Maputo Tours, Inside, Around and from the City

A group of friends is preparing a trip to Mozambique and, together, they are deciding the Maputo tours they want to join . Everyone has researched on their own and, among the city tours and the tours you can do from Maputo, they are considering different options:

• Maria: as you know, I am finishing my studies in art history and for me, it would be important to visit the most emblematic buildings and the legacy of Malangatana. I vote for a walking tour to explore the architecture of Maputo.
• Mike: I agree with Maria. The colonial-style and urban planning of Maputo must be very interesting. We can do this and links it with a tour that I have seen and only lasts 3 hours, stopping in the historical memory of the country: the fortress, the railway station (CFM)…
• Claude: oui, oui, and Gustave Eiffel’s Iron House! I would like to see what my countryman did in Maputo.
• Pietro: Well, I would like to visit the Natural History Museum. They say there is a fossil of a prehistoric fish that still exists in the seas that bathe Mozambique.
• Claude: oui, oui. It is called coelacanth. And they also have the only collection of elephant fetuses in the world.
• Mike: well, my vote is for the beach. What if we sunbathe and take the opportunity to bathe in the Indian Ocean?
• Pietro: I’m with Mike as well. Sun and beach sound good. There are two nearby islands that we could visit from Maputo.

Maputo Tours: to “dive deep” into the essence the Mozambican capital

“Okay, guys, don’t disperse. First, decide what to do in Maputo… It seems you have it quite clear: a city tour of the city visiting art, architecture and historical legacy. Right?”

• Pietro: certo!
• Maria: wait! I am reading that we can visit the city on foot or by bicycle. I would like to ride a bike.
• Mike: Well, I prefer to walk. We can divide ourselves and some do it on foot and others on two wheels.
• Maria: you are a sloth!
• Claude: I agree, Mike is very lazy!! And what about including a traditional workshop? Here it says we can make our own batiks and souvenirs with wire. What do you think? Sounds like fun. We go to the artisans’ park and design our own paintings while having drinks.
• Pietro: I like it!

Tours from Maputo: to explore the nearby beaches

They have decided then what to do and already have the tours in Maputo. Culture, art, history. Now they can start arguing about Maputo tours to explore the surrounding beaches: “Mike. What do you suggest? What are those islands you were talking about?”

• Mike: here it’s written that the closest one is Xefina, and that we can rent a private boat to take us to spend the day between ruins and sea. It is a virgin place, without electrical power or water. Only a few fishermen and ranchers live there. The beaches are deserted and we would be the Robinson Crusoe of the place. The tour includes everything. They come to pick us up, feed us, show us the island, its flamingos, its buildings eaten by the sea and we have several hours to swim and enjoy the beach.
• Claude: that sounds great. Reserve now!
• Pietro: wait a second! Among Maputo Tours, they also have this other island as an option… Inhaca Island. Here we can also go by private boat… Let’s see… It is more expensive but includes a lot: entrance fees, snorkeling equipment, snorkel fees, visit to Santa Maria’s beach, seafood lunch at Inhaca Village and rest of the day in the Portuguese Island, we can enjoy starfishes, egrets… We have adventures, beach, seafood, boat, two islands…
• Claude: where do boats leave from? What’s the departure point?
• Mike: From Maputo. From one of its ports. They would indicate the port according to the day, since they change location according to tides and winds.
• Maria: and do we really have to choose between Xefina and Inhaca? I choose both. 😀
• Claude: I support Maria’s idea. We can do a city tour in Maputo one day, go to Xefina another day, do the batiks workshop another day, and another day go to Inhaca and Portuguese Islands.
• Mike and Pietro: let’s do it!

Maputo Tours, departing from the capital, to experience the wild

These friends have already scheduled what a part of their vacation will be like. They are doing well!

