Maputo Special Reserve

General information

Destination
Maputo, Mozambique

Program details

The Maputo Special Reserve covers an area of 700 km² located in the Maputo Province, South of the capital. The protected region is rich in flora because of the fertile soil, with a mix of environments ranging from savannah, closed forest and coastal vegetation (bordering the Indian Ocean), including giant dunes.


Once famous for its vast herds of elephants, (now fewer in numbers), that migrated along the River Futi from the Tembe Reserve in South Africa along the Futi Corridor, it has also hippo and crocodile as residents, with flocks of migratory flamingos and pelicans and many other bird species.


The highlight of this African experience is camping near the beach and camping near the Lagoons watching birds and hippo.


After the pick up at your hotel in Maputo at 05:30 AM (please organize a packed breakfast from your hotel) we will cross the Maputo estuary to Catembe on ferry boat, where you will get a superb view of Maputo City. On our way to the Reserve we will stop at the Salamanga community to visit the Hindu Temple of Shree Ram and we’ll arrive at the Reserve at around 08:30 AM, with a quick break for breakfast at the entrance gates.


We will Safari in the reserve for approximately 4h. In the Reserve, we will travel in 4x4 sand tracks, through areas of forest, as it thins out into open woodlands and grassplains, where a huge variety of animal species can be observed, such as elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest and red duikers.


We will have a light picnic lunch break in the bush, thereafter, we Safari to the lagoons where we can watch the hippos. But one of the best attractions of the park is its rich and abundant birdlife. African jacana, black coucal, Mongolian plover, eagles and storks are some of the species to watch. Pelicans and flamingos are present during the wet season.


We will Safari until approximately 17:30pm, Maputo Reserve gate closing times, and then return trip to Maputo. Estimated time of arrival at Maputo city will be around 20:00 PM.


Meeting/pick-up point: Hotels in Maputo.

Duration: 17,5 hours.

Start/opening time: 5.30am.

End/closing time: 8pm.

Languages: Portuguese / English.