There’s more to the idyllic Bazaruto Archipelago than meets the eye. Immaculate reefs teem with oceanic life, offering exceptional snorkelling, plus whale sharks, dugongs and whale watching too.
Wildlife of the Bazaruto Archipelago
Picture a desert island utopia in your mind’s eye, where towering sand dunes cascade down into the exquisite azure ocean, and this is it. Beach picnics on sandbars that disappear with the tides and sunset dhow sails are the order of the day, yet you may be surprised to learn that this group of five heavenly islands supports more wildlife than you may imagine. Birds abound, of course, with waders frequenting shallow lagoons and pelagics sharing airspace with migrating species. Terrestrial species include antelope and many reptiles, including Nile crocodiles, but it's the marine extravaganza that's the jewel in the crown for the Bazarutos (as the islands are collectively known).
The Bazaruto Archipelago Marine National Park provides sanctuary to secretive dugong in addition to literally thousands of tropical fish, sharks, rays and more. Resident bottlenose, spinner and humpback dolphins may be seen and migrating humpback whales pass through between July and November. As the green season commences, up to five species of turtle nest here from November to March and whale sharks and manta rays gather between October and April.
How to get to the Bazaruto Archipelago
Regular scheduled flights from Johannesburg operate into Vilanculos on the mainland, from where it's a 10-15 minute helicopter transfer over sparkling turquoise seas to the Bazaruto Islands. Welcome to paradise!
View suggested itinerary
