To benefit from the best wildlife viewing and excellent weather, it is advisable to travel in the cooler dry months April to September. This is when both rainfall and temperatures are at their lowest. November to December is normally best for birding activities. Southern hemisphere summers are very humid in the north. The southern beaches can be crowded during South African school holidays (Dec, Jan, early April, July, late September) so avoid those periods if you can.

It's also possible to travel during the early part of the warmer, rainy season from November to January. You should, however be prepared for high temperatures, especially in January. It is advisable to avoid the peak of the rainy season from about February to March as many roads become impassable and flooding is common in the south and centre. Around Easter, Christmas / New Year's and in August, Mozambique's southern coastal resorts become overrun with the vacationing neighbours and advance bookings are highly advisable.

The tropical cyclone season in Mozambique normally runs from November to April. Coastal areas of central and northern Mozambique can be at risk.

We recommend to bring the following clothes:

• Tropical lightweights
• Warm clothing for evenings
• Rainwear is advisable all year round

• Money for your personal expenses: USD
• Good walking shoes, rain gear, gloves (nettle stings), T-shirts, some long-sleeve shirts, sweaters for the cool evenings
• Light cotton tops and cotton trousers/shorts in summer
• Long-sleeved blouses/shirts for game drives/ boat cruises, which will protect you from mosquitoes and the sun
• Safari trousers, jeans or casual pants for evenings and cooler days.
• A fleece or sweater is required for those cool winter evening and mornings
• Swimwear, snorkel, mask, fins (most lodges have these for hire, but if you have you own you are free to bring them)
• A hat / cap, sunglasses and sunscreen (a tanning lotion and a high factor sunscreen for your face, neck, feet and hands
• Sandals, especially to protect feet against razor clams on Bazaruto Archipelago, as razor clams can cause nasty damage to your feet
• Mosquito repellent
• Video and photo cameras. 200/300 mm telephoto lenses are very useful.
• Reserve batteries or battery charger (mains and/or 12 V car adaptors)
• Normal and some high speed (800 – 1,000 ASA) films
• Binoculars
• A torch
• Small rucksack
• International vaccination card

It is advisable not to drink tap water. Bottled mineral water can be bought in all towns. Some milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled.

Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Visa

Visas can be obtained on arrival at the airport or at the border crossing, but they are best obtained in advance at the Mozambican embassy in your country of residence a couple of weeks prior to the travel date. Your passport needs to be valid for a minimum of six months beyond intended date of departure.
A visa can sometimes be obtained through a contact living in Mozambique or at the airport, although processing is often subject to delay. Apply to nearest high commission for more information.

Visa costs are as follows:

• TouristandBusiness: £40 (single-entry); £70 (multiple-entry)
• Express service: £50 (single-entry); £100 (multiple-entry)
• Same-day express service: £60 (single-entry); £110 (multiple-entry)
• Transit: £40

Full health insurance, preferably including Medevac, is essential. Medical facilities are scarce. It is advisable to carry basic medical supplies including medications and sterile syringes. Any personal medication required should be carried in hand luggage.

Inoculation regulations can change at short notice. Please take medical advice in the case of doubt.

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from an infected areas. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended.

We suggest that you make arrangements so that you and your property are fully insured for the duration of you stay, as well as for travel in light aircraft if applicable. Similarly, we recommend arranging for adequate insurance in the unforeseen event of the cancellation of your journey.

Security is really a matter of common sense, and the same precautions should be taken in Mozambique towns and cities as in any city worldwide. It is advisable not to wear jewellery (especially necklaces and expensive watches), not to carry large sums of money, and keep a close watch on handbags, wallets and camera equipment. When walking in town keep to the main thoroughfares and avoid walking at night, especially alone. Make use of hotel safe or deposit boxes and never leave valuables in hotel rooms or safari vehicles. It is a good idea to travel with photocopies of your passport, traveller’s cheques, and any other important documents.

Most travel in Mozambique is safe but violent crimes such as car-jacking and armed robbery are not uncommon in Maputo as in most other capitals in the developing world. Travellers are advised to exercise caution and not isolate themselves or put themselves in uncompromising situations, especially in urban areas and on beaches.

Personal gratuities to guides and camp staff are left to the guests’ discretion. Some lodges and hotels have a central tipping box for all staff except the guides who are typically tipped separately.

As a general guideline for couples, we recommend to tip 5-10 US$ per guest per day for the staff and the same amount for your guide while on safari. If you are travelling in a group or as a family, we would recommend 5 US$ per guest per day for the staff and the same amount for your safari guide.

We recommend that you bring your equipment, extra batteries and all your film with you although all normal types of film can usually be bought in major towns. A telephoto lens is essential for good game pictures. Most lodges and hotels have facilities for recharging batteries for video and digital cameras.

Please, respect the local people and only photograph them with their permission. We also strongly recommend never to attempt to take photos of border posts, airports, bridges or government/public buildings soldiers & persons in uniform and military installations where photography is strictly prohibited. Only photos of beaches and other tourist sites may be taken.

Mozambique is...
2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London)
7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone operators. Coverage is expanding to all main cities in most provinces. There are Internet cafes in Maputo and other cities.

We will arrange a local SIM card for you that will be handed to you together with all other travel documentation on arrival in Africa. On this SIM card, we will store all relevant numbers such as our office and cell phone numbers should you wish to get in touch with us during your trip. For this purpose, we will also load some credit on the SIM card which allows you to make local as well as short international calls. We will communicate the telephone number to you a couple of weeks ahead of your arrival so that you can pass on this telephone number to friends and family who you would like to be able to be in touch with you.

Please, note that having a SIM card and mobile phone does not constitute a guarantee of being reachable and able to make phone calls as some of the places you will be travelling to still have limited network coverage.

There are good road links with all neighbouring countries except Tanzania (which will only become accessible upon completion of the Unity Bridge, estimated to be finished in late 2008). However, road travel can be dangerous and should only be undertaken in daylight.

Hijacking and robberies are rife and travellers should be aware of the possibility of unexploded landmines on the lesser-used roads.

Electricity:

In Mozambique 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz is used.