Diving
holidays mozambique

Extreme Sports Cafe and its newest partner has put together a 20 day safari through Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa, enabling you to see the countries as they really are, but with all the logistical comforts of an organized tour.

The catch word would be "active" in this trip. The relatively relaxed pace of the tour provides plenty of opportunity to participate in numerous activities, with the emphasis on diving. For the scuba diver, snorkler, but also Big Game fisher, Mozambique proves to be one of the worlds best kept secrets. As vital links in the food chain on the reefs, kingfish, mackerel and tuna are very popular with the locals dependant on fishing. But those same reefs are inhabited by 1200 identified species and can compete easily with other popular dive spots around the world, with the advantage that it has not been spoilt by mass tourism yet. Especially the hump back whales, the mantas, the whale sharks, dolphins and other big species turn these waters into a spectacular experience.

Highlights of the trip.. Game viewing on horseback in Swaziland Rafting the Usutu River Visit the colonial city of Maputo Dhow trip to the Bazaruti Archipelago Fishbraai on the beach Discover the Portuguese slave town Inhambane Dive with mantas Taste the "couleur locale" Visit the hundred year old Kruger Park

Alright, you´ve done all the brochure research, made the booking, packed the bag, bought the film and guide book and now you have found your way to Pretoria to meet your fellow travelers and embark on a Mozambican adventure.

Before we head off, there are some interesting spots in Pretoria you might want to consider. You can have a look for instance at how "Father Kruger" is watching over his money in the bank at Church Square. A man, said to be the ugliest in South Africa and who fired a great shot, at the English riding his horse backwards. Or you can go and have a look at materialized Afrikaner pride, the "Voortrekkers Monument". If you want contrast, Soweto is a must, the cradle of the Anti-Apartheid movement. The house which Nelson and Winnie Mandela lived in, during times when they were still fighting the white regime and not one another, can still be visited. Things to be seen include bullet holes and the original Mandela toilet.

Then the next day, we board the truck and are on our way to Swaziland, a little, cosy and hilly kingdom, entirely enclosed by its big brother South Africa. The only country in the world without a cinema and where they have no problem canceling a public holiday because the King isn´t feeling too well. We stop at a crafts market before we reach our destination at the end of the day, which is Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. The whole next day is available to explore the park and enjoy antelopes, zebras, warthogs and crocodiles. This can be done on horseback, on mountain bike, on foot, or you can sit back and get driven around. But, you can also dare the Usutu River and try to master the grade 3, grade 4 rapids in 2-men rafts or go adventure caving. As the day comes to an end, we can sip our drinks, feet up, while we watch the hippo´s being fed and the sun setting over the pool next to the veranda. We close off with an African game braai and traditional Swazi dancing, before we retire to our beehive huts (if available).

We cross into Mozambique at Namaacha border post, where I can guarantee you your first taste of Mozambican efficiency, after which we go for the culture shock in Maputo, a challenge on its own. But for those who allow themselves the time to see through the bubble of chaos and noise, a city with a rich cultural and historical background will unfold. Decrepit buildings bear witness to Portuguese influences, the wide "avenida´s" with names like Mao Tse Tung and Fidel Castro are remains of a Marxist era with a history of struggle. The beautiful City Hall is a symbol of a country in reconstruction after hard times. Fortunately for the visitor, lots has remained intact: the art galleries and studio´s, the fort, the cathedral and the IJffel House; a construction entirely made out of iron, which creates such oven like temperatures inside that it was never put into use. We spend the night 50 km out of Maputo at campsite Casa Lisa.

Further north we will encounter typical Mozambican villages and the landscape will change gradually. Wild berries make room for palm trees and the traffic will be replaced by beautiful lagoons. The sport of bartering is tested when we stop at a local market. With permission you can taste the sometimes unknown goods, and when purchasing make sure you negotiate for the local price as opposed to the tourist price. The next three days we stay at Bamboozi campsite outside Tofo, famous for its trendy bar, hammocks, beautiful views and peri-peri prawns. Two days are at our disposal to explore the waters around Tofo, not only known for the multitude of reefs, but where you also might bump into whale sharks, manta rays, or giant turtles and in season even humpback whales. Specialty training can be provided here, like marine biology, deep dive training or navigation. There´s no need for the non-divers to get bored. For those who have never been under water,the local dive school can organise intro dives at the lagoon at Barra Reef, plenty of other water activities are on offer, there´s a village to discover and a very inviting beach at your disposal. In the evening the local community will introduce us to the Mozambican culture and cuisine. We will visit their village, taste their food, see their way of life, hear their stories and then as we sit around the fire, we will try to pass around enough palm wine to get them to play music for us.