• Claude: girl and boys, look! We can camp in an exclusive, unique and wonderful place. It’s called Maputo Special Reserve. They take us there for two days. There are elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes… They give us breakfast in one of their many freshwater lagoons next to the hippos, crocs and birds. And then they take us to a beach where we will be 100% alone. We will camp there and have a barbecue dinner consisting of meat. And there is hot water for a shower in the middle of the bush!
• Maria: I’m a vegetarian.
• Pietro: surely they prepare some delicious veggies for the occasion.
• Maria: of course. I guess I’ll just have to inform them.
• Mike: sure, Maria. And where do we sleep?
• Claude: you don’t listen to me when I speak, Mike. I said it’s a camping trip, so we are camping! We sleep in tents, you idiot.
• Mike: calm down! That means we will have a starry sky over our heads at night… I love it! And will the animals come nearby?
• Pietro: I don’t think so. If we camp by the sea, these animals have nothing to do there. The water they need is not salty. But I would love to see the elephants approaching the sea. That would be cool!
• Maria: it would be spectacular!
• Mike: Wow! Let’s cross our fingers then!

Indeed, Mery can feel comfortable, because our kitchen adapts to everyone’s needs and we can grill food for all tastes.

The camping settlement will be behind the last dune that separates us from the Indian Ocean. The visit of large mammals is not usual because they, who smell and listen to us, avoid humans. But the sky full of stars will be our companion, along with the music of the waves of the sea. It isof the Maputo tours that may start any day of the week. One of the entrance gates to the Reserve (Futi Gate) is just over 60 kilometers far away from Maputo. It is certainly an experience that nobody should miss. It is nature, great mammals of Africa and human in its most wild and pure state.

• Pietro: Claude, can I dive in the Maputo Special Reserve?
• Claude: within Maputo Special Reserve no, but further south there is a place that they also recommend for beach and diving. It is called Ponta do Ouro. And here you can dive even with sharks!!
• Mike: can I do the diving course or a first experience?
• Claude: yes. For the course, you need at least four days, but you can do what they call Discover Scuba Diving for a single trial dive.
• Maria: Well, I sign up with you, Mike; I also want to learn to dive.
• Claude: we can also swim with dolphins in their natural environment. There is an activity in Ponta do Ouro for that. But we need to be lucky, of course.
• Maria: and you don’t have to dive, do you?
• Claude: no, it’s a snorkeling activity.
• Pietro: I will also join that one.

It seems that your plan is already taking shape. It has become clear that these friends look for all kinds of experiences and are passionate about adventure. They can still do more beach and ride a competition between them. We have the ideal place in Macaneta, just over 30 kilometers from Maputo.

A lodge in the middle of nature, surrounded by forest and sea. They can embark on a competition through a wild obstacle race creating two teams, and also launch a paintball war in the jungle. There will be prizes. And after sweating so much adrenaline, they can enjoy the swimming pool, the beach and seafood in that hidden place that keeps many surprises.

And if they want more, they can camp again, one more night, for a survival experience, learning to orient themselves and survive among dense vegetation. It sounds amazing, right?

• Mike: a voice in my head says that we can also visit Macaneta.
• Claude: it’s not a voice, it’s the person writing this story.
• Maria: and what else does that voice say, crazy?
• Mike: yes, we will learn to survive in the jungle, we will have a paintball war and an obstacle race in a unique place.
• Claude and Pietro: we are in!!!

They are taking full advantage of Maputo tours and taking full advantage of Mozambique, from where many activities can be done.

• Pietro: guys, and what about neighboring countries. It seems they are very close to Maputo.
• Claude: yes, we have Eswatini and South Africa 100 kilometers away. I am interested in the cultural part of Eswatini. Here it says…
• Mike: that we can visit Mantenga Cultural Village, with its traditional dances, its typical houses, its social customs, a waterfall, the mountain of sacrifices, the Gaudi-style House On Fire, the candle factory and the craft market.
• Claude: OK, Mike, you’ve shown that you read faster than me. But what do you think? Should we go to Eswatini?
• Maria: there is a strange name reserve… Let me see… Hlane! Hlane means desert. It is an area where you can see the white rhinoceros very easily and very close. It seems we can almost touch them. And you can also do a safari to see elephants and lions. It does not have the big five, missing the buffalo, because the habitat is not suitable for this type of bulls. But the guide says that we can have breakfast in front of rhinos, which always appear in a pool inside the park. If we are not happy enough with the first rhino approach, Mussiro can take us in search of them. But if we want to try our luck and look for elephants and lions, we have to hire the expedition directly with the park because free access to tourists and businesses is prohibited; only the park rangers are allowed to take us there.
• Pietro: and what about the leopard? Does it say anything?
• Maria: no, but if the missing animal is the buffalo, there are leopards, but these cats are always very difficult to spot.
• Mike: I want to see the rhinos.
• Claude: I think we all want, right?
• Maria: OK, so what do we do? Do we make a two-day cultural and wild Eswatini? Will it be possible?

