful fish. In the culinary field, fish plays an important role in the life of the Mozambicans. And then we haven’t even mentioned the breathtaking wildlife in Mozambique. More than enough to explore! Because Mozambique is not touristy, you will not come across many tourists and not all accommodations are easy to find online. We had help in our search for the most beautiful places, the accommodations and traveled through the country with a safari truck. I have to say that is not a luxury for this trip!
The capital of Mozambique: Maputo
And here we are, in Africa. We start in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Everything shows that we are in a completely different environment. The city has a Mediterranean feel, with its wide avenues and Portuguese colonial houses. This is a stark contrast to the sixties apartment blocks that give the city a completely different picture. We went in search of the most colorful market in Mozambique, the Mercado Municipal. A festive feast that impresses. Furthermore, it is a quiet city and there is actually not much to do, after a day/night we travel further north.
Praia de Tofo
Along the Indian Ocean art we traveled on to Praia de Tofo. Truly literally an azure bay, lined with palm trees and beautiful white sandy beaches. But not only because of this beautiful beach you should not skip Tofo. The village itself is also very nice to visit, with nice bars/restaurants and locals. What is striking… the beaches are empty and there is no tourist in sight. Delicious! We say ‘delicious’, but it’s actually a bit strange since it’s high season. In any case, we understand why Willem and Maxima wanted a beach house here. We don’t see these beautiful beaches every day.
Our program also included an excursion with Whale Sharks, but unfortunately this is canceled due to the rough sea. That is very unfortunate. So we decided to make it an active afternoon and we rent two surfboards. We have a great time with this, despite that swimming, the sea is actually quite fresh in July. With us it is summer in this month, but in Mozambique it is winter. The temperature is still pleasant, but keep in mind that it cools down quickly.
We camp in our tent just behind the vast white beaches of Tofo. An amazing experience. There isn’t much in the vicinity of the campsite itself, but luckily there was a cozy beach bar with tasty local beers.
Do you want something more luxurious than sleeping in a tent? There is also a Beach Lodge nearby as a nice alternative.
Visit of a Mozambican village
We visit the village of Inhambane, one of the oldest villages in the country. Together with a local guide we made a village tour and ‘you don’t know what you see’. Time seems to have stood still in the village. Children come running from all over, screaming and barefoot, shouting: ‘Mezunge’, which means ‘white person’. Since tourism in Mozambique is still in its infancy, we were the attraction of the day. At the end of the tour we arrive at an orphanage with all small children who we give the day of their lives by playing a game of football with them. Really nice to see a smile on the faces of these children.
Visit Monongolu
We continue our way along the beautiful coastline to Monongolu and have a long day on the bus. The roads in Mozambique are not very good, so traveling takes up quite a lot of time. Fortunately, this was more than worth the wait, because at the end of the days we arrive at a lodge with a direct sea view. No one around. There is not much else to do here, except relax with a beautiful view, so we only stay 1 night in our Beach lodge.
Vilankuloc
The next morning we had to wake up early, because we would not have wanted to miss this sunrise. After enjoying our ‘happiness moment’ we set off to Vilankulo. Here too we pass villages here and there where time seems to have stood still. The locals line the road with stalls to sell their market wares. We were even able to buy fried rats and second-hand clothes from max’s bag. Very bizarre to see that clothes that we give away here on the local market are simply sold again to the poor population. We’ll leave this for what it is, but if you’re on the market, the juicy pineapple is a must!
We sleep this night in a large lodge for 6-8 people, where everyone has their own room with a sea view.
The next day we take a traditional Dhow boat to the Bazaruto Archipelago, one of the most famous national parks in the country. The park consists of several islands with special flora and fauna, but to be honest, the underwater world is the most beautiful. While snorkeling we swim between the many colorful fish. Unfortunately that didn’t last long, because the current was very strong. We then enjoy a beautiful walk around the island where we also spot a group of flamingos in the distance.
Tip: Do you like horseback riding? On the beach of Vilanculos you can take beautiful horseback rides. This is especially recommended at sunset.
Explore Gorongosa National Park
We have been on the road in Africa for a while now and today is on the program what we come to Africa for in the first place, namely the animals. We continue our way to the Gorongosa National Park.
After another long journey we arrive in the evening and spend the night at the park in the company of monkeys walking outside the fence. So be careful with food in our tents! We dine by the campfire and don’t go to bed too late, because the next day there are two game drives on the program. That means getting out of bed at 5 a.m., having a quick breakfast and going! Once in the park we first see a group of Impalas. We also come across waterbuck, warthogs, kudus and, as the highlight of the day, elephants. I also found a vast plain with all kinds of animals to be one of the highlights. Unfortunately we did not see the promised lion group, but that is a good reason to go back to Africa soon. It’s a beautiful park, but it’s not the prettiest park I’ve seen. If you have been to Africa before, this park is still worth a visit, but adjust your expectations slightly and enjoy!
Traveling to Mozambique
All in all, a wonderful journey through undiscovered Mozambique. During the trip we traveled from peak to peak. Actually, Mozambique can offer you everything; Adventure, culture, wild animals, beautiful nature and sunrises, but above all the country is still very ‘real’ and that makes it all very impressive. So I say go!
