Mozambique Travel > National Parks

National Parks

Mozambique is not just a travel destination, it is a once in a life time experience. A countless breathtaking variety of landscape is offered to the visitor, in terms of flora, as well as fauna. Mozambique’s environmental conservation areas, which presently cover over 12% of the country's surface, comprise the following six National Parks and six National Reserves...

Bazaruto Archipelago National Park

Comprising five islands in the Bazaruto Archipelago, 20 km off the coast of Inhambane Province, the 1,400 sq km area protects dolphin, dugong, sea turtles, sharks, rays and various species of whale and over 240 varieties of bird including the rare crab plover and green coucal. The 150 dugong found here being one of the major populations of East Africa.

Gorongosa National Park

One of the world’s best known conservation areas, Gorongosa National Park lies on the south edge of the Great Rift Valley, 80 km north-west of Beira in Sofala Province. Lion, leopard, civet, genet, serval, buffalo, elephant, bushbuck, hartebeest, impala, kudu, nyala, oribi, reedbuck, sable, waterbuck, warthog, zebra, vervet monkey, chacma baboon, hippo and crocodile may be seen. The bird-life is prolific with over 200 species, including the rare green-headed oriole, having been identified.

Limpopo National Park

Linked with the Kruger, in South Africa, and Gonarezhou, in Zimbabwe, this area, in the west of Gaza province, forms part of the huge Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. With numerous different landscapes it is home to the 'big five' - elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo - and a host of other wildlife including wild dog, hyena, kudu, oribi, hippo and zebra.

Quirimbas National Park

Situated in Cabo Delgado Province, this 7,500 sq km park covers a large area of the mainland in addition to eleven islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago. Elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, wild dog, eland and sable may be seen. Marine species include dolphin, turtle, shark, whale, the rare and endangered dugong and 375 species of fish while the birdlife is amazing.

Banhine National Park

Situated in Gaza Province, this 6,000 sq km park is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area which links Mozambique with parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Comprising open savannah with mopane and miombo forests, it is home to lion, leopard, impala, kudu, nyala, oribi, reedbuck, sable, grey duiker, hippo, ostrich and crocodile.

Zinave National Park

Yet another park which forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, this 4,000 sq km park is situated along the Save River in the far north-west of Inhambabe Province. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena can be viewed along with bushbuck, impala, kudu, nyala, reedbuck, steenbuck, both grey and red duiker, hippo and crocodile.

Niassa Game Reserve

Located in Niassa Province, in the far north of the country, Niassa Reserve is the largest reserve in Mozambiqe and is home to its largest population of both elephant and wild dog. Lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, grey and red duiker, eland, hartebeest, impala, kudu, sable, waterbuck, wildebeest and zebra may also be seen.

Chimanimani National Reserve

Situated in Manica Province this 640 sq km reserve is home to buffalo, bushbuck, grey and red duiker, eland, oribi, reedbuck, sable, waterbuck, warthog and a wide variety of birds and reptiles many of which are endemic to the area.

Gile National Reserve

This 2,860 sq km mountainous reserve, in the north of Zambezi Province, lists 95 species of mammal - including elephant, lion, leopard, wild dog, spotted hyena, kudu, nyala and waterbuck - and 114 species of bird.

Maputo National Reserve

Linked with parks in Swaziland and South Africa this reserve, situated south of Maputo, now forms part of the Lumombo Transfrontier Conservation Area. It is a major elephant stronghold but other mammals include duiker, kudu, reedbuck, waterbuck and crocodile. There is a wide variety of birds while the marine fauna includes dolphin, turtle and whales.

Marromeu National Reserve

Situated along the delta of the Zambezi River, in Sofala Province, this reserve has a huge population of buffalo while the birdlife is extensive. Other wildlife that may be seen includes elephant, lion, leopard, eland, impala, kudu, nyala, reedbuck, wildebeest and wild boar.

Pomene National Reserve

Set on the dunes and sandy forests of the Inhambane Province coast, this small 126 sq km reserve is home to grey duiker, impala, steenbuck, wildebeest, wild boar, chacma baboon and grey monkeys. There is also a wide and varied range of bird species.