Of course, it is. And two days are enough to live an entire Eswatini experience. There will be two days full of activities and time to rest in a lodge overlooking the mountain of sacrifices. The valley is beautiful, the food is great and good vibes recharge everyone’s batteries.

Enjoy the wild wonders of Kruger Park and Panorama Route

• Claude: and there are more two day tours from Maputo: Kruger National Park and Panorama Route.
• Pietro: wow, this promises a lot!
• Maria: and can we go from Maputo?
• Claude: yes, we can spend two days in a safari and two days in the mountains.
• Mike: step by step… May we start with Kruger?
• Pietro: I would rather suggest, my dear friend, to start with the Panorama Route. We just left Eswatini after a wild tour. I think we could go directly to that geological route. What are the highlights?
• Claude: the caves where the first plants (algae) that created the atmosphere of planet earth (Sudwala Caves) were born, different waterfalls along the way -here it says that it is the region of Africa with the highest number of waterfalls-, it speaks of a heritage mining city for being a goldfield more than a century ago, and it remains the same, we will also see canyons, cliffs, suspension bridges, a place called God’s Window and the third largest canyon in the world, the Blyde River Canyon.
• Maria: do we have to walk a lot through these areas? I haven’t brought my trekking sticks.
• Pietro: Claude’s photos on the computer show that paths are quite short. There are more stairs than great distances.
• Maria: great. And does it usually rain?
• Mike: if it is a mountain area, there should be some probability for water, but remember that the rainy season in South Africa is during the southern summer.
• Maria: and where do we stay?
• Claude: they rent a house for us 4. There are two rooms, a kitchen, fireplace, living room, terrace, barbecue… and next to the Graskop’s Gorge.
• Pietro and Maria: These are, for sure, one of the best options between the Maputo tours! book now!
• Mike: yes, and with a little luck Claude will accidentally fall down the gorge.
• Claude: hah, hah, so funny…
• Maria: come on, guys! We know you love each other!
• Mike and Claude: hummm…

Panorama route. A beautiful choice. The Mpumalanga region, just 100 kilometers from Maputo, holds treasures very unknown to all. Few venture to explore this province, but those who do are proud of their decision because they have never admired such breathless landscapes before.

• Maria: how far is Kruger National Park from Graskop?
• Mike: according to the information on the website they seem to be close. And if we ask for a tailor-made tour, Mussiro can take us directly without returning to Maputo.
• Claude: yes, Mike is right.
• Pietro: the map says that the closest entrance we have from Graskop is Phabeni Gate, near Hazyview. I guess they would take us there.
• Maria: and here you have leopards, Pietro. In fact, here we have the Big Five. There are large herds of elephants, huge herds of buffalo, about two thousand resident lions, half amount of leopards and a hundred cheetahs. There are also hyenas with their puppies, and wild dogs, in danger of extinction. Rhinos are also sometimes seen, although they are white ones, like those we will see in Hlane, although there are also blacks, but difficult to spot. There are wildebeests, zebras, kudus, water backs, nyalas, elands, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, hundreds of birds, squirrels, mongooses, badgers, warthogs and even otters. And different ecosystems, and very cool landscapes.
• Mike: well, we did it, right? Our holiday plan looks stunning!

They are clear and so are we. It will be a pleasure to organize all these tours from Maputo. Your vacation will be unforgettable.