Guide Wouter, LOVES Mozambique and you can't help but get pulled in by his enthusiasm and great descriptions of this vibrant country
"The Mozambique & Kruger ‘Beach and bush’ tour is a perfect combination between spending time in the bush looking at animals and just enjoying the beach, whatever activities or excursions you might be doing there. But no matter what kind of person you are, how much you love the bush and gazing into the eyes of an elephant...Mozambique and the change of pace and culture will be some of your most memorable experiences.
I love the contrasts in this tour. South Africa, where the tour spends the first few days is a westernised country and not too much of a culture shock. These days are glorious as we take you off the tourist track and discover some of South Africa’s true gems. The tour continues with what I like to call a ‘transition’ day in Swaziland. You can already feel that the change of pace, the tour is building up for what is coming next, Mozambique. On the 7th day of the tour, we cross the border in a place called Namaacha. Compared to Swaziland and especially South Africa, this is a completely different world, and you can see the difference as soon as you cross the border. Different language, different currency, different people and culture, different houses; suddenly everything is different and the atmosphere of the tour has totally changed. You feel like you are on a different planet!
The first night is spent in the always chaotic and busy city of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. If you are an adventurous type you will really love it, because while driving through this city, taking the ferry to the hotel, and looking at the city skyline from the hotel at night you truly feel like you are in Africa. If you are not so adventurous you will still love it because the hotel is just amazing. There are very nice penthouses, there is a nice pool overlooking the city on the other side of the bay, there is a beautiful bar with the best cocktails you can imagine, and best of all: The next morning you will have a delicious sunrise breakfast in a wooden building literally IN the Indian Ocean.
After all this excitement, the tour continues and it is time for 3 days of paradise close to the lovely town of Inhambane. The lodge where we stay is located at one of the nicest beaches in Eastern Africa. It is just an absolutely amazing place. You can wonder around on the beaches for hours without seeing anyone. For surfing, diving and snorkelling, this area is world famous. It is believed to be one of the best spots in the world to swim with Whalesharks! There are also incredible amounts of Manta rays, Bottle-nosed Dolphins, and in the right season, lots of Humpback Whales and Leatherback Turtles, which you can all observe on one of the many excursions you can do.
If you like to experience more of the different cultures of Mozambique, Inhambane is the place to go to. There is still a lot of the Portuguese culture left in this town, but there is also a lot of Arabic influences, dating back to the time when slaves were traded here. There is a beautiful 200-year old cathedral, as well as a vibrant market where you can buy pretty much anything, all in the city centre. The combination of the above results in a very nice and unique atmosphere. Almost like a Mediterranean town in the middle of Africa! To summarize, there is something to do here for everybody.
The last day in Mozambique is spent in the rustique coastal town of Bilene, a popular holiday destination for lots of South Africans. As you drive into town and see the lagoon where we stay for the night, you realize why. It is just another paradise, and also an excellent place to see Seahorses in the wild.
Before the tour finishes, we spend two nights in the world famous Kruger National Park where we hope to see the Big 5. These two days are very relaxed again, and we have all the comfort and time to think about what we have experienced during the past five days. Driving back to Johannesburg, you will probably feel like time has flown and it gives you a very good reason to do a tour in Africa again!"
