Maputo Map

About City

Maputo is the capital of Mozambique and the largest city in the country.

It has been the capital of the country since the end of the 19th century. It was first explored by a Portuguese trader Lourenço Marques, after whom the city was first named. It is a port city with a population of about 2 million.
Mozambique gained independence in 1975 and Maputo served as a Portuguese trade center. Today it is one of the most attractive cities in Africa. Portuguese and English are the widely spoken languages here. It is also known as the ‘City of Acacias’ as the city is abundant in acacia trees.

Geography

Located on the west side of Maputo Bay, Maputo covers a total are of 346 square kilometers. It is near the Estuário do Espírito Santo where the rivers Umbeluzi, Matola, Tembe and Infulene drain. The island of Inhaca lies to the extreme east of the city. Maputo is bordered by Matola to its east, Marracuene to it north and Matutuíne to its south.

How to Reach (Transport)

Maputo is easily accessible via flights. The Maputo International Airport, 3 km away from the city, is connected by airlines like the British Airways, Linhas Aereas de Moçambique, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways and South Africa Airlink. Although there are no direct trains to Maputo, tourists can avail of daily trains from Johannesburg at Komatipoort which is directly connected to the city.

Maputo is connected to the cities of Johannesburg, Manzini and Durban by an extensive road network. The Maputo Corridor which includes the N4 highway allows luxury and regular bus service. One can even rent a car to Maputo but it is a little risky due to petty crimes taking place on the highway. The port of Maputo also has regular ferry services to and from KaTembe.

Inside the city, one can avail of metered taxis, three wheelers named tuk-tuks, rental cars, mini buses called Chapas as well as regular city owned buses. Walking around is also a good option.

When to Visit

The climate of Maputo is between a tropical savanna climate and a humid subtropical climate. November to March features the rainy season while April to September is relatively dry. January is the hottest month and July is the coldest.

The best time to visit Maputo would be between April and September, when the weather is cool and dry. Also, the important festivals are celebrated during these months.

Fairs and Festivals

The people of Maputo celebrate their rich heritage and culture through a number of festivals:

• Festival do Marrabenta, celebrated in January and February is organized by the French-Mozambican Culture Centre in order to promote the local culture. It is also celebrated in the cities of Matalene, Marracuene and Chibuto.
• The Pilgrimage to Namaacha has been celebrated since 1944. It begins in the city of Maputo on 13th May, led by choirs and brass bands, followed by more than 100,000 Catholics. It is a 80 km journey which ends at the village of Namaacha.
• The Festival Umoja, celebrated in August aims to develop the culture and art exhibited by the people of Mozambique.
• St. Sylvester running race or Corrida Sao Silvestre is held on the 31st of December every year and is a recreation of the prestigious Brazilian race of the same name. It culminates in a music festival which goes on all night.

Other festivals include Avante Mozambique Festival (August), Kinani International Festival of Contemporary Dance (November) and the Maputo International Music Festival (May to June).

Points of Interest (Places to Visit)

Maputo is full of interesting and noteworthy places to visit:

• The Maputo Elephant Reserve, 79 km south of Maputo is famous for its elephant herds. The large inland lakes near the sea also have an abundance of bright flamingos.
• The Inhaca Island is 34 km from the city and can be reached by both boat and plane. Various parts of the island are accessible by organized tours.
• The Natural History Museum, near Hotel Cardoso is in Praça Travessia de Zambezi It displays a unique collection of elephant fetuses showing the different months of gestation and also a wonderful insect collection.
• The Praca de Independencia is one of the must see points of the city where a statue of the country’s first president, Samora Machel is situated.

Other important places to visit are the Museum of Revolution, the Railway Station, the botanical gardens of Tunduru, the Fortaleza, etc.

Accommodation

Maputo is strewn with hotels, resorts, inns and guest houses for the humble as well as the luxurious. Hotel Continental, Maputo B&B Backpackers and Fatima’s Place are some of the cheapest choice of accommodation. At the mid range is Duqueza de Connaught Guest House which is the only guest house in the center of the town. Of international fame, Radisson Blu is one of the most expensive and strategically placed hotels in the city. The Catembe Gallery Hotel, expensive and stylish has 14 rooms, each designed by a local artist. Hotel Polana is amongst the most famous hotels in the area, a masterpiece of the colonial era by Sir Herbert Baker, an infamous South African artist. Other options include Hotel Cardoso, Hotel Avenida and VIP Grand Hotel Maputo.