• Idyllic sub-tropical Indian Ocean islands
• Stunning game parks, lakes and mountains
• Spectacular 2 500km coastline
BASIC FACTS:
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
Full Name:
Republic of Mozambique (also Mocambique) Capital: Maputo (previously Lourenço Marques) Independence: 25 June 1975 Time: GMT +2 hours Population: 19 124 335 (estimated July 1999) Area: 801 590km² (784 090km² land; 17500 km² water) Currency: Meticais (Mt) Chief of State: President Joaquim Alberto Chissano (since 6 November 1986) Head of Government: Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi (since December 1994)
New Year's Day - 1
January
Heroes Day - 3 February
Women's day - 7 April
Worker's Day - 1 May
Independence Day - 25 June
Victory Day - 7 September
Armed Forces Day - 25 September
Samora Machel Day - 19 October
Maputo Day - 10 November
Family Day - 25 December
COMMUNICATION:
ELECTRICITY:
The international dialling code
for calling Mozambique is +258. There is a good telephone system
throughout Mozambique and major centres usually have a government-run
telecommunications centre where you can place calls. Direct
dialling to South African and Swaziland is available. Cellular
telephones may be used in Maputo, Beira and Xai-Xai.
Electricity is supplied at 240/220v,
50 HZ electricity with 15 amp, three-pronged, round pinned plugs
used.
LANGUAGE:
CULTURE:
Portuguese is the official language
and English is only spoken in the southern tourist regions.
The major ethnic groups each have their own languages.
The indigenous tribal groups
of Moçambique make up about 99% of the population. There are
16 major ethnic groups, the largest of which is the Makua of
the northern region.
The Makonde, another northern group, are famous for their traditional
and contemporary carved figures and also their lupembe
(wind instruments). Other major groups include the Sena, found
in the centre of Moçambique, and the Shangaan of the south.
Europeans including native Portuguese, and Asian residents make
up less than one percent of the population. The traditions,
stories and arts of Moçambique's ethnic groups have survived
the colonial era and years of civil war. Since Moçambique gained
independence, her sculptors, painters and writers have been
coming into their own and some are even becoming known worldwide.
USEFUL PORTUGUESE PHRASES:
English
Portuguese
Good
morning
-Bom dia
Good
afternoon
-Boa tarde
Good
evening
-Boa noite
Goodbye
-Ciao
How
much?
-Cuanto custa
I am
from...
-Eu sou de...
I do
not speak Portuguese
-Não falo Português
May
I?
-dá licença?
Thank
you
-obrigado
I do
not understand
-Não comprehendo
Excuse
me
-Faz favour
Friend
Amigo
How are you?
Como
esta?
I am fine
Muito bem brigado
Toilets
casa
da banho
We want to go to
Queremos
ir a ...
When
Quando
Where
Onde
House
casa
Beer
cerveja
Mineral water
agua
mineral
Bread
pão
Chicken
frango
Milk
leite
Steak roll
prego
Meat
carne
Hot chips
batata
frita
Salad
salada
How much?
Quanto
custa?
Too expensive
Muito
caro
I want to buy
Quero comprar...
GEOGRAPHY & LANDSCAPE:
Moçambique has a coastline of nearly
2 500km (1 550 miles) on the Indian Ocean with lagoons, coral
reefs and spectacular strings of islands.
The Bazaruto Archipelago has astounding marine life. The coastal
plain rises to a vast plateau of wooded savannah, which covers
almost half of the country's area. The north and west are mountainous
regions, patched with forests. There are about 25 major rivers
flowing through the country, of which the Zambezi is the largest.
CLIMATE:
Summer: October - March Winter: April - September
The average temperature for Moçambique is around 30ºC
(86ºF) all year round.
The climate varies slightly according to the regions of the
country. The coast experiences a subtropical climate while the
northern parts of the county are tropical.
Generally, the hot rainy season is from October to March. The
average temperature along the coast is 31ºC (88ºF).
