Excursions to the Bazaruto Islands and Red Dunes

Gateway to the beautiful Bazaruto Archipelago

Almost all travellers heading out to the Bazaruto Archipelago will pass through Vilanculo to access the islands. This means that the coastal town is often overlooked as a destination in its own right. It doesn’t offer the sheer remoteness of the Bazaruto islands, and its beaches aren’t as breathtakingly pristine. However, very few beaches in the world are as gorgeous as the Bazaruto beaches, and Vilanculos has a lot of local interest. Additionally, the town’s accommodation is very good value! So you could combine a stay in Vilanculos with a few nights off the coast, in the Bazaruto.

Bazaruto is home to some of the most stunning beaches we've laid eyes on. The water here is warm and turquoise blue, and the white sandy beaches are backed by swaying palms and towering sand dunes, creating a postcard-perfect vision of paradise. Part of a larger archipelago that is known for its amazing diving experiences, the coral reefs around Bazaruto are also excellent for snorkeling. The island can be reached by boat or small plane, and the accommodations range from budget guesthouses to the luxury & Beyond Benguerra on a neighboring isle.

Location:

Vilanculos is situated in south-eastern Mozambique, on the country’s coastline and within the Vilanculos District of Inhambane Province. It has an international airport, which serves cities such as Maputo and Johannesburg.

About Vilanculos' Bazaruto:

The town is named after Gamela Vilankulo Mukoke, who was a local tribal chief. As it’s considered the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago, Vilanculos attracts a lot of travellers and has received significant investment into its tourism infrastructure.

In 1971 the Bazaruto Islands and surrounding coral reefs were declared a National Park, becoming one of the largest protected areas in the Indian Ocean and Mozambique's only official marine reserve.

The coral reefs surrounding the Bazaruto Islands support thousands of fish, marine animals and kinds of coral. These protected coral reefs are unspoilt providing a pristine habitat for over 2000 species of fish, along with sharks, whales and dolphins.

The deep channels off these tropical islands are excellent for big game fishing with fish including marlins, barracudas and sailfish. The Bazaruto area is ranked as the best Marlin fishing destination in the Eastern Indian Ocean and fishing enthusiasts can also try salt water fly fishing for sought-after bonefish.

The Bazaruto cluster of islands is also a bird watching haven, attracting an interesting variety of birds, with around 160 species recorded.

Loggerhead turtles, among the rarest in the world, nest on the island beaches along with two other turtle species. The islands are home to about 45 reptile and amphibian species, two of which are endemic to the Bazaruto Islands. 

Activities:

Originally known for the pearls which were harvested for hundreds of years, 1,400 square kilometers of the Bazaruto Archipelago and its resident marin life are now protected by decree as of the 25th of May 1971. The national marine park comprises five main islands, most of which are inhabited: Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina (Paradise Island), Bangué, and additionally, Pansy Shell Island.

These islands are the epitome of tropical islands, complete with large dunes, coastal forest and even wetlands with savanna in between. Divers from all over the world come to Bazaruto National Park for the thousands of species of tropical fish amongst the coral reefs. Birders come to see the hundreds of migrant and resident bird species found on the islands. 

Bazaruto is an ideal beach destination to kick-back and relax, before or after a wildlife safari adventure in southern Africa. It is easy to see why this almost untouched beach paradise is called the 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean'.

Here are some of the activities available:

---

Kite surfing

Both lessons and kite safaris are possible, the latter offering opportunities to spot rays, dolphins, and whale-sharks while surfing. The islands of Bazaruto provide superb conditions for this sport.

Status: EXTRA PRICE

---

Tuk-tuk tours

A tuk-tuk is a motorised version of the traditional cycle rickshaw. Jump aboard one of these, and you can cover a lot of ground, taking in all the sights of Vilanculos and surrounds.

Status: EXTRA PRICE

---

Watch The Sunset On The Red Dune

This activity is the culmination of the quad bike tour. After we rode through Vilanculos, we stopped at the foot of a large dune of dark orange sand aptly called Red Dune. Views of the beach, water, and dhows from the top of the dune were gorgeous. Watching the sun set was magical. You can choose to discover these amazing dunes either on Quad bike, horseback or 4x4 vehicle 

Status: INCLUDED 

---

Dhow Safari

Visit the Islands of Bazaruto and explore the azure waters on dhow excursions, in traditional East African sailing vessels.

Status: EXTRA PRICE

Time/s of year to travel:

The best time to travel to Vilanculos is the period from May to October, as this is dry season. April and November are good. However, December through to March sees the rains sweep in, bringing uncomfortably high humidity – we tend not to advise travelling to the area during these months of the year.

Special terms:

Participants who do not follow the tour guide’s instructions may be excluded from the tour without a refund.

Please note that activities may run 60 minutes late especially on public holidays and busy weekends days, please allow up to 60 minutes of delays on your time schedule. Please ARRIVE 15 Minutes before your TIMESLOT. if you arrive late your timeslot will be moved to the next Hour.

Please note that if you cancel on the day of activity a cancellation fee of 100% will be charged.

Highlights:

 The Bazaruto Archipelago truly is one of the most beautiful African beach destinations.  

 Wide, white-sand beaches fringed with palm trees and lush island vegetation, inhabited by samango monkeys, butterflies and an array of birds.

 Two Mile Reef - a world renowned site for scuba-diving and snorkelling.

 Excellent big game fishing, with giant trevally, sailfish and marlin frequently caught.

 Warm, clear waters from the Mozambique current, ideal for swimming and exploring the endless reefs.

 Laid-back village life with traditional cultures and colourful markets, set in the shade of fruit and nut trees.

 Warm, tropical climate ideal for beach holidays year round.

 Fresh seafood, stunning scenery and picture-perfect sunsets.

The national park is home to an amazing variety of marine life and pristine coral reefs.

Things to note:

 Confirmation will be received at time of booking

 Not wheelchair accessible

 Not recommended for pregnant travelers

 Most travelers can participate

 This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund

This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

 The activity starts and ends at Batoka Land. 

 Most activities cannot take place during thunderstorms or heavy rain.

Bring your camera, with spare batteries and memory card Sunscreen

HOW TO BOOK

1. The BOOK NOW button only sends an enquiry – payment request sent to you after submitted.
2. Click the BOOK NOW button
3. Choose your date and time slot
4. Add the number of adults and kids for the activity – many activities offer sliding scale rates according to the number of guests
5. You can add more activities by selecting other services on the extra price list before proceeding to step 6
6. BOOK – enter your details and send the enquiry – we will respond asap and confirm the availability of your booking, price, time, etc and send you a secure payment link by e-mail/SMS.
7. Only once payment has been received, will your booking be confirmed and your Activity Ticket/Voucher be sent to you by e-mail

Important information 

1. This tour can be linked with a number of our other activities, including Quad Biking, Boat trips to the Archipelago Islands, Horse Riding, Bridge Swing, Rafting and even an extension with journeys to through the Panaromic routes. If you are interested to enhance your tour further, please select extra services on the booking menu or contact us to receive a list of all the available options to suite your time frame and budget.  

2. All information provided in this tour dossier is subject to change without prior notice. Changes would always be in consideration of your safety first and a better quality experience where possible. Overnight accommodation stops can change without prior notification, depending on road or weather conditions or any unforeseen circumstances.

3. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the properties listed in this dossier, these are to be used as a guideline only. We recommend that you understand the most up to date version of this tour dossier one week prior to your tour attendance date, however, changes are possible within 7 days prior to your tour departure. 

By booking this to acknowledged that you have read and accept the Terms and Privacy Policy