Mozambique is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations for European travellers looking for an adventurous 4x4 “island-like” sea holiday in Southern Africa. With some research and creative planning it is possible to visit Northern Natal, Swaziland, Mozambique and the Kruger National Park with Mozambique as the main destination. To get the most out of a visit to Mozambique a traveller needs to hire a reliable and well equipped 4x4. Unfortunately there are no 4x4’s for hire in Mozambique. The nearest city to Mozambique, with an International Airport and 4x4 rentals is Pretoria or Johannesburg.
When hiring a 4x4 make sure you do business with a reputable 4x4 rental company with good testimonials, track records and vehicles. Also make sure that the vehicles are well maintained and in a good condition. A breakdown in Mozambique is not the end of the world, but being a poor 3rd world country it usually takes longer to get sorted out.
One of the best things about having a rental 4x4 in Mozambique is that many of the best resorts, campsites and viewpoints can only be reached by 4x4. The EN1 is the main road along the coast leading from Maputo to Gorangosa National Park in Central Mozambique, parts of this road is in a terrible condition. The risk of a puncture or suspension damage is multiplied by ten when driving in a regular sedan.
Most travellers are so focussed on Mozambique that they forget how much more they can get out of their 4x4 holiday.
When hiring a 4x4 to visit Mozambique one of the main concerns are the border crossings with the rental 4x4. Unfortunately Mozambique is a very popular destination for stolen vehicles as well. Due to this stigma many travellers are worried about the legal aspects of a hired 4x4 and border crossings. According to
Ivory 4x4 Hire , border crossings with the correct documentation is painless and quick except for the KomatiPoort border. KomatiPoort is the busiest border post between South Africa and Mozambique, it is advisable to rather travel through Swaziland or the Kruger National Park, that way you’ll not encounter any problems or long queues at the border post.
A well planned trip can include a visit to the biggest above ground granite rock in the world, let you sleep in a traditional Swazi Hut, visit the St Lucia Wetlands World Heritage site, scuba dive on the spectacular reefs at Ponta Malongane, visit the Mozambican capital – Maputo, drive all the way North along the beautiful Mozambican coastline to Inhambane where you can stay at Paindane right next to the sea. From Paindane you can drive to a South Africa/Mozambique border post inside the Kruger National Park and spend your last few days in the world’s most famous National Park.
I’ve not come across a single person who travelled Mozambique in a hired 4x4 who wasn’t well impressed by the beauty of the country, friendliness of the people and unspoilt beaches of Mozambique. It is well worth your while to venture out of your comfort zone and hire a 4x4 to visit this beautiful country in Southern Africa.
