Maputo Special Reserve Tour

Maputo National Park was proclaimed in 2021 after the merging of Maputo Special Reserve and Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve.

One of Earth’s most biologically rich and endangered ecoregions, it is a jewel in the crown of Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas and Peace Parks, which signed a 15-year agreement in 2018 to restore, develop and manage Maputo National Park.

One of the world's most endangered eco-regions, the 24 000 ha Maputo Special Reserve, established in 1960 offers holiday seekers the opportunity to go on an adventurous game drive where elephants, hippos, crocodiles, antelope, zebras, giraffe among others roam in this peaceful reserve of lakes, wetlands, swamp forests, grasslands and mangrove forests flocking with different bird species, and a stunning coastline of pristine beaches stretching for miles.

The reserve and wildlife suffered badly during the civil war between 1975 and 1992, when mines and snares injured and killed a large population of wildlife inhabitants.

Restoration of the reserve's wildlife and flora has been an ongoing effort via cross-border translocation programmes between South Africa and Mozambique since the end of the war, with a latest count report of over 400 elephants that now flourish in this beautiful, tranquil game reserve, where sightings of them grazing on open floodplains are literally guaranteed.

These translocation programme operations taken place over the years, have proven to be a major success, with over 4600 animals brought into the reserve since 2019 and over 25000 animals from all over Southern Africa since translocation operations began! Today, it thrives with wildlife, attracting more and more tourists, which helps fund the reserve to maintain its biodiversity and continue the restoration process.

The Cheetahs are back

In October 2021, 4 cheetahs were successfully introduced to the reserve to not only improve the wildlife biodiversity within but also to allow nature to balance the reserve's ecosystem spectrum. The Maputo Special Reserve, unfortunately, suffered a loss of 1 cheetah only a month after it broke through the border fence and got caught in a snare trap.

These sad occasions are always a reminder of how important it is to help support the reserve, whether it be from tourists travelling into Mozambique and partaking in a game drive or by simply donating to help improve, maintain and protect the reserve's precious wildlife from future incidents.

The dangers to wildlife that still pose a threat

The threat of poaching and snare traps being set up is still a high risk even today. So for security measures, the reserve has introduced a dedicated force of well-equipped game rangers all around the reserve to effectively protect, patrol and safeguard wildlife from future poaching and snare traps.

A new operations room has been built within the reserve, and security rangers are equipped with digital radio cross-communication devices for fast and efficient reactive communication, as well as assisted helicopter support if required.

If you plan to visit the Maputo Special Reserve and happen to see any suspicious activity, then please report it to the security rangers as soon as possible. The more eyes on the lookout, the better.