About Mozambique

Sara and John say...

Whether out on safari, sightseeing or visiting the bigger cities, the driest time to visit this southeastern coastal African country is during the winter period from mid-May to August. Daytime temperatures reach into the mid to high 20s Celsius in most locations, although towards the higher western plateau it is cooler, with some chilly nights here.

Sunny skies and low humidity prevail through these winter months, with showers quite rare and mostly limited to some coastal areas, where it can also be quite breezy.

Through September and October, temperatures begin to rise into the 30s Celsius, but it remains mostly dry. Game-viewing is reaching its best at this time and whale migration can also be observed. The calmer waters also make this an optimal time for bathing and snorkelling.

The wetter months begin in November, although initially the downpours are sporadic and come in the form of short, intense showers. The peak of the rainfall occurs between December and March, with northern parts of the country seeing the longer-lasting wet season compared with further south. At the capital, Maputo, over half the days remain dry, even in the midst of the wetter months. However the coast is at low risk of tropical cyclones at this time.

The high humidity makes this an uncomfortable period for visiting, though, especially at night. Temperatures range from the low 20s Celsius at dawn to the mid-30s in the sunnier midday breaks in the cloud. However, higher inland areas further west are more comfortably cooler.

Temperatures ease through April and May as drier and more favourable conditions return for many visitors.