Mozambique's capital, Maputo, is known for its well-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture. With its beautiful art deco architecture and its exceptional setting on a hill overlooking the glittering Maputo Bay, the city of Maputo once sparkled as the 'Riviera' of Southern Africa. Previously called Lourenco Marques, Maputo is Mozambique's largest city and home to the country's most famous harbour. It is well-equipped with a wide selection of hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, a vibrant cultural scene and open-air sidewalk cafes lining the streets. Visitors can stroll down the jacaranda-lined streets of the Baixa neighbourhood in the Old Town, explore the Praca da Independencia square, discover the Neoclassical City Hall and view the unique bronze-domed Maputo Railway Station. Other popular activities include visiting Catembe and Ponta d'Oura's beautiful beaches as well as snorkelling and scuba diving in the warm Mozambican waters.
Maputo National Park is a coastal wilderness in southern Mozambique, in Maputo Province, stretching from the Maputo River and Bay to the Indian Ocean and South African border. Created in 2021, it combines diverse terrestrial and marine habitats, from savannahs, wetlands and sand forests to white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. Part of a transboundary conservation landscape and now included in a UNESCO World Heritage property, the park offers a distinctive blend of safari and beach experiences. Visitors can explore by 4x4, looking for elephants, giraffes, zebras and antelope, or visit lakes such as Piti and Xinguti for hippos, crocodiles and birdlife. Along the coast, snorkelling, diving, ocean safaris and seasonal turtle watching add a marine dimension.
Located in the Great Rift Valley, in Central Mozambique, the Gorongosa National Park is known for its unique biodiversity, spectacular natural scenery and abundant wildlife. The focus of a National Geographic film entitled ‘Africa’s Lost Eden’, the Gorongosa National Park – with its cobalt-blue lagoons, wide open savannah and forested mountains studded with waterfalls – is indeed an earthly paradise, tucked beneath the towering peak of Mount Gorongosa. This popular ecotourism destination presents a conservation success story of community-engaged environmentalism at its best. Activities offered include game drives, guided game treks, waterfall hikes, sundowner excursions, and birding safaris.
