Private jet charter and flights to Mozambique
Mozambique’s world-beating beaches and paradise archipelagos are something of a hidden African gem. Lesser-visited than its famous neighbour to the south, South Africa, it boasts idyllic Indian Ocean scenes that you’re likely to have to yourself. As well as its 1500-mile coast, it has national parks where wildlife numbers are starting to bounce back after late-20th-Century civil war, and a capital where you can see relics of the country’s past and see how it is shaping the future. Get a fast quote with Air Charter Service and charter a private jet today.
Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, is partly faded colonial grandeur, partly growing and sky-skimming 21st-Century city. The wide boulevards and buildings you might expect to see in Europe, belie the country’s history as an African outpost of Portugal. Before setting off for the beach, spend a day or two exploring the city. Head to the pretty-as-a-picture Beaux-Arts train station which has a pastel green exterior décor, see works by some of Mozambique’s best artists at the National Art Museum and explore the Portuguese-built fort.
Mozambique’s beaches are almost legendary, and one of the closest to the capital is on the Machangulo Peninsula. It’s a 90-minute boat ride across the bay and as soon as you arrive you’ll be swept away by its beauty and secluded air. Nestled amid the coastal dune is one of the country’s best – but still wonderfully rustic – resorts, the Machangulo Beach Lodge. Eight thatched villas are scattered across the slope of the dune and the white sand beach leads down to a turquoise sea that’s just waiting to be explored, below or above the surface. Ornithologists will be in heaven too as there’s plenty of species of sea birds like herons, petrels and shearwaters.
Just across a short stretch of water from the peninsula, and about 40 kilometres across Maputo Bay from the capital is the unspoilt island of Inhaca. It’s surrounded by some incredible coral reefs which are protected as part of a marine reserve, and it’s another spot that’s visited by many types of birds. As well as seeing birds, fish and coral species, you can spot humpback whales off the coast between September and November as they migrate along the western edge of the Indian Ocean.
Inhaca’s beauty gives you a taste of what’s to come as you travel further north along the coast. The jewel in the country’s crown is the breathtaking Bazaruto archipelago which is made up of a handful of beautiful sand islands. The largest island shares its name with the archipelago and is one of the two islands where you can spend the night. An iconic image of Mozambique are the swirling sand dunes that shift as the wind whips the coast and the pools of turquoise water between the dunes and it’s here on the island’s northern tip that you can see it for yourself. The other island you can stay on is Benguerra which lies just to the south of Bazaruto. The glass-clear waters here are rich with marine life including around 2000 types of fish and three kinds of turtles. You might also see dolphins, Nile crocodiles, whale sharks and even dugongs.
The second must-visit group of islands is the Quirimbas Archipelago which is located just off the north coast. A string of isolated coral islands and islets ringed by mangrove forests and brochure-cover beaches, the archipelago is surrounded by warm-as-a-bath waters where, if you dip below the waves, you can see a wide array of vibrant fish. You can easily hop from island to island, exploring Quilalea, Vamizi and Ibo – the latter of which was once a lively Portuguese trading port – and staying in charmingly rustic lodges.
Mozambique’s coast is its real draw, and most people tend to retreat to its beaches following a safari in neighbouring South Africa. The country’s national parks and reserves once played host to a dense population of Africa’s most famous species but many were poached during the civil war in the 70s and 80s. In Gorongosa National Park, which sits at the southern end of Africa’s epic Great Rift Valley, there has been a real turn-around in the fortune. Animals such as African buffalo, wildebeest and wild dogs were reintroduced, and since the early 2000s there’s been an increase in numbers of elephants, hippos, lions and waterbucks; and in 2018, a leopard was spotted for the first time in about 10 years. In addition, processes have been put in place to ensure that those who live near the park both learn how to live with the wildlife and benefit from the park gaining popularity again.
Simply contact our team and we'll arrange everything you need to charter a private jet to Mozambique, landing at airports such as the international airport in Maputo and Vilankulo Airport which is the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago.