Soon we have to continue, but not before we have nosed around a bit in Inhambane, one of the oldest European settlements in southern Africa. As a Portuguese trading post, Inhambane made the history books due to the ivory trade, but even more so, the slave trade. In its high days , around 1850, an average of 1500 slaves a year passed through its harbour for export to Brazil. A short dhow trip across the Baia de Inhambane takes you from the peninsula to the main land, where the truck awaits you for the next stretch.

In the afternoon we arrive in the little fishing town Vilanculos. In the maze of market stalls, a motley assortment of articles is available. Your nose will indicate the fish section where a wide variety is to be found and without a doubt, your ears will trace the local "shebeen". We stay in 6 man A-frames close to the beach. Off the coast of Vilanculos is "Parque Nacional de Bazaruto". The islands are known to be of the most beautiful of Africa: crystal clear water, white palm beaches, coral reefs. We sail across by dhow to Benguerra Island. A dhow is a wooden boat, introduced in the Middle ages by Arab tradesmen and it still is a popular mode of transport. To us it´s a relaxing trip, but should the winds take us in the direction of Madagascar, we will reinforce our track with a bit more modern technique. Two nights we camp on the beach of this Bounty island, or your alternative is a "cabana"- a Mozambican round hut. The divers will be impressed by the spectacular 2 Mile Reef. Imagine bumping into the nearly extinct and elusive Dugoon! If you would rather stay on the surface, snorkeling is of excellent quality and if you happen to catch any fish, expect it to be confiscated for higher communal purposes, namely our "braai". All islands are inhabited and interesting for a day visit. A few shades darker, or at least with a burned nose, we return to Vilanculos.
 
The next morning we turn 180° and head south to Morrungulo, or Nelsons Bay as it´s flatteringly named after the family whose been residing there for ages. Once we leave the main road, a 13 km sand track awaits us, the reason we travel by 4x4. Morrungulo is very popular with the South Africans for its Big Game fishing. On mass they emerge during Christmas in their "bakkies", loaded with Castle beer and big fishing rods and they walk around with their big bellies, khaki outfit and pulled up socks, all ready to go chase some merlin, tuna or swordfish and return home with exaggerated stories of their victories. Besides fishing there are some interesting diving opportunities here , like: cave diving, deep- and night diving etc.

The proceeding route takes us through the Xai Xai wet lands. Some years ago this area made world news when people were rescued from tree tops, but in general this area is renowned for its ceramics. After the floods there has been massive construction; enormous dams have arisen from the clay and the toll bridge over the Limpopo River is very impressive. Our aim is Praia do Bilene, situated on a beautiful lagoon. For the more active amongst us, the lodge offers wind surfing, water skiing and canoeing. For those wanting to relax, the swimming pool and beach are all yours. Diving here can only be done on occasion, when the conditions allow it. We spend 2 nights here in 6 man chalets.

We return to Maracuene and continue to the Lobombo border post, leaving Mozambique behind us. The famous Kruger Park is next, a park of about 27000 km2 and declared a protected area over a hundred years ago by the very person it was named after, Mr Paul Kruger. Intentions have been voiced to merge Kruger Park with Gonarezzou in Zimbabwe and adjacent land in Mozambique, which would mean an incredible improvement as wildlife would regain the chance to follow ancient migratory patterns over an extended range. Unfortunately, politically this is quite hard to realize as there´s an illegal immigrant and poaching problem which needs to be dealt with first. Intensive searching, patience and lack of toilet opportunities will certainly reward us with pretty pictures of elephants at water holes, crossing zebra´s, evasive duikers, curious ground hornbills and with some luck, mighty lions or chasing cheetahs. We camp three nights in the park and for the more fanatical, we can try to organise an optional night drive.

