Getting In and Around

Visas: A passport that will be valid for six months upon a visitor’s arrival and contains at least three unstamped pages is required for entering Mozambique. One-entry visas can be purchased at the airport, but visitors are strongly encouraged to obtain their visas prior to traveling. If you’ve previously traveled to a country where yellow fever is present, you must produce a certification of vaccination for yellow fever. (Getting vaccinated just to prevent any hassles at the airport isn’t a bad idea in any case.) All travelers must, however, carry their yellow vaccination books.

Transportation: LAM, Mozambique’s national airline, offers flights to Maputo’s international airport (MPM) from Lisbon and several African nations. TAP, Portugal’s national carrier, also has flights between the two cities.

Once in Mozambique, you’ll find regular flights between all the provincial capitals through LAM and a few other small airlines. When traveling by train is your preference, you may choose routes between Maputo and the South African border at Ressano Garcia and between cities in northern Mozambique. In terms of public transportation, the minibuses called chapas are almost always packed, make for an uncomfortable ride, and are vulnerable to accidents. If you’re up for the adventure, look for chapas in most town centers. They don’t follow a formal schedule but rather depart when they have filled with passengers.

Mobile Phones: A GSM mobile phone can be used in Mozambique; consider buying a prepaid SIM card at the airport if you don’t have an international plan.

Safety and Security

Owing to poor road conditions and frequent incidences of vehicle hijacking, tourists should not travel by land after dark. Residual land mines left over from the country’s civil war also remain, so travelers are advised to stick to main roads.

Always be aware of your surroundings. Important items like passports and excess cash should be kept in a safe place.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has created a security ratings system called the Ibrahim Index, wherein scores are based on each country’s quality of government. Before traveling to Mozambique or anywhere on the continent, check the index and do your research.