Inland, temperatures are slightly cooler, but conditions are
more humid. In the dry season, April to September, temperatures
along the coast average 27ºC (80ºF).
ACCOMMODATION:
Moçambique's best hotels,
including major international hotels, are found in the cities
and along the coasts, particularly on the islands.
The tourist industry is growing in Moçambique and more
private lodges of high standards are to be found in tourist
areas. Very basic, cheap hotels, pensãos, or slightly
better pousados are found in the cities and bigger towns.
A range of campsites are found along the coast.
WHEN TO
GO:
WHAT TO PACK:
The best time to visit Moçambique
is during the winter months from April to September. The southern
parts of the country are generally dryer and less tropical than
the north.
The
best months for game viewing are August and September, towards
the end of the dry season.
The best time for bird-watching is usually November and
December, which is the hot, rainy season.
A wide variety of fish are attracted to the warm waters of Moçambique,
with larger fish populating the waters in summer, and small
to medium sized fish in winter, making the coast a good fishing
and diving destination.
Generally, casual comfortable
clothing is suitable throughout the year. The most practical
items to pack are:
Khaki, brown, white and beige colours
Light
cotton tops and cotton trousers/shorts in summer
Long-sleeved
blouses/shirts for game drives, which will protect you from
the sun and from mosquitoes
Safari
trousers for evenings and cooler days
Fleece
or sweater and a warm jacket for game drives
Swimwear, snorkel, mask, fins, sun lotion
A
hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
Sandals,
especially to protect feet against razor clams on Bazaruto
Archipelago
Comfortable
walking shoes
Camera film and batteries (these are not easily found
in Moçambique)
VERY IMPORTANT: packing space is limited on all modes
of safari transport so you will need to restrict your baggage
to 12 - 15kg (preferably packed in a soft bag) plus a reasonable
amount of camera equipment.
ROADS, TRAINS
& AEROPLANES:
Border Posts: Malawi: Zóbuè, Milange, Mandimba Nsanje South Africa: Ressano, Garcia/ Komatipoort Swaziland: Namaacha Tanzania: Rovuma River (may be impassable during the
rainy season - October to March) Zambia: Cassacatiza/Chanida (not a very safe border crossing) Zimbabwe: Nyamapanda Machipanda
Rail & Bus:
Moçambique does not have a very good network of public
transport.
There are limited train services within Moçambique, which
link its neighbouring countries to the Indian Ocean.
A service operates from Johannesburg to Maputo via Komatipoort,
Nelspruit and Pretoria three times a week. Another line links
Nacala with Liwonde in Malawi, via Nampula and Cuamba.
Buses only operate between major towns where roads are in good
condition. In rural areas you may catch a ride in converted
passenger trucks, chapa-cems (or
just chapas) or normal trucks (camions). Along the coast there
are some ferry services. These are more frequent along the northern
coast with regular services operating between Quelimane and
Beira, and Quelimane, Nacala and Pemba.
Airports: Domestic air services operate between the major airports:
Maputo (MPM)
Beira (BEW)
There are a total of 174 runways in Moçambique, of which
22 are paved. Many charter airlines have scheduled services
between minor airports, and these offer a better service than
local carriers. It is recommended you book these in advance
through a tour operator. A tax of US$7 is payable on departure
for international flights.
Roads:
There are 30 400km of highways in Moçambique, of which only
5 685km are tarred. (about 19%)
Roads are being improved and those south of Beira
tend to be in good condition.
Many vehicles do not have lights, making travel at night
extremely dangerous.
Beware of livestock on all roads.
Car hire is possible in most major towns, and should be
booked in advance.
Driving is on the left side of the road. There is a good network
of petrol stations, athough not in game reserves.
HEALTH
REQUIREMENTS & SERVICES:
Health Requirements You will have to get malaria prophylactics before entering
Moçambique. When purchasing these, tell your doctor or
pharmacist that you intend visiting Moçambique as certain
anti-malarials are tailored to specific areas. If you suffer
from side effects, try taking your malaria prophylactics at
night after dinner. Take precautionary measures to prevent contact
with mosquitoes, like: sleeping under a bed net or in a room/tent
with mosquito proofing (remember to keep the flaps zipped at
all times); spraying your accommodation with insecticide; making
use of a mosquito repelling lotion or stick; and wearing long-sleeved
clothing, trousers and socks when outside at night.
