Mozambique - Places To Stay
Mozambique is one of Africas last untouched areas of pristine wilderness. The coastline is scattered with stunning white sandy beaches and uninhabited island hideaways, and the spectacular underwater world remains largely unexplored. Colourful local cultures and traditions, and Portuguese influenced cuisine makes Mozambique one of the must see destinations on Africa's east coast.
After years of civil war followed by flooding and cyclones, the country is now slowly working towards building a stable economy, and is positioning itself as a major tourist destination. Efforts are made to protect the country's wilderness areas, reintroduce wildlife and increase tourism that will benefit local communities.
The relatively new Quirimbas National Park, located on the remote north coast, offers one of the most unspoilt bush and beach experiences and some of the best dive sites in the country. It is not uncommon to see elephant near the beach before plunging into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean a few moments later to discover the underwater world of colourful coral reefs teeming with marine life. Explore the nearby Guludo Village where Mozambicans still live in traditional mud houses with palm-thatched roofs.
A variety of accommodation options are available in the area ranging from eco-friendly lodges to more luxurious private island lodges. Many wildlife and cultural activities can be organized to experience different aspects of Mozambican culture and life. Below you will find a selection of our preferred small lodges and camps carefully selected with our responsible travel philosophy in mind.
 |  Quirimbas National Park - This is a true eco-lodge, set on undoubtedly the best beach in Quirimbas National Park. Their award-winning architects found the inspiration for the lodge in & around Guludo village and successfully created a unique and luxurious Northern Mozambican village feel.The restaurant/bar area is shaded by a makuti thatched roof overlooking the beach and the Indian Ocean
Three different types of accommodation is available. Three new Tented bandas are generous custom built tents opening upwards and outwards providing dazzling Indian Ocean views. Each tent is carefully positioned to work within the existing landscape and to capture the fresh sea breeze. Each tent has an open-air bathroom with a dehydration enviro-loo, hot bucket-shower cleverly created with local marble & bamboo and kitted with green toiletries.
The 5 new Adobe bandas have been hand-built by a local workforce combining the best of traditional techniques with clever design features and eco-technology to provide the ultimate in barefoot luxury. Each banda is just footsteps from the beach. A large high roof opens upwards and outwards, covering the spacious the stylish Swahili-inspired veranda, hammock and traditional beach sun loungers. The sleeping area is on a raised platform boasting a lavish king-sized bed under an extravagant, hand-crafted mosquito net. Behind the bedroom is a large open air bathroom with double vanities & mirrors, ingeniously carved out of the banda wall, and a huge shower.
There are also 2 Suites, one honeymoon suite and one family suite. The family suite comprises of two adjoining buildings to accommodate families with children and still provide privacy for mum & dad. The Honeymoon Suite is similar to the Adobe Bandas, but build to give more privacy. |
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 |  Ibo Island, Quirimbas Archipelago - The lodge is located on the Indian Ocean coastline of Ibo Island - the former Portuguese colonial capital of the region. Beautiful, remote and untouched by commercial developments, Ibo is one of the most intriguing, idyllic and romantic islands you could dream of visiting. Boundless secrets, history and culture are still contained amongst the marvellous ruins on the island which date back to the early 1500s.
Ibo Island Lodge consists of a series of renovated mansion houses built around baobab trees and maintained in a traditional Portuguese style. There are 2 pools with a 3rd one planned. The island is a potential World Heritage Site and therefore the rooms have been designed to incorporate the original architecture and style of the old buildings. All the rooms are fitted with hand crafted furniture made locally on the island. Each room is en-suite (all with shower and some with bath & shower) and opens out onto a private veranda from where you can watch traditional dhows sail out into the ocean.
The restaurant and bar is magnificently situated on the roof terrace of the Bela Vista mansion facing west for unforgettable sunsets and affording spectacular views over the bay. Meals feature freshly Ibo-grown vegetables, herbs and fruits and combine traditional specialties with seafood. Ibo Island Lodge is a perfect hideaway where you can unwind or be as active as you wish. |
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 |  Baixo Do Pinda - Nuarro is a small lodge situated on the remote north coast of Mozambique. The lodge comprises of 12 luxury beach front chalets, and a panoramic high class restaurant and bar located on the west end of the beach. There is also a beach bar with centralized marine activity centre and many areas to relax during the day, all situated in the enchanting Memba Bay. A walkway connects the lodge to "Nanatha Island Rock", a strategic view point for the whale watching season.
The spacious chalets have large verandas with hammocks and sun loungers, and direct access to the beach. They are strategically placed along the dunes to ensure privacy, and have a minimum impact on the natural vegetation. Each chalet, with en-suite bathroom, is individually decorated, depending on the setting and views. All the furniture and crafts at the lodge were locally made, and local technology and labour were utilised during the construction of the lodge.