Once we are back in Pretoria we finish with a goodbye dinner and hopefully, you will leave us not only with an additional bag full of souvenirs, 30 rolls of used film and a tanned head, but also with new friends, a new passion, a journal full with stories of an incredible (diving) safari and a memory to last a lifetime.

To meet up with your fellow travelers, you should check into Twana Lodge, 42 Boschkop Road, Swafelpoort. (Ask us for details on this location.) You can contact them for a pick up upon your arrival. The Safari group meets up on a Sunday each time so you should be available at the lodge on that day. If you arrive prior to that your time can be spent exploring Pretoria and/or Johannesburg or relaxing. The departure to Swaziland will be Monday morning.

For information on how to get there please ask us... We are here to help...

From April to September Mozambique has a pleasant climate: warm and usually dry, cooled down by the ocean winds. During the rainy season, from January until March, there´s a high humidity with average temperatures of 28°C along the coast. In South Africa and Swaziland it is usually mild and sunny during the day. However, in the months of July and August it can cool down considerably at nighttime.

Transport is carried out in a 4x4 safari truck, 20 seater, especially designed for over landing. The truck is equipped with cooking utensils and 2 man tents, has storage space for food and baggage and even has an extra compartment for storing diving gear. You are seated high up and the roll up sides guarantee you a good view, which is great for game viewing. In the truck we have a library, a bar, a radio, intercom, in and outside lighting, a freezer and 3 bolted safes. In this trip there are 8 nights of bedded accommodation included, like indigenous beehive huts, chalets etc.

Included in the trip is the transport by truck and usage of the truck equipment, all boat transfers, all entrance fees, all accommodation in tents or otherwise, Kruger park, 2 guides/driver/cooks, all with extensive experience in Africa.

Every person has his/her own personal budget and spending's differ greatly for person to person. It´s hard to estimate how much you should take into account for let say, drinks, souvenirs, excursions. However, we can give you a few expenses you need to count on. The food kitty is US$180 pp. This covers all meals during the trip except for the dinners in Pretoria on day 1 and day 19. This money is payable cash in US$ before departure and is not refundable. Other costs would be a visa for Mozambique; obtainable at the border for US$ 35 or Rand 170, travel insurance (compulsory), vaccinations, optional excursions. During this trip it is possible to obtain a diving certificate. Ask for details. Last years experience has taught us that most people spend approximately US$ 200 during a trip, next to the diving.

Expenses for diving are explained below...

The local currencies are Rand and Meticais. The Metacais is not a hard currency and subject to inflation. In Mozambique it´s only possible to change cash US$ or Rands. Travelers cheques or credit cards are hardly accepted, or at very high costs. In South Africa credit cards, travelers cheques and foreign currencies shouldn´t be a problem. Last year we learned that the Euro isn´t really integrating in Mozambique yet. We still recommend US$ for this year. As the amount of cash money seems to add up on this trip we do recommend you make use of the safes aboard and money belts worn under clothes.

We recommend you consult your GP about the required precautions concerning health issues. Also you can get more specific details on tropical diseases in this area here. On board the truck we do have a medical kit. However, we still advise to bring your own plasters, iodine, salt solutions, Immodium, Paracetamol, vitamins, tweezers, bandaids etc. Tap water is not always drinkable. We usually have clean water on the truck, but some people will still respond simply because it´s different to the water at home. You can try to prevent this by drinking bottled water, boiled tea or coffee or by bringing purification tablets.

Malaria occurs on almost the whole continent. Therefore, we advise you to consult your doctor for prophylactics. Bear in mind that this will not give you 100% protection, but it does slow it down, which is good in Mozambique where medical aid is not always at hand. But the best is to try to prevent by taking prophylactics, cover up at night time and use repellent.

Please bear in mind that baggage space is limited and try not to take more than 13 kg with you.This excludes dive gear, should you bring any. Excess baggage can be stored in Pretoria. We do have extra locker space for diving equipment. It is better to not use suitcases or packs with an outside frame. Doing laundry or having laundry done shouldn´t be a problem. A day pack is handy for small items and valuables.