Check with the Moçambique embassy when you obtain your
visa about any inoculations.
Travel clinics generally recommend that visitors should take
precautions against yellow fever, cholera, typhoid, smallpox,
malaria and hepatitis, particularly if you will be in the country
for more than three weeks. If you are staying in lodges which
have a good supply of water, you should not encounter these
problems.
Avoid eating food which has not been cooked or peeled.
Insurance
Outside of Maputo and Beira, medical facilities are scarce and
medicines are not easily available. It is recommended you carry
a good supply of medicines you may need, as well as a first
aid kit. Doctors expect cash payment, so ensure your medical
insurance covers your trip to Moçambique.
If you are coming on safari with Afro Ventures, you will
automatically be covered by our Emergency Evacuation Insurance,
underwritten by Europ Assistance. This guarantees all reasonable,
practical assistance in obtaining primary and/or emergency
medical services for an insured person who suffers illness
or injury. Please note that this is an evacuation insurance
only and does not replace the normal travel insurance which
you need to purchase.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
(as at August 2000)
All visitors are required to carry a passport that is valid
for six months beyond the intended length of stay.
All
nationalities, apart from Malawians, require a visa to enter
Moçambique.
A single entry visa is valid for 30 days, a multiple entry
visais valid for six months, though each entry is
only valid for a ten day stay.
Requirements
for a visa are:
two
passport photographs
a
visa application form
itinerary
stating intended destination and
in
the case of a business visa, a business letter
The
cost of the visa will depend on how urgently it is required.
Visas usually take six days to process. It is advised that
you carry certified copies of your passport and all travel
documents, and always have either your passport or these copies
with you.
This is a guide only - please check with your nearest Moçambican
consulate, embassy or Moçambican diplomatic mission for
up-to-date information.
SOUVENIRS:
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Local crafts and indigenous art
can be purchased from markets in the cities and tourist areas.
These include masks, carvings and ornaments made of wood, soapstone,
malachite and wire, as well as pottery, paintings and basket
ware. A lot of what you see will be tacky souvenirs, but quite
often you will find unique works of art. Avoid purchasing natural
items such as ivory as it is illegal to export these without
a licence.
Outside of Maputo and other bigger
cities, film and batteries are hard to come by, so it is best
to bring your own. Since war days, authorities are sensitive
about being photographed and one should avoid taking pictures
of public buildings or anything military related. An underwater
camera for those intending to explore the coral reefs of Moçambique's
islands is recommended.
MONEY MATTERS:
Currency:
The unit of currency is the meticais (M) which is divided into
100 centavos. If you are travelling in the southern parts of
the country, South African rands, US dollars and pounds sterling
are also accepted and can be used to pay for accommodation.
North of Beira, US dollars and sterling are widely accepted.
Exchange Rate:
The exchange rate is in your favour. Generally you will find
that fine cuisine, wine and entertainment cost a fraction
of the tariff charged by equivalent establishments elsewhere
in the world.
Private exchange bureaus in Maputo usually offer better exchange
rates than banks. Changing money on the black market is strongly
discouraged.
Credit Cards:
Credit cards are usually accepted only at the more upmarket
hotels. BANKS
Local banks have branches in most cities which are open from
Monday to Friday from 07:45 to 11:00 or 12:00.
The main banks include Banco Commercial de Moçambique
(BCM) and Banco Popular de Desenvolvimento (BPD), which both
have branches throughout the country, as well as Banco Standard
Totta.
Tipping:
Tipping is not usually expected, or even accepted, though
in tourist areas, locals are becoming used to this and a tip
of 5 - 15% is often appreciated. Bargaining for local handicrafts
is commonplace.
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