Nuarro is a diver's paradise. The bay's combination of dramatic continental-shelf topography, excellent visibility, coral and fish diversity as well as easy reef access allows for world class diving suitable for all ranges of experience. |
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 |  Pemba, Mainland Mozambique - Pemba Beach Hotel is a traditionally styled hotel with rooms that open out onto the tranquil shores of Wimbe Beach. The hotel has a large restaurant with a resident cook who specialises in sea food such as lobster and swordfish. There are several bars for casual drinks and snacks, including a sports club bar from where watersports and tennis courts can be booked. |
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Gorongosa National Park, situated in central Mozambique, is one of the country's most exciting travel destinations. The Park was once known for having one of the densest wildlife populations in Africa, but Mozambique's thirty-year civil conflict at the end of the 20th Century reduced large mammal numbers by approximately 95%. In 2008, the Carr Foundation, a U.S. non-profit organization, has entered a 20 year partnership with the Government of Mozambique to restore the Park back to its former glory. The ecology and history of the Park is fascinating, and provides an insight into the more complex socio-ecological aspects of Mozambique as a whole. Visitors can go on a wildlife safari that combines guided bushwalks and river-safaris to explore the most remote corners of Gorongosa.
The Niassa Game Reserve in the remote northern Mozambique is the largest conservation area of the country with an area of 42,000 km2. It contains the greatest concentration of wildlife in Mozambique. The reserve is the southern extension of the Selous miombo ecosystem in neighbouring Tanzania.
 |  Gorongosa National Park - The Explore Gorongosa Camp is a semi-permanent tented camp situated in a beautiful private operational area within the Gorongosa National Park. Accommodation is provided in 15m2 classic cottage style mobile tents. All tents are completely bug-proof with stylish mosquito netting window and door inners. Tents can be fitted with twin singles or a double bed, and contain a clothes rack, suitcase stand, vanity table and stool, side tables and cosy, weathered rugs. Each tent includes a spacious "en-tent" bathroom of open-air hot bucket shower, toilet, and vanity stand with basins and relevant amenities. All the thents have large double 'window-doors' that open onto a shaded veranda with cushioned day bed and reclining camp chairs.
A 5 day Explore Gorongosa itinerary usually includes a couple of nights at a light wilderness fly-camp, the Gorongosa SkyBeds, dotted around on a few stunning sites around the park. The fly camps are ideally positioned, and each camp is unique and specifically themed according to position, feel, view, wildlife and guest interests. The "rooms" are actually mosquito-netted canopies housing a raised bed with snug duvet and cotton linen (separate bow tents are available on request). The ablutions consist of hot bucket showers and an eco-loo.
At both the tented and fly camp you will be looked after by the Explore Gorongosa team of experienced hosts and camp hands (6 camp staff means guest to staff ratio of 1:1). |
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 |  Niassa Reserve - The Moja Safari Wilderness is an exclusive privately managed concession within the vast Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique's largest protected conservation area. The Explore Moja Wilderness Experience is a mobile walking and canoeing safari, providing accommodation in specifically designed mobile tented camps, set up in a new location on a daily basis as the safari moves along the Lugenda River Valley. The emphasis is on the experiene, location and service rather than over the top luxury safari accommodation.
Three different camp sites are used throughout the safari, each one unique and specifically themed according to position, wildlife and guest interests. Accommodation is provided in Classic cottage style mobile tents. All tents are completely bug-proof, with optional additional draped mosquito nets above each bed for extra precaution. Tents can be fitted with twin singles or a double bed, and will also contain a clothes rack, suitcase stand, vanity table and stool and floor rugs. Each tent includes an "en-tent" bathroom of open-air hot canvas bucket-shower, toilet and vanity stand with basins and relevant amenities.
You will be accompanied by a top regional professional guide with local tracker. The camp crew consists of a blend of experienced hosts and local Yao villagers in a small tight-knit 'family' unit (6 camp staff means guest to staff ratio of 1:1) |
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Lake Niassa, more commonly known as Lake Malawi, is the most southern lake in the East African Rift Valley system, and the third largest lake in Africa. The largest part of the lake is in Malawi, while about a quarter of the lake area is under the jurisdiction of Mozambique; this includes the area surrounding the Malawian islands of Likoma and Chizumulu, which are the lake's only two inhabited islands.
The lake's enormous expanse of crystal clear water and white sandy beaches provides a wonderful opportunity for visitors to explore the area with a number of activities , along its shores, and beneath its transparent surface.
