The zebras
At the lakeside.
Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Charles J. Sharp — CC BY-SA 4.0
Maputo National Park is a reserve of 1,718 square kilometres in the far south of Mozambique, combining land and sea on Maputo Bay and the Indian Ocean coast. It holds coastal lakes, forests, high dunes and empty beaches, and it is the closest place to the capital to see wild animals. It makes for a day quite unlike the noise of the city. It was created on 7 December 2021 by merging two reserves, the Maputo Special Reserve and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve. The first dates back to 1932, when it was proclaimed to protect a small group of elephants. In 2025 the park joined the UNESCO World Heritage list as an extension of South Africa's iSimangaliso. You drive sandy tracks between plains and lakes, meeting herds of zebra drinking, giraffes on the skyline and nyala with twisted horns and white stripes. Great egrets and pelicans stand on the water, and colourful butterflies move through the trees. At its eastern edge a wide beach meets orange and green dunes, and you may see almost no one. It is about 55 km from central Maputo in a straight line and about 50 km from Ponta do Ouro, with deep sandy roads inside that need a four-wheel drive. Carry enough water and fuel, as there are no stations inside. Ask about the roads after rain. Follow park rules on keeping clear of elephants.
At the lakeside.
Twisted horns, white stripes.
Orange and green dunes.
Matutuíne District, southern Mozambique
Yes, the roads are deep sand, and you can book an organised tour from Maputo.
It is possible from Maputo in a suitable vehicle, though a night gives a quieter morning.