Mozambique
Bespoke luxury holidays to Mozambique, tailor-made by our specialist travel advisors.
Luxury Mozambique Holidays
Mozambique is the beach Africa keeps for itself. Almost 2,500 kilometres of Indian Ocean coast, warm water, coral reefs and islands with only a handful of places to stay. It is at its best as the end of a safari: a short flight from Kruger or Johannesburg to the Bazaruto Archipelago, where the days are dhows, diving and empty sandbanks.
We plan Mozambique around lodges we know well, from Kisawa Sanctuary, eight residences in 300 hectares of forest on Benguerra Island, to Sussurro, six bungalows on a quiet lagoon on the mainland near Vilanculos. Your Travel Designer arranges the flights through Johannesburg, the helicopter and boat transfers, and the safari before or after.
Why Visit Mozambique?
Space, and the sea. The Bazaruto Archipelago has been a national park since 1971, and its reefs, seagrass and sandbanks hold humpback whales in winter, turtles, dolphins, manta rays and one of the last dugong populations on the East African coast. You can spend a day on a sandbank and see no one but your guide.
It also feels like somewhere few people have been. The lodges are small and far apart, the food is Portuguese-African, built around prawns, crab and fish caught that morning, and the pace is set by the tides.
Where to Go in Mozambique
Most of our clients stay on the southern coast, around Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago, which is easy to reach from South Africa and has the best of the islands, reefs and lodges.
The Bazaruto Archipelago
Five islands and a protected marine park of around 1,400 square kilometres, a ten to fifteen minute helicopter hop from Vilanculos. Benguerra and Bazaruto are the largest, with dunes, freshwater lakes and long empty beaches. On Benguerra, Kisawa Sanctuary occupies the south of the island and supports the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies, which monitors the reefs and the dugongs, with Azura Benguerra and andBeyond Benguerra Island along the west coast. Anantara Bazaruto sits on Bazaruto itself. Diving and snorkelling on Two Mile Reef is some of the best in southern Africa.
Vilanculos and the Inhambane Coast
The mainland coast is quieter still, with lagoons, mangroves and dhows. Sussurro sits on the Nhamabue Peninsula south of Vilanculos, reached by a scenic 4×4 drive or by helicopter, with six bungalows, a lap pool, a library and a gallery of local art. Days are sailing by dhow, kayaking in the lagoon and eating on the beach. Further south, Tofo is known for whale sharks and manta rays.
Whales, Dugongs and Whale Sharks
Humpback whales pass along the coast from about June to October, calving in the warm, sheltered water. Dugongs graze the seagrass beds of Bazaruto all year, and whale sharks are seen off the Inhambane coast, most often from October to March. Turtles nest on the islands in the southern summer. Your Travel Designer times the trip around what you most want to see and books the marine guides who know where to look.
Where Should You Stay in Mozambique?
We match the lodge to the trip, from complete privacy to a resort with everything on hand. Kisawa Sanctuary is the most remarkable: eight residences, each with its own beach, pool and living spaces, set in forest on Benguerra and built around conservation and the local community. Book Kisawa through Berkeley Travel and your stay comes with our Virtuoso benefits.
Also on Benguerra, Azura Benguerra has private-pool villas steps from the beach and is our first suggestion for honeymooners, while andBeyond Benguerra Island is polished and romantic, with a three-bedroom villa that suits families. Anantara Bazaruto, on the largest island, is a full resort with a spa, several restaurants and the widest choice of activities, good for families and groups. On the mainland, Sussurro is six bungalows on a lagoon with a lodge that feels like a friend’s beach house.
Planning Your Trip to Mozambique
The practical points, answered.
Getting There
Fly overnight from London to Johannesburg, around 11 hours, then about an hour and a half on to Vilanculos. There are also flights from the Kruger area, which makes a safari and beach trip easy. From Vilanculos, it is a short helicopter or boat transfer to the islands.
Entry and Documents
British passport holders can visit for up to 30 days without a visa, but must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation at least 48 hours before departure. Your passport needs six months’ validity and two blank pages, and you may be asked for your accommodation booking and return ticket.
Health
Mozambique is a malaria area, so speak to your GP or a travel clinic about antimalarials well before you travel. We also recommend comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, as the lodges are remote.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Mozambique?
May to November is the best time: dry, sunny and warm, with calm seas and the best visibility for diving. It is also humpback whale season, from about June to October, and the ideal time to pair the coast with a safari in Kruger.