- warm sleeping bag
- mattress
- towels
- pocket knife
- torch
- batteries
- alarm
- sun glasses and spare glasses
- contact fluid
- light shoes, like sandals
- closed shoes
- toiletries , like sun screen, lip balm, tampons, repellent, razor blades
- walkman and tapes
- bathing suit
- binoculars, if you have any
- film
- earplugs
- water purification
- diving gear
- pills for motion sickness
Please bring a warm fleece and wind proof jacket as it can sometimes cool down considerably.
And don´t forget the hat to protect you from the sun.

This trip is run by a Dutch company, so some passengers will fly in from The Netherlands as others will board in Pretoria. The crew is Dutch/English speaking. This is one of those trips where, no matter how much you plan, things can and will go wrong at times. Roads can be bad, we might have a puncture, we might have to dig. The hot water may run out, the boat leaks a bit. Delays can occur due to an officer who got out of the wrong side of the bed, but maybe also because we spot a river and decide to go for a swim. We ask you to be flexible and pack your sense of humour and positive attitude as well as your toothpaste and films. We will also ask you to give us a hand at times, changing tyres, shopping, watching the truck, dishes, building a fire etc, etc. If we all take it as it comes, you´re in for a brilliant, true African experience.

During this trip we visit a little local community of 550 souls outside Tofo to have a closer look at the Mozambican way of life. In this community, initiatives to improve sanitary conditions and schooling keeps stranding in bureaucracy and poverty. For years, they have been trying to get a water pump installed to supply the locals with clean water, so far with no results. And the community is too small to be taken seriously by any aid organisation. Extreme Sports Cafe wants to help these people, though on very modest scale. We will try to raise money so we can realize some of the basic necessities.
Your help is essential. Extreme Sports Cafe will publish the results of these projects on this website.

In this trip there are 7 days available for diving if you want to, at 3 different locations.

Mozambique is gaining popularity as a dive and watersports paradise; as far as coral reefs and fish population, it can easily compete with renowned destinations like Asia and the Caribbean, the only difference being that mass tourism hasn´t spoilt it yet. Let yourself roll into the tropical waters – the chance is considerable that you´ll encounter a dolphin, humpback whale, whale shark, manta or giant turtle.

For the fanatics, we have put together packages of 10 dives at discount rates.

Dive package, 12 dives, excluding gear US$ 220

Dive package, 12 dives, including gear US$ 280

This is payable in cash US$ at the start of the trip in Pretoria. Restitution is only applicable when the local dive operator would cancel. These prices are indications. Individual accounts are kept and the balance settled at the end of the trip. Naturally, it´s also possible to book individual dives and sometimes we push for extra dives. Should you have your own dive equipment, we do advise to bring it.
Special training can be provided by the dive school in Tofo, like deep dive training, marine biology, navigation or intro dives. Please let us now when you book if you´d like to dive and if yes, would you like a package, do you require an outfit and would you like to do a training. All the dives are boat dives, conditions can be a bit choppy and currents or surge can occur. The temperature averages from 22°C in May up to 24°C in December, making a 5 mill full length suit with cap desirable. Visibility is about 15 meters and the depth ranges from 12 up to 25 meters. It is advisable to bring pills for motion sickness.

The big attraction of diving in Mozambique is Big Game fish.
We were running these from July up to December last year and have seen whale sharks in every trip, mantas in every trip as well as dolphins and turtles. Humpback whales we spotted in every trip until October when the season finishes. Sharks we saw occasionally.

The diving is subject to weather conditions or other unforeseen problems.

8 - 20

If you are an individual or part of a small group.. please get in touch as we can combine groups and add people to existing trips.

- All transport by 4x4 overland truck
- All boat transfers
- All camping accommodation and 8 nights bedded accommodation
- Use of camping equipment
- All entrance fees
- 2 experienced guides/drivers/cooks

Dates listed here are the Sunday you should meet up at the Twana Lodge.
You depart for Swaziland the following day. Please contact us for advice on flights...

22nd May
12th June
24th July
11th July
14th August
11th September
9th October
6th November
18th December

Please contact Extreme Sports Cafe for 2006 dates.

£600
* Christmas surcharge £75