Mozambique is the wild, untouched alternative for a beach finish — remote island archipelagos, world-class diving and snorkeling, and barefoot-luxury lodges far from the crowds.
The Bazaruto and Quirimbas archipelagos offer dugong, manta rays and pristine reefs, reached by short flight from a Southern Africa safari.
Highlights of Mozambique
Bazaruto Archipelago
Turquoise sandbanks, dugong and superb snorkeling.
Quirimbas Archipelago
Remote islands, historic Ibo and exclusive lodges.
Diving & marine life
Manta rays, whale sharks and untouched coral reefs.
Dhow sailing
Sunset sails on traditional hand-built dhows.
Where you’ll stay in Mozambique
Where you stay is selected privately around your journey. We recommend each camp, lodge or villa according to its location, season, guiding, privacy and suitability for the people traveling. Your carefully curated selection will be presented within your tailor-made itinerary.
Plan your private safariKnow before you go
The practical details we handle for you — flights, entry, health and money — summarized here so nothing surprises you. Requirements can change, so we confirm everything when you book.
Fly via Johannesburg to Vilanculos (for Bazaruto) or Pemba (for the Quirimbas) — each about 90 minutes from Joburg, then a helicopter or boat to your island.
US tourists are visa-exempt for stays up to 30 days. Have your passport, onward ticket and lodge booking handy at immigration.
Malaria is present year-round — prophylaxis is recommended, even on the islands.
The metical is local currency, but island lodges bill in USD and take cards. Tipping is at your discretion — most guests allow about $20–25 per person per day.
What to do in Mozambique
The wild Indian Ocean — archipelagos most travelers have never heard of, and will never forget.
Sail the Bazaruto Archipelago
Dhow safaris over seagrass flats where dugong still graze — snorkeling Two Mile Reef, sandbank lunches, nothing else on the horizon.
Bazaruto Archipelago
May–Nov
Dive the Quirimbas
Remote northern islands with drop-offs, turtles and reef sharks — and lodges reached by helicopter over impossibly blue channels.
Quirimbas Archipelago
May–Nov visibility
Deep-sea and fly fishing
Black marlin, sailfish and giant trevally off Bazaruto — some of the finest saltwater fishing in the Indian Ocean, catch-and-release led.
Off Bazaruto
Marlin Oct–Jan; GT year-round
Ibo Island’s living history
A crumbling Portuguese-Arab trading town where silversmiths still work in the old fort — a cultural day unlike anything else on this coast.
Ibo Island
Dry season, May–Nov
Best time to visit Mozambique
Dry season — calm seas and the best diving conditions.
Peak whale-shark and manta season in the Bazaruto.
In the green months rates ease at many of these camps, the plains empty of vehicles and the light turns dramatic. What each season gives, and what it trades, is set out in our Safari Planning Guide.
Planning & cost
Fully tailor-made — priced privately to your camps, season and travel style. No fixed packages.
Fly via Johannesburg or Vilanculos (VNX) to the island lodges. US tourists are visa-exempt for stays up to 30 days — carry your passport, onward ticket and lodge confirmation for immigration.
Every journey is privately designed, with private guides and vehicles arranged where specified, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout. At fly-in camps, game drives may be shared unless a private vehicle is reserved.
Everything else,
answered before you ask
The practical details that apply to every safari we plan — so this page is the only one you need.
US dollars and cards cover nearly everything, and tips are the only real cash need — exact amounts and etiquette are in our Safari Planning Guide.
See a travel clinic 6–8 weeks before departure for routine shots and malaria advice (most safari regions require prophylaxis; parts of South Africa are malaria-free). Camps are remote but professionally run, with radio contact and evacuation cover — we require travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation.
Connected in camp, gloriously offline on the drives — the full connectivity picture is in our Safari Planning Guide.
Soft duffel bags only (light aircraft cap luggage around 33 lb / 15 kg), neutral-colored layers for cold mornings and warm afternoons, and binoculars. Laundry is included at almost every camp, so pack for 4–5 days no matter the trip length.
Full packing list →Continue exploring
Beach Holidays
An African beach holiday — barefoot-luxury island escapes to follow your safari.
Explore → Southern AfricaSouth Africa
A South Africa safari pairs Big Five private reserves with Cape Town and the Winelands.
Explore → Beaches & IslandsZanzibar
A Zanzibar holiday layers spice-island history, Stone Town and dreamy Indian Ocean beaches.
Explore → RegionBeaches & Islands
Where a safari finishes — Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Mozambique coast.
Explore →Mozambique FAQs
Getting to Mozambique — flights, visas and health
Current at the time of writing. We re-confirm every requirement for your exact routing before you travel — and we will tell you what to apply for, and when.
Let's design your Mozambique journey.
A Mozambique beach holiday pairs a quiet archipelago with the safari that comes before it.
Tell us how you like to travel and start with a complimentary consultation. When you are ready, a $500 USD planning fee covers your personalized itinerary and revisions, and is deducted from your booking deposit when you book.
Inquire now