December to April is hot and humid, with more rain, and the cyclone risk is highest from January to March. It is also when whale sharks are most often seen and turtles nest. Christmas and New Year book up early at the smaller lodges.
Combining Mozambique with a Safari
Mozambique is the classic beach after a South African safari. Fly from the Kruger area, where we book Singita Boulders in the Sabi Sand and Singita Sweni in Kruger itself, and you can be on Benguerra the same afternoon. Four to five nights on the coast after four nights on safari is the balance most clients choose. It also combines with Cape Town, or with Kenya and Tanzania via Johannesburg. See more of our South Africa and Africa trips.
FAQ
Mozambique Travel FAQs
The questions our clients ask most often when planning a luxury holiday to Mozambique.
The southern coast and islands where we send clients, Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago, are well established for tourism. The FCDO advises against all travel to most of Cabo Delgado province in the far north, a long way from the south, and to parts of Nampula and Niassa. We follow FCDO advice and arrange every transfer privately.
Fly overnight from London to Johannesburg, then connect to Vilanculos in about an hour and a half. From Vilanculos it is a short helicopter or boat ride to the islands, or a drive to Sussurro. If you are on safari first, there are flights from the Kruger area too.
British passport holders can stay up to 30 days without a visa, but must apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorisation at least 48 hours before departure. Your passport needs six months’ validity and two blank pages. We check the latest rules for every booking.
May to November, when it is dry and warm with calm seas. Humpback whales pass from about June to October. December to April is hotter and wetter, with a cyclone risk from January to March, but it is the season for whale sharks and nesting turtles.
Yes, and most of our clients do. Four nights in Kruger or the Sabi Sand, then four or five on the coast, is the classic combination, with flights from the Kruger area to Vilanculos. Kenya and Tanzania also combine well, via Johannesburg.
A dedicated Travel Designer who plans the flights, the helicopter and boat transfers and the safari around them, with 24-hour support while you travel. We book Kisawa, Azura Benguerra, andBeyond Benguerra Island, Anantara Bazaruto and Sussurro, and at Kisawa you also receive our Virtuoso benefits.
Speak to a Travel Designer
Tell us when you would like to travel and whether you are pairing Mozambique with a safari, and a Travel Designer will come back to you the same day with a first route. Kisawa and Sussurro have only a handful of rooms each, so dry-season dates go early.
YOUR DEDICATED TRAVEL PARTNER
24
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7
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365
TAILORED SERVICES
TAILORED SERVICES
Our in-house concierge service will use their extensive contact list
to help you source anything you desire.
TAILORED SERVICES
Our in-house concierge service will use their extensive contact list
to help you source anything you desire.
BESPOKE itinerary
BESPOKE itinerary
We work hand in hand with clients to create your dream
itinerary ensuring every detail is looked after from start to finish.
BESPOKE itinerary
We work hand in hand with clients to create your dream
itinerary ensuring every detail is looked after from start to finish.
BESPOKE AIR
BESPOKE AIR
We have access to every major airline and an extensive knowledge of their pricing schedules helping our clients achieve highly competitive airfares in all cabins.
BESPOKE AIR
We have access to every major airline and an extensive knowledge of their pricing schedules helping our clients achieve highly competitive airfares in all cabins.
PRIVATE SKY
PRIVATE SKY
Working directly hand in hand with our brokers and
aircraft owners we can source the best deals and most convenient slots for Private Jet hire.
PRIVATE SKY
Working directly hand in hand with our brokers and
aircraft owners we can source the best deals and most convenient slots for Private Jet hire.
EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS
EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS
We have arranged with a number of our luxury partners some exclusive additional benefits. These can include complimentary daily breakfast, a hotel credit towards food or spa treatments,an upgrade on arrival where available, and early check in / late check out.
EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS
We have arranged with a number of our luxury partners some exclusive additional benefits. These can include complimentary daily breakfast, a hotel credit towards food or spa treatments,an upgrade on arrival where available, and early check in / late check out.
COST MANAGEMENT
COST MANAGEMENT
We provide access for our clients to the most cost effective and convenient travel means. Our long standing partnerships and in depth industry knowledge ensure that we source the best rates available on the market.
COST MANAGEMENT
We provide access for our clients to the most cost effective and convenient travel means. Our long standing partnerships and in depth industry knowledge ensure that we source the best rates available on the market.
London